The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-04

"ls he your father?"
easily as old acqualntances.
When at last she rose, after an hour
that had swiftly sped. she was graft
fed at the look of concern that came
into his eyes She looked at him with
genuine approval as he bowed and
said:
THANK you for the pointers about
Panama. | hope may have the
pleasure of talking to you again.
When she had disappeared he muir
INJURED admiringly:
"Jove. She's corker! And she's
not so old after all. wonder who
She He leaned over and read the
card on the back of her steamer chair
Mrs Stephen Cortlandt. Suite B." it
was lettered Strengthening up. he
grumbled with genuine disappoint-
ment: Just my blamed luck She's
married"
BY pledging his one article of jewel
ry Kirk became possessed that after
noon Of several shirts, collars and
handkerchefs, likewise a razor over
which he exercised sort of leasehold
privilege. The purser made it plain.
however, that he had not sold these
articles, but merely loaned them. hold
ing the ring as security for their re-
turn. and this arrangement allowed
Kirk no spare cash whatever. Even
with all his necessaries paid for, it sur
prised him to find how many channels
remained for spending money He suf-
fered most, perhaps, from the lack Of
tobacco. but even in the matter Of
cigarettes he could not bring himself
to accept favors that he could not re-
turn.
Kirk was Of peculiarly sangpine
temperament that required much to
ruffle and looked upon the whole mat
ter as huge joke. 1t was this per-
haps that enabled him to make friends
in spite Of his unsociable habits. for
the men liked him. As for the wom-
en-, he avoided them religiously. with
the exception Of Mrs. Cortlandt whom
he saw for an hour or two morning
and afternoon as well as at meal
times. With her he got on famously.
finding her nearly as entertaining as q
male chum. though he never quite lost
his dislike for her husband. Had she
been unmarried and nearer his own
age their daily intimacy might have
caused him to become self conscious.
but under the circumstances no such
thoughts occurred to him. and he be-
gan to look forward with pleasure to
their hours on deck.
The Santa Cruz was four days out
before Cortlandt joined them. and
when he did he merely nodded casual
~ to Kirk. then. after exchanging a
polite word or two with his wife. laps
ed into his customary silence. while
Mrs. Cortlandt continued her CONVERSE
ton without second glance in her
husbands direction.
The man evidently possessed a wide
knowledge Of current events. keen
understanding of men and things, yet
he never opened up. He listened,
spoke rarely and continued to spend
nine-tenths of his time in that isolated
corner of the smoking room. with no
other company than long glass and
siphon.
One day when Kirk had begun to
feel that his acquaintance with Mrs.
Cortlandt was we'll established he said
to her:
"Stein told me today that your hus-
band is in the diplomatic service"
YES" said she. HE was consul
general to Colombia several years ago,
and since then he has been to France
and to Germany"
Are you diplomating now?"
"In a way. We shall be in Panama
for some time. Colonel Jolson will be
interested in you"
II don't see the point"
"Your father is one of the most pow
erful and aggressive railroad men in
the country. Perhaps you know some
thing about the railroad opposition to
the canal?"
Kirk smiled well. to tell you the
truth" said he. "the governor doesn't
consult me about his business as much
as he ought to. He seems to think he
can run it all right without me. and
we've only been speaking over the
telephone lately"
Zone of the strongest forces the gov
eminent had to combat in putting
through the canal appropriations was
the railroads. Colonel Jolson has no
reason to love your father.