The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-02-26
BIG BROTHER
BY LOUISE MeRRIFlELD.


TITS too hot to dance any more.
Dorothy pushed open the glass door
that led to the veranda. She knew
her way around the house better thar
Allan 1t was his first visit to Sanibe
Island and her fifth. She felt. vaguel,
superior and motherly toward thi,
stocky, tanned youngster just fresl
from South America. Constance, had
told her to take care of him, and wher
Dorothy took care Of young man sh,
rarely left him heart, head, or viii
power ~ -gs. 81 Sc. lr5.' q.
81 love to walk down through tn,
palm grove in the moonlight" she
went on, tripping ahead of him under
the great shadowy fronds. Don
you like the sea at night, Mr.. Forbes p
Rather. After months in the An
des I can't get enough Of the water
It was bully Of old Nat to ask me here
for the holidays. You know l was
bound north to Washington. Nc
thought Of loafing at all. Wonder why
he did it, .. ...... . .
Il know" She hesitated, and held
aside mass of shrubbery heavy with
fragrant blossoms. He had letter
from Mrs, Carruthers. She's Mats
second cousin, and married to that
queer little Lawton Carruthers.
think he's. lawyer in New York
Anyway, he's made scads of money
since she married him. And Adele
that Mrs. c., told Nat you were bound
this way, and for him to waylay you
for the Christmas party here on the
island. What's the matter?"
Forbes had stopped dead short, his
head thrust bit forward like fight.
ing bull, his eyes sparkling in the
darkness as she. looked up at him.
What is it?" a.. ...
Nothing special" he returned short.
~. only you've saved my life.
Where is the nearest, cable station?''
Across the bay st Tampa. It's a
three-hour trip in the motor boat.
Why?" ... ...,.,
'Eve got to reach it tonight. Listen.
I've known you just three days,
haven't /? know you'll think I've
gone mad tonight If tell you that /
never intended staying here more
than a day, | had to get up North to
keep this same little Lawton Carruth-
ers from making straight steal on
our concessions down there in Peru.
Our option expires the Goth at a. m.
| wrote Washington the day ! came
here. telling them to get an extension
of time until l could get there. l
didn't know any one besides ourselves
knew of the plans to put the railroad
through Perez to Qualtipoco. Can you
see what 1t means now to me to hear
this-this-to know that Carruthers
has stolen march on US, had his
wife get near old Nat even to pull me
off my course and stay over here
while ne steals the thing right under
my nose. Would you l2;nd telling Nat
that l had to take his boat. I've ran
one before, up at Newport last SUM.
mer, X ycu'll 60 back aud tell
him ...
But Dorothy stood and .0c&ed at
him sr2ve.y.
- want 90 60 With you"
It's impossible. couldn't be-
You couldn't be Gathered with me-
! know that's what you were going to
say. But I'm going. / told Nat Id
look after you. and we'll make sixty
miles an hour by air, fifty by water,
| don't mind It one bit. Well run
ursr the bay. send your message and
gee Sack. want to go, Allan"
He laughed shortly, ran his fingers
through his thick, crisp hair, and took
her outstretched hand.
You witch. You've held me here
with your island holiday enchantment
Perhaps it's right for you to share this
with me. But do you know what il
means, Dorothy; do you? Do you
know why I've stayed on here?'
You hurt my hand. Let's run be-
fore we're missed"
She pulled her hand away from his
clasp and ran like child over the
hard silyery sands. Forbes reached IL
first; and wakeneda the boy. He stun,
bled out, hitehing up his suspenders
and waited for the message Dorothy
wrote on scrap of paper torn from
Forbes note book. She said: "a
Come to Tampa with A. f. It's all
right. Just like a big brother to me
Special business demands trip tonight
to reach telegraph station before clos
ing. go ~ y,a.. DOT"
In, less than fifteen minutes they
we're ready, and she took her seat in
the cockpit, every nerve tingling for
the coming fight. --. ~ - ...a
II was twenty minutes to IL when
Mr.. Forbes walked into the telegraph
Office and sent his wire north, the
message that stopped Lawton Carruth
ers' game, and kept the control of the
railroad concession in the hands Oh
Forbes company. r-s
He went back to her down the old
street to the water front. She knew
the place where her. brother made
his landings and had guided Forbes to
1t. Her hood had fallen back from
her head. Both hands reached out
to him swiftly. -,
did you get there in timer"
I'VE must get back to the island,
she began. but Forbes gave a little un
steady laugh, and drew her close In
his arms.