Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-30

: Copyright 1a1A by Mary Roberts =
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CHAPTER I. Is,
Plan Voyage.
IL 7 the bequest Of an elder broth
Ik er was left enough money to
see me through small col.
~ iege In Ohio and to secure me
four years In medical school In the
east. Why chose medicine hardly
know. Possibly the career Of q sur
,geon attracted the adventurous element
In me. Perhaps. coming Of q family OF
doctors. I merely followed the line OF
least resistance. 1t may be. indirectly
but inevitably. that might be on the
yacht Ella on that terrible night Of
Aug. II. more than year ago.
Commencement left me with diplo.
ma. new dress suit, an out Of dats
medical library, box Of surgical in.
struments Of the same date a. the
books aud an incipient case Of typhoid
fever.
I was twenty.four. SIX feet tall and
forty inches around the chest. Also.
I had lived clean and worked and
played hard. got over the fever 6nal.
,ly. pretty much all bone and appetite,
but-alive. Thanks to the college. my
hospital care had cost nothing. It was
good thing. l had just 50 in tine
world.
The yacht Ella lay in the river not
far from my hospital windows. She
was not a yacht when first saw her.
NOR at any time, technically, unless ]
use the word in the broad sense OF a
pleasure boat. She was two master
and. when saw her nrst as dirty and
disreputable as are most coasting YES.
sells. Her regeneration was the history
iof my convalescence. On the day she
stood forth In her first coat Of white
paint exchanged my dressing gown
for clothing that, however loosely II
hung. was still clothing. Her new
sails marked my promotion to beef.
steak, her brass rails and awnings my
first, Independent excursion up and
down the corridor outside my door,
and. incidentally, my return to collar
and de.
(, The next day, I think it was. the
deck furniture was put ont on the Ella
numbers Of white wicker chairs and
tables. with bright cushions to match
the awnings / had pair of ancient
opera glasses. a. obsolete az my am
putating knives and. like them, part
Of my heritage. By that time I felt
IA proprietary interest in the Ella and
'through my glasses. carefully focused
with q pair Of scissors. watched the
arrangement of the deck furnishings
A girl was directing the men. l
Judged from the poise With which she
carried herself that she was attractive
and knew It. How beautiful she was
and how well she knew 1t l was to nnd
.out before long. McWhirter to the
contrary. she had nothing to do viii
my decision to sign a. q sailor on tn.
Ella.
One of the bright spots Of that long
hot summer was McWhirter. We had
graduated together in June. and in
Octobey he was to enter q hospital In
Buffalo as resident. But he was a.
INDECENT as I, and from June to Octo'
Der Is four months.
-Four months" he said to me. "Even
at two meals day. boy, that's some
thing over 240. And I can eat four
times a day without struggle.
Wouldn't you think one Of these over.
worked for the good Of Humanity duba
would take a vacation and give me q
chance TO hold down his practicef''
Nothing Of the sort developing. Nc.
Whittier went into q drug store and
managed to pull through the summer
with unimpaired cheerfulness, conf,d.
ing to mo that he secured his lunch.
cons free at the soda counter.
McWhirter It was who got mo my
berth on the Ella. It must have been
about the Goth Of July. for the Ella
sailed on the 28th. I was strong enough
to leave the hospital. but not yet physi.
calIy able for any prolonged exertion.
McWhirteF, who was short and stout,
had been alternately flirting with the
nurse 40 she moved In and out prepar.
in1 my room for the night and sixins
me up through narrowed eyes.
.No," he said. evidently following
private line Of thought you don't be-
long behind counter. Leslie I'm
darned IL I think you belong In the
medical profession. either. The British
lrmy'd suit you"
'sThe-what?'
.sYou know = Kipling idea ridins
hnr-ahorh head NJ n column-undraaa
uniform-colonel's wife making eyes at
you-leading last hopes and all that"
.sTne British army with Kiplins
trimmings being out Of the question.
the original issue d stiIl befdre IN.
I'll have to work, Mac. and work Hike
the devil. II I'm to feed myself"
There being no answer to this, Nc;
Whirter contented himself with eyinc
Ne
..I'm thinking" said. ''of going to
Europe. The sea b calling me, Mac"
$50 was the grave month ago. but
Il didn't get you. Don't be an as,
boy. How are you going to scar
.sBefors the mast" This apparently
conyeying no meaning to McWhirter.
/ supplemented .'as q common sailor"
g ne was indignant At drgt. offering
No bis room and a part Of his small
salary until ! got my strength. Then
~ became dubious. and. finally. %
wen did Il paint my picture OF long.
Sdie days on the ocean. Of sweet. cool
nirhts under the stars. with breeses
~ ~ .~nn al