The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-12-29
MORE Than BIG BROTHER
BY LOUISE MERRIFlELD,

Dorothy pushed open the glass doors
that led to the veranda. She knew
her way around the house better thar
Allan. 1t was his first visit to Sanibe
Island and her fifth. She felt vaguely
superior and motherly toward this
stocky, tanned youngster just fresh
from South America. Constance had
told her to take care Of him, and when
Dorothy took care of young man she
rarely left him heart, head, or will
power
Il love to walk down through the
palm grove in the moonlight" she
went on, tripping ahead of him under
the great shadowy fronds. Don't
you like the sea at night, Mr.. Forbes?'
Rather. After months in the An.
des l can't get enough of the water.
1t was bully OF old Nat to ask me here
for the holidays. You know I was
bound north to Washington. No
thought Of loating at all. Wonder why
he did it."
II know" She hesitated, and held
aside mass of shrubbery heavy with
fragrant blossoms. "He had letter
from Mrs. Carruthers. She's Mats
second cousin, and married to that
queer little Lawton Carruthers. I
think he's a lawyer in New York.
Anyway, he's made scads of money
since she married him. And Adele,
that Mrs. G., told Nat you were bound
this way, and for him to waylay you
for the Christmas party here on the
island What's the matter?"
Forbes had stopped dead short, his
head thrust a bit forward like fight
ing bull, his eyes sparkling in the
darkness as she looked up at him.
What is it?'
Nothing special" he returned short.
ly. only you've saved my life.
Where is the nearest cable station?"
Across the bay at Tampa. It's a
three-hour trip in the motor boat.
Why?"
'Tve got to reach it tonight. Listen.
I've known you just three days,
haven't 1? l know you'll think I've
gone mad tonight If l tell you that I
never intended staying here more
than day. | had to get up North to
keep this same little Lawton Carruth-
ers from making straight steal on
our concessions down there in Peru.
Our option expires the goth at 9 a. m.
| wrote Washington the day I came
here, telling them to get an extension
of time until l could get there.
didn't know any one besides ourselves
knew cf the plans to put the railroad
throUgi! Perez to Qualtipoco. Can you
see what it means now to me to hear
this-this-to know that Carruthers
h&s stolen march on US, had his
wife get near old Nat even to pull me
or my course and stay over here
while he steals the thing right under
my nose. Would you mind telling Nat
that had to take his boat. I've run
one before, up at Newport last sum.
mer. If you'll 60 back and tell
him
But Dorothy stood and looked at
him gravely.
II want to go with YOU"
Its impossible. l couldn't be-
"You couldn't be bothered with me.
l know that's what you were going to
say. But I'm going. l told Nat I'd
look after you, and we'll make sixty
miles an hour by air, fifty by water.
l don't mind 1t one bit. Well run
over the bay, send your message and
get back. l want to go, Allan"
He laughed shortly, ran his fingers
through his thick, crisp hair, and took
her outstretched hand.
"You witch. You've held me here
with your island holiday enchantment.
Perhaps it's right for you to share this
with me. But dc you know what 1t
means, Dorothy; do you? Do you
know why I've stayed on here?"
You hurt my hand. Let's run be-
fore we're missed"
She pulled her hand away from his
clasp and ran like child over the
hard silvery sands. Forbes reached 1t
first, and wakened the boy. He stum-
bled out, hitching up his suspenders,
and waited for the message Dorothy
wrote on a scrap of paper torn from
Forbes note book, She said:
Come to Tampa with A. F. It's all
right Just like big brother to me.
Special business demands trip tonight