Evening star., 1914-10-11

icy now," said Mrs. Murphy, evincing great
interest; @but about runnin' wan meself-'
Ramori explained that all he wished of her
was to act as nurse for him and help him get
aboard the steamer, incidentally explaining
also that the lords of the ferries had fatty
refused to carry him. Instantly she shook
her head and told him she wasn't the kind
of lady to beat the steamships out of
passage. She had never been in jail; al
though she would admit that now and then
Murphy had so landed, but always for a
gentleman's offense of beating heads instead
| of transportation companies. The sick man
argued persuasively; but she, being
| @dacent, clane, law-abidin' widdie," was
obdurate. For but a minute or two Ra-
morris optimism wavered; then, undaunted,
he returned to the attack.
@Too bad! Too bad!" he murmured, as if
to himself. @It's not really breakin' any
laws. 1t does no harm to anyone but the
bunch of Orangemen that run that steamer
and"
@What's that?" demanded the widow, in
terested @Say it again, Mister!"
Painstakingly the fertile Ramon laid
stress on the harmlessness of worsting an
Orangeman.
The widow took off her hat, thrust few
disarranged hairpins home, and said with
great resolution, @I'm wild yez! Whin do
we be after startin' for Liverpool"
To the unqualified astonishment of both
Mrs Murphy and Bill Parlow, Ramori said,
with a broad grin, ave don't start from
there at ALL We start from Queenstown,
| Ireland"
He was as pleased as boy at the aero
bats open-mouthed amazement, and added
brokenly, as fast as his breath would per-
nit, @You see it's this way. They would
nail me if tried to go aboard at either
Liverpool or Southampton. l can't take
chances of losing any time in that way. If
go slowly to Queenstown, I'll get full
day or two of rest before have to sail.
Westbound ships put in there for mail, if the
weather amt too rough. They're always
hustle. I've watched 'em lots of times
They amt got time to pay a lot of attention
to every person that comes aboard, and
I'll scrape through unless the ships doctors
got eyes like an eagle. Mrs. Murphy's my
interference, as they say in football. Can't
tell exactly how it'll all work till we get up
against it; but there's always a way opens
up for man who's game clean through to
the last breath. That's me, Mrs. Murphy!"
RUT one day later, despite the angry pro-
- tests of the landlady, who wanted to
know about @that there will" the strong
man carried the optimist down to taxicab
as if he were child in weight, and supported
him to the railway station. The optimist's
parting words to the acrobat, after the latter
had laid him out along one side of COM
partment on the Irish Mail, were to 3keepit
quiet, Bill, as long as you can. Folks that's
been so kind will blame you for lettin' me
go if anything does happen. Maybe some
Of emil be little disappointed. I've no.
ticed there's heap of folks, particularly
women, has a sneakin' fondness for funer-
ais; but the amt goin' to be no funeral, and
they'll feel all right when they get my cable
gram that III send to you. Nothin' like
never givin' up, Pal. Them that tries, al
ways does! That's my motto. So long, Bill"
There was not quiver in his voice, nor
tremor of an eye muscle, as he bade Bill
Parlow goodby, and all the latter could say,
as the train pulled out, was:
4Well. III be teetotally, good gol-
darned!"
1t was Mrs. Murphy, worried, but COM
petent, who hustled porters about and had
him carried aboard the channel boat, where
it seemed that even his iron nerve would at
last prove unequal to his self-set task. He
was too weak to speak; but whenever he
opened his eyes there was the same smiling,
fighting, light that refused to be quenched.