St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-04-26
WHITIAkER'S
PLACE
BY JOSEPH C. LINCOLN

Copyright. 1908. by d. Appleton 8 Co.
ana more sacred tnan Irlenusu1p, ina.
was ridiculous. If for moment a
remark of hers had led him to dream
of such thing it was because he was,
as he had SO often declared. an 'told
fool"
So Captain Cy had resolved upon
| flight, and he fed to Washington be-
cause the business of the committee
of one" offered legitimate excuse for
going there The blunt message he
had intrusted to Georgianna would. he
believed. arouse Phoebes indignation
She would not call again. And when
he returned to Bos'n it would be to
take up the child's fight alone. If he
lost that fight. or when he lost it, he
would close the Cy Whitaker place
and leave Bayport for good.
He had been in Washington once be-
fore. years ago. when he was first mate
of a ship and had few weeks shore
leave. Then he went there on a pleas
ure trip with some seagoing friends
and had a jolly time. But there was
precious little jollity in the present
visit He had never felt SO thoroughly
miserable. In order to forget he made
up his mind to work his hardest to dis
cover why the harbor appropriation
was not to be given to Bayport.
The city had changed greatly. He
would scarcely have known it. He
went to the hotel where he had stayed
before and found big modern build
ing in it's place. The clerk was in
clined to be rather curt and perfume
tory at first, but when he learned that
the captain was not anxious concern
ing the price of accommodations, but
merely wanted a ''comf' table berth
somewheres on the saloon deck" and
appeared to have plenty of money he
grew polite. Captain Cy was shown
to his room, where he left his valise.
Then he went down to dinner.
After the meal was over he seated
himself in one Of the big leather chairs
in the hotel lobby, smoked and
thought In the summer before Bos'n
came and before her father had arisen
to upset every calculation and wreck
all his plans, the captain had given
serious thought to what he should do
If Congressman Atkins failed, as even
then he seemed likely to do, in secur-
ing that appropriation. The obvious
thing, of course. would have been to
hunt up Mr.. Atkins and question him.
But this was altogether too obvious
In the first place the strained relations
between them would make the inter-
view uncomfortable, and in the second
if there was anything underhand in
Heman's backsliding on the appropria-
ton Atkins was too wary a bird to be
shared with questions.
But Captain Cy had another ac-
Quaintance in the city, the son Of a
still older acquaintance, who had been
a wealthy shipping merchant and mine
owner in California. The son was also
a congress man from a coast state, and
the captain had read of hun in the pa
pers. A sketch of his life had been
printed. and this made his identity alb
Bolutely certain. Captain Cy's orig
lnaI idea had been to write to this con-
gresham. Now he determined to find
and interview him.
He inquired concerning him Of the
hotel clerk, who, like all Washington
clerks. was a walking edition of
WHO'S Who at the Capital
Congress man Everdean?" repeated
the all knowing gentleman. Eyes, he's
In town. Has rooms at the Gloria,
second hotel on the right as you go up
the avenue-only short walk. What
can l do for you. sir?''
The Gloria was an even bigger hotel
than the one where the captain had his
berth An inquiry at the desk of
another important clerk was answered
with a brisk:
"Mr Everdean? Yes, he rooms here
Don't know whether he's in or not.
Evening, judge Nice winter weather
we're having"
The judge, who was a ponderous
person, vaguely suggesting the great
Heman, admitted that the weather
was fine, patronizing it as he did so.
The clerk continued the conversation.
Captain Cy waited. At length he
spoke.
Excuse me, commodore" he said.
ST don't like to break in until you've
settled whether you have it snow or
Everdean. Hadn't you better order
OAC VI yum AZ 1AdSt W AUuL Hill
up?"
The judge condescended to smile, as
did several other men who stood near.
The clerk REDEEMED.
''Do you want to see Mr.. Everdean?''
he snapped.
'.Why, yes. did But can't see
him from here without strainin' my
eyesight.'
The clerk sharply demanded one of
the captains visiting cards. He didn't
get one. for the very good reason that
there was none in existence
'aTell him an old friend of his dads
is here on the main deck waitin' for
him." said Captain Cy. 'ThatH do
first rate. Thank you admiral
Word came that the congressman
would be down in a few moments
The captain beguiled the interval by
leaning on the rail and regarding the