Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1914-06-20


ton. But here an unexpected EN-
barrassment arose. AS they made
ready to board Colonel Jolson's motor
car they were annoyed to find tina
Allan insisted on going too. He in
sisted, moreover, In such extravagan
fashion that Mrs. Cortlandt at last
was moved to say, "For heavens sake
let the poor thing come along" And
thereafter the jamaican boy sat on the
step of the machine.
Once more the little automobile took
on the dignity of regular train and
sped out of the network of tracks be.
hind Colon. AS it gained speed Mrs
Cortlandt, to divert her guests mind
from his recent ordeal, began to ex.
plain the points of interest as they
passed. She showed him the old
French workings where nations
hopes lay buried, the mechanical ruins
that had cost a kings ransom, the
Mount Hope cemetery, whittier daily
trains had borne the sacrifice before
science had robbed the fever Of its ter
rors.
"Will they really finish the canal?"
he asked wont something happen?
ut is already dug. The rest is mere
ly a matter of excavation and concrete.
The engineering difficulties have all
been solved, and the big human ma
chine has been built up. What is more
important, the country is livable at
last. Over at Ancon hospital there is
a quiet, hard working medical man
who has made this thing possible.
When the two oceans are Joined to-
gether, and the job is finished, his will
be the name most highly honored,"
at must be nice to do something
worth while" Anthony unused vaguely.
ITO do anything" his companion OBJ
served, with shade of meaning; then
ut Is amusing to look back on the old
Spanish statement that it would be
impious to unite two oceans which the
Creator of the world had separated"
AS Kirk dropped asleep that night
after the Injuries of bath, clean
clothes and meal on white linen and
china, he reflected contentedly that,
after all, things have way of coming
right In this world for those who ac-
cept them cheerfully as they come.
On the following morning Kirk dis
patched long letter to his father, ex-
planning, as well as he could, how he
came to be In Panama and giving
detailed account of the events that had
befallen him since his arrival AL
though he took this means of relieving
his fathers anxiety, he was far from
reslgning himself to further delay
Of his return. On the contrary, he at
once began an inquiry as to sailing
dates, discovering, to his intense dis.
gust, that no ship was scheduled to
leave for New York within several
days. He planned to borrow the pas
age money from his friends when the
time came, and accompany his letter
northward. Meanwhile he devoted his
time to sight seeing with his hostess.
Edith Cortlandt was woman very
sure of herself in most things. A sit.
uation that might have proved embar-
RAISING to one less tactful she accepted |
quite as matter of course, rather en-
joying the exercise of her influence |
and never doubling her power to keep |
the friendship on any footing she chose. |
Kinks frank, boyish gratitude for the |
favors he had received made it easy
for her to encourage the growth Of an
intimacy that she acknowledged |
charming, while she sincerely believed |
that he would be helped by it. Find |
ing him responsive, she deliberately set |
herself to please him. She was no
longer brilliant and chilly, but gay,
smiling and unaffected
Once In while Cortlandt went with
them, but he was usually uncommuni
cative, and they scarcely felt his pres
ence. When he did talk he talked cas-
lily and well.
Several days passed thus, during
which Anthony fully recovered from
his experience at Colon. Then a ship
arrived from New York, but before he
had summoned courage to ask his
friends for loan he received letter
forwarded from Colon by the Amcri-
can consul, perusal of which not only
dumfounded him, but entirely altered
his plans.
1t was typewriter on plain station
cry; there was neither heading nor sig |
nature, yet he knew quite well from
whom 1t came. 1t read as follows:
Don't cable again or the stupidity Of the
police may fail to protect you. The others
got away safely, and you would be mad
to return alone. / can't and won't help
you now This time you went too far.
You have made your bed, now lie in 1t.
don't believe in miracles, but IL you can
straighten up and make man of your
self I'll help you face this trouble, other
wise don't call on mo for anything. I'm
through.
Kirk reread this amazing epistle sew
eral times before its full significance
struck him; then, when he realized