The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-02-04
forward as fast as YOU deserve. :.

forward as fast as you deserve
BY now they were out of the cut and
once more upon the main line at Bas
Obsipo. heading back toward the Pa
cif1c.
''You askS] me to tell you something
about her." Runnels continued. I'm
not sure my information is entirely
correct. but knowing who she is.
think I understand why she is in Pan.
anna. 1t is politics-big politics. The
Spiggoties have an election next year.
and 1t is necessary to get our wires
well laid before it comes off. General
Alfarez will probably be the next pres
ident."
'Alfarez. Not Ramona
His father You know we Ameri-
cans occupy peculiar position here.
set down as we are in the midst of an
alien people who hate us. Oh. they
hate us. all right-all except few of
the better class"
"Why?"
There are good many reasons.
For one thing. there's a sort of racial
antipathy. Besides. when we stole
Panama we made the Colombians sore.
and all Central America besides. for
they realized that once we Yankees
got foothold here we'd hang on and
not only dominate this country. but
all the neighboring republics as well"
Il had gathered something of the
sort-but had no idea there was SO
much in it. But we don't want these
jungle countries said Kirk
That's where you're wrong. BY and
by We'll need room to expand. and
when that time comes We'll move
south Meanwhile our farsighted gov
eminent is smoothing the way. and
there's nobody better fitted for the pre-
liminary work than Mr.. Stephen Cort-
land of Washington. ID. c.. husband
and clerk of the smartest woman in
trations. He's the figurehead behind
which she works. She's rich woman.
she loves the game-her father was the
greatest diplomat of his time. you
know-and she married Cortlandt SO
she could play it. Any other man would
that he showed promise before she
blotted him out and absorbed him. But
now he's merely her power of attor-
ney."
Anthony pursed his lips into a whis,
tie of establishment
To- e. r..
Runnels ran on. evidently warmed to
his subject She's made his reputa.
ton: he has money and position. For
my part. I'd rather remain insignifi
cant and have real wife"
Don't they love each other?''
Nobody knows. She's carved out OF
ice. and as for him. well. gratitude is
a good deal like rust-in time it de
stroys the thing it clings to. suppose
I'm talking too much. but others would
tell you the same things"
1t was with quite different eye tina,
Kirk looked upon his host and hostess
that evening. To his genuine liking fol
the latter was now added a worshipfu
admiration and a boyish qualification
at her regard which rather put her a,
a distance
It's all settled. said he. I'm go
ing to work in II few days rs train col
lector''
What" Mrs. Cortlandt turned upon
him sharply. "RunnelS didn't offer
you that sort of position" Her eyes
were dark with Indignation. Kirk
promptly came to the defense of his
new friend.
No. | asked for it
"Oh. | see Well he will do much
better by you than that
Il don't want anything better t.
start with
But my dear boy. a collector il
merely a conductor He takes tickets
Sure. | can do that ! might fai
at something hard"
NO. no. no. I'll see that you dom
fail Don't you understands
Il understand lot more than did
Mrs Cortlandt. That's why | don,
want to rob some chap of a job he's
entitled to. and ] sha'n't- There's a
collector quitting shortly"
lis that really the reason. or do you
think the work will be easier:"
Kirk stirred uncomfortably- oh
I'm not trying to dodge anything" he
maintained. '.On the contrary. tn.
most amazing thing has happened
something / can't quite understand