The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-11-06
CHAPTER XI.
DISCHARGED.

iSI who certainly must have con-
cealed angels wings under his
threadbare coat Mr.. Doty was sym
pathetic: Mr. Doty understood. In
Mats case nothing could be simpler:
the sea for the sailor. Of course. and
they would go right off to his good
friend, Captain Jim Balm. who owned
half the coaSting craft out Of
Oh, but Matt wished to stay in
ManaSwan. Oh. the old story-I see.
1 sea young lady. and all the rest
of it. Well. well. well. Let Mr.. Doty
think. let Mr.. Doty think.
Half an hour afterward Matt was
formally engaged as physical instruc
tor to the Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION at Il salary of $50 month.
Unlike it's sisters elsewhere. the Man
aswan Y. NJ. c. A. was poorly sup
ported. either by the moneyed peo-
pie of the town or the horde of litter
ate foreigners whom it was intended to
uplift.
Mr.. CumminS. the superintendent, a
very low voiced young man with eye
glasses, laid less stress on Mats
than whether he would be prepared to
help out" That had been the trouble
with the previous misunderstanding
wouldn't help out" Would Matt help
out cheerfulIy: Matt promptly re-
piled that he would. and smiling broad
" to prove it, inquired for a more
precise definition of helping out
This. it seemed. included washing
the gymnasium windows. scrubbing
the gymnasium floor. drying, the bath
ing suits. cleansing the swimming
tank. checking the towels. doing what
ever painting or vanishing was re-
quired in the building. oiling and clean
ing dozen typewriter machines. and
ng-cheerfully-for any fur
Their services that might be needed.
MATHS answers We're so satisfactory
that he soon found himself on the roof
in suit Of borrowed overalls. assist
ing a deaf and dumb Swede in re-
shingling it. In this work and others
he passed the day. and in the evening
he taught in the gymnasium.
By 10 the gymnasium was clear.
and he was free to return home. the
tiredest man in Manaswan. and the
happiest. He had got job: he had
already won praise: he foresaw promo
ton and Chris! He sat down and
scratched off glad little note; the
good news was too big to keep: Chris
should learn by the mornings mail
that he had been Observation-Disclosures
ously-successful.
At breakfast there was one from her.
which he tore open and read with
sickening. deadly disappointment. 1t
ran:
Dearest-It did not seem right not to
tell papa, and now all that is left of me is
poor. limp little coward in the blacklist
disgrace. 1t was worse than his being
cross-I could have stood that-but he
took 1t dreadfully. more than l can ever
bring myself to tell you. I have promised
not to see you for three whole months
and not to write to you again except this,
and promised for you. too, to do the
same. Please. please don't blame me too
much or reproach me- l had no choice
really l had not-and even the three
months was tremendous concession. He
insisted l would forget you in three
months, and It seemed wiser to take it a S
sort Of challenge, specially when he said
I would be grateful to him all the days of
my life. l must just show him that three
months won't make the least. tiny differ
ence-and then say. papa, | can't help it.
but L love him more than ever. My dar-
ling, | will. | WILL ] will. And do not
doubt it or my heart will break. He has
a right to know that it is serious, hasn't
he? That's what he said over and over
again till / gave way.
| am determined not to wait a minute
longer than that. papa or no papa. and
what you must Go is to work hard and
be able to support Us when the time
comes. | have to take your answer for
granted, as | solemnly promised you
would not write to me. Please don't, my
darling. for otherwise you will add to my
disgrace and make papa think have no
influence with you.
We're going to Washington today. so
that | may be distracted" | shall be
that in all truth. but not in papa's sense,
and with heart like lead at leaving you.
Don't blame me too much. for l love him
too. you know. better than anything in
the world except you. Try not to feel too
badly. and remember | shall be thinking
of you every minute of the time. | dread
to stop. / have said everything so bad
ly. but it is not the you l love if you do
not understand. You viii. won't you?
And love me better than ever. and don't
forget that / will come CHRIS
Matt reread the letter many times.
and his first sensation of utter aban-
donment imperceptibly altered to
more sanguine view. They were both
saved at least the shame of a clandeS
tine affair. with its unavoidable and
notifying discovery. Better TO tell
the general than to let him find out.
Chris had been right there-bravey
right Three months would give Matt
time to solidify his position in the