The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-24

i trust, sir. he said. that YOU vii
telegraph her. am rcnnilcss at pre-.
ent and. besides. do not know hci
name"
Selfrid"c which. Of course. is m,
own name Mrs. colonel or Mrs
George Selfridcc thlr New York nd
dress is we'll known. Hut shall cahl,
her ut once. and believe me. sir. al
though | can understand that our deb,
TO You cannot be named in terms OF
money, you need not he prnnileSS long
You are evidently n capable man. and
l have wealth and influence"
Rowland merely bowed slightly. bu,
Mr.. Meyer muttered TO himself: Wealth
and influence. Perhaps not. Now. gen
tlemen." he added in n louder tone. "to
plzness. Mr.. Rowland will you tell MS
about der running down Of der ROYAL
Age"
WAS it the Royal Age" asked Row
land. Il sailed in her one voyage
Yes, certainly"
Mr.. Selfridge, more interested. in NV
ra than in the coming account, carried
her over to Il chair in the corner and
sat down. where he fon,llel and talked
10 her after the manner of grandfathcr>
the world over. and Rowland. first look
Ing steadily int" the faces of the two
men he had come TO expose and whose
presence he had thus far ignored, told,
while they held their teeth tight to-
Gether and often buried their finger
nails in their palms. the terrible story
of the cutting in half of the ship on the
drst night ont from New York. finish
Ing with the attempted bribery and his
refusal.
"Ncll, gentlemen. What do you think
cf that" asked Mr. Meyer. looking
around
"A lie. from beginning to end
stormcd Captain Bryce.
Rowland rose to his feet. but was
pressed back by the biz man who had
accompanied him. who then faced Cap.
tain Bryce and said quietly:
Il saw a polar bear that this man
killed In open fight. saw his arm aft
erward. and while nursing him away
from death | heard no whincs or com
plants. lie can fight his own battles
when we'll, and when sick I'll do il for
him, II you insult him again in my
presence III knock your teeth down
your throat"
There was "a moments silence while
the two captains eyed one another
broken 10y the attorney, who said.
Whether this story IS true or false,
II certainly has no hearing on the va
ldity Of the policy. IT this harlelcd
1t WAS after the policy attached and
before the wreck of the Titan"
but der concealncnt. der conceal
ment" shouted Mr.. Meyer excitclly.
"Ilas no bearing either. IL he con
cealol anything 1t was done after the
wreck and after your liability was
confirmed. II was not even harratry
You must pay this insurance"
II will not bay tt will not. ] will
fight you In der courts" Mr.. Metcr
stamped up and down the floor In hi,
excitement. then stopped with n 'r!
umphant smile and shook his finger
into the face OF the attorney.
"And even II der concealmcnt viii
not vitiate der policy der fact that h"
had a drunken man on lookout when
der Titan struck der iceberg will he
enough. Go ahead and sue. will not
bay. He was part owner"
"You have no witnesses TO that ad
mission" said the attorney. Mr.. Moy
er looked around the group, and the
smile left his face.
Captain Bryce was mistaken" said
Mr.. Austen. This man was drunk AT
New York like others Of the crew
But he was sober and competent wiirl
on lookout. l discussed theories -
navigation with him during his trirk
on the bridge that night, and he spoke
intelligently."
"But you yourself said not ten ma,
utes ago that this man was in state
Of delirium tremens up TO der coli
sion." said Mr.. Meyer.
"What I said and what | will al
NIT under oath are two differeni
things" said the officer desperate
II may have said anything under TIE
excitement Of the moment when We
were accused Of such an infam"n-
crime. I say now that John Rowlard
whatever may have been his cond!
ton on the preceding night, was a 50
Der and competent lookout at the tire
Of the wreck Of the Titan"
Thank you" said Rowland dryly to
the first officer; then, looking into the
appealing face Of Mr.. Meyer, he said;
II do not think 1t will be necessary
to brand me before the world as an in
ebriate in order to punish the COMPANY
and these men. Barratry. as under
stand 1t, Is the unlawful act OF cap
tain or crew at sea, causing damage or
loss, and 1t only applies when the par
ties are purely employees. Did | IN
deFstand rightly that Captain Bryce
was part owner Of the Titan"
"Yes," said Mr.. Meyer, The owns
stock, and We insure against barrau!
But this man a. part owner could n0'
Anm Annn - -