The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-03-27

nonnced his name. He felt his hands
crushed in his fathers palms, found
the old mans arm about his shoulders
and saw the deep set. steel blue eyes
he loved SO we'll wet and shiny. A
sudden sense Of security swept over
him, banishing all his fears.
"My kid" the old man said, shaK'
Ingly. "H-how have they treated you,
Buster?" 1t was nickname ne nao
given bis son when he was sturdy.
round faced urchin Of eight.
"You came. didn't your" Kirk said,
in a voice not at all like his own.
"Of course ! came, the instant Gill;
ford cabled me that these idiots hao
arrested you By =! They'll sweat
for this! How are you anyhow, Kirk :!
Dammit. yov need shave! wouldn't
they give you a razor? Hey, Clifford
Colonel Jolson, come here! These
scoundrels wouldn't give him a shave
l suppose you're hungry. too; we'll
som I. Well be out Of here in min
ute, then you show me the best place
in town, and we'll have decent meal,
just we two, the way we used to. III
pay the bill. Great Scott But I've
missed you, Buster"
"Wait, dad" Kirk was smiling, but
his heart ached at his fathers emotion.
"T'm a jail bird, you know. They
think I-killed a fellow. But l don't
care much what they think now"
"That's all over" Clifford broke in.
We've squared that, and you'll be
discharged in ten minutes"
Certainly" said the father, "Cortlandt
shot himself. Anybody but a blither.
ing Spanish ass would have known 1t
at the start We have letter he
wrote to his wife an hour before he
did 1t. She Just found It and turned It
over. She left here a moment ago, by
the way. all broken up. She's a great
woman, Kirk. That's not all. either.
Clifford followed you that night and
knows you didn't 60 near Cortlandt
Oh, you should have seen 'em jump
when we flashed it on 'em all at once,
and they learned who l was!"
But those men who swore they saw
me"
bah! We've got that little fellow
with the mustache, and both his wit
nesses. II they don't send him up I'll
run in shipload Of my brakemen, and
we'll push this isthmus overheard and
him with II"
II knew you could fix things"
Fix 'em, fix EN-! That's easy! Say,
how have you been getting along any
how"
Great
"And you married one Of these Pana-
manicures, eh?" The father scowled.
Lord, can trust you to make fool
of yourself"
Say, dad. She's only-so big" An
thony junior indicated his wifes stat
ure, smiling rapturously.
"Love her?"
do l? It's fierce"
"Humph! You'll have to get over It.
I'll pay your debts and take care of
you. but l can't stand mulatto around
me-"
There aren't any debts. and she's
not a mulatto. She's a-dream."
Some time later Kirk found himself
in the open sunlight free man once
more, with Darwin X. Anthony and
Runnels on either side of him. But
before he had gone block he halted
suddenly, saying:
williams! I'd forgotten him and
his warrant"
"He's fxed," Runnels explained.
"While your father and Mrs. Cortlandt
and Colonel Jolson were getting you
out Of Jail Clifford and l told him the
truth. He's rather a decent fellow.
They have caught the real Jefferson
Locke or whatever his name is,"
"No!
Eyes. a week ago. He landed in Bos.
ton. Couldn't stay away from his own
country any longer. Williams hadn't
heard Of It."
"What has become Of Higgins"
Kirk inquired of his father.
Anthony senior exploded:
ooh. he's back scorching up the Ten.
derloin, as usual. But you'll have to
cut him out or I'll leave you here.
That's final, understand"
II intend to stay here anyhow"
"Huh?' The old man turned with a
start "I'm dashed If you dol" Then
savagely: What do you suppose
came down here for? I'm lonesome.
I want you to come home"
Kirk smiled craftily and looked at
Runnels. well. what can you offer?
I'm doing pretty we'll as 1t is. and
can't afford to lay off,"
His father, in turn, appealed to the
acting superintendent See! It's
nothing less than blackmail. Is he any
good, Mr.. Runnels?"
IF there weren't so much politics in
this job he'd be master Of transporta-
ton Of the p. R. R. That's doing pref.
ty well. isn't it? We're both going to
quit and look for new work"
do you drink. Kirk"
II haven't even had an alcohol rub
since left New York But, dad. II
you place me you'll have to take care