The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-18
BY Morgan Robertson

bucket As he reached the group OF
ladies' to whom the boatswain mad
spoken his gaze rested on one. sunny
haired young woman with the blue Of
the sea in her eyes. who had arisen at
his approach. lie started. turned
aside as If to avoid her and. raising his
hand In an embarrassed half salute,
passed on. Out of the boatswain 4
sight he leaned against the deck house
and painted. while he held his hand to
his breast
What Is it., he muttered YEARLY
whisky nerves or the dying tlutter OF
starved love? Five years now and Il
look from her eyes can stop the blood
In my veins-can bring back all the
heart hunger and heIplessness that
lead a man to insanity or this" Tie
looked at his trembling hand. all seam
ell and tar stained. passed on forward
and returned with the sandpaper.
The young woman had been equally
affected by the meeting. An expires
sion OF mingled surprise and terror
had come to her pretty but rather weak
face. and with acknowledging his half
salute she had caught up a little child
from the deck behind her and, turning
into the saloon door, hurried to the
library. where she sank into n chair
beside military looking gentleman,
who glanced up from a book ana r.
marked: "Secn the sea serpent, Myra.
or the Flying Dutchman: What's up."
"Oh. GeOrge-no.' she answered In
agitated tones. John Rowland Is here
Lieutenant Rowland I've just seen
him: he IL SO char ID: he tried TO
speak to me-
"Who-that troublesome fame Of
yours3 never met him. sou know.
and you haven't told me much about
him. What is he-first cabinY
mo: he seems to he a common sail.
or. lie Is working and Is dressed In
old clothes. all dirty. And such dis.
sipated face too. lie seems to have
fallen-so low. And it IL all since
"Since you soured on him? Well, It
Is no fault of yours. dear. II a man
has 1t in him he'll so TO the dogs any.
how. How Is his sense Of injury
Has he grievance or grudge? You
are badly upset. What did he sayY"
II don't know. lie said nothing
I've always been afraid OF him Eve
met him three times since then. and
he puts such frightful look In his
eyes--and he was SO violent and head
strong and SO terribly angry that time
lie accused me Of leading him on and
playing with him. and he said some
thing about an immutable law ol
chance and governing balance oil
events that couldn't understand. onl,
where he said that for all the sulferin;
! we inilict on others we receive m
equal amount ourselves. Then he wen
away in such passion. I've imagin
cd ever since that he would take som,
revenge. lie might steal our Myra-
our baby! She strained the smilin;
child TO her breast and went on. :"
liked him at first, until | found on
that he WAS an atheist. Why. George
4 he actually denied the existence o
God and to me, protesting Chris
tan"
"lIe had wonderful nerve" sail
the husband. with smile. "Didn'
know you very well. should say"
lie never seemed the same 10 IN
after that" she resumed. II felt a
though In the presence of somethin
unclean. Yet ! thought how gloriou
it would be IL ! could save him to Go
and tried to convince him Of the lovn
care Of Jesus. but he only ridicule,l =
! hold sacred and said that much as b
valued my good opinion he would n
be hypocrite to gain 1t and that b
| would be honest with himself and oil
ers and express his honest unbelief
the idea. As though one could be h"i
est without Gods help-and then oil
day I smclled liquor on his BREATH
always smelled Of tObaccO-and I CAV
him up. 1t was then that he-that b
broke out"
"Come out and show me this repr'
| hofeD said the husband. rising. The
went to the door and the young woma
peered out. lie is the last man dow
there-close to the cabin" she said q
she drew in. The husband steppe
out.
"What! That hangdog rufian scon
ing the ventilator? So that's ROWAN
Of the navy. is It? Well. this is a tun
BILE Wasn't he broken for conduC
unbecoming an officer? Got roari
drunk at the presidents levee. didn
be? think I read of it"
81 know he lost bis position and W.
terribly disgraced." answered the wiz
"well, Myra. the poor devil Is harm
less now. Well be across In a feV
days, and you needn't meet him on thi
broad deck. II he hasn't lost all sens
bility he's as embarrassed as you. Bel
ter stay in now. It's getting foggy.