University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-07-23
hind the bars tonight. "

human efforts, reused to hasty action
He ratified the two young men wildly
down the silent street to the railway
station. They dashed into the drab
little waiting room just as q voice
called:
Train for the north! Jacksonville!
Savannah. Washington, New York;"
There he is!" Paddock cried, and
pointed to the lean figure of Lord
Harrowby slipping out the door near
est the train-shed.
Paddock and MinOt ran across the
waiting room and out into the open.
In the distance they saw Harrowby
through the gate and on to the tracks.
They ran up just in time to have the
gate banged shut in their faces.
Here" cried Minot. "I've got to
get in there. Let me through" "
Where's your ticket?" demanded
the great stone face on guard.
81 haven't got one, but"
TOO late anyhow" said the face.
1.-The trains started"
Through the wooded pickets Minot
saw the long yellow string of coaches
slipping by. He turned to Paddock.
"Oh, very WE'LL" he cried, exulting.
Let him go. Come on"
He dashed back to the carriage that
had brought them from the hotel, the
driver of which sat in a stupor try
ing to regain his wits and nonchal-
ance.
What now?" Paddock wanted to
know.
Get I'M" commanded Minot. He
pushed his friend on to the musty
seat. and followed.
ITO the De la Pax" he cried, "as
fast as you can co.
But what the devils the need of
hurrying now?" demanded Paddock.
"All the need in the world" replied
Minot joyously. I'm going to have a
talk with Cynthia Meyrick. A little
talk-alone"
"Ah." said Mr.. Paddock softly,
'loves young dream"
CHAPTER XVII
The Shortest Way Home
The moon was shining in that city
of the picturesque past Its light fell
silvery on the narrow streets, the
old abode houses, the listless palms.
In every shadow seemed to lurk the
memory of love long dead-a love of
the old passionate Spanish days. A
soft breeze came whispering from the
very sea Ponce de Leon had sailed.
1t was as if at a signal-a bugle-call,
a rose thrown from a window, the
boom of a cannon at the waters edge
the forgotten past of hot hearts, of
arms equally ready for cutlass or
slender waist, could live again.
And Minot was as one who had
heard such a signal. He loved. The
obstacle that had confronted him,
wrung his heart, left him helpless,
was swept away. He was like man
who. released from prison, sees the
sky, the green trees, the hills again.
He loved. The moon was shining!
He stood amid the colorful blooms
of the hotel courtyard and looked up
at her window, with its white cur
tain waving gently in the breeze. He
called, softly. And then he saw her
face, peering out as some senorita
of the old days from her lattice
I've news-very important news"
he said, May l see you a moment?"
Far better this than the telephone or
the bellboy. Far more in keeping
with the magic of the night.
She came, dressed in the white that
set off so well her hair of cleaning
copper. Minot met her on the yeran-
Ia. She smiled into his eyes inquir-
ngly.
do you mind-a little walk?" he
asked
Where to?'
Say to the fort-the longest way"
She glanced back toward the hotel.
I'm not sure that l ought"
But that will only make 1t the
more exciting. Please. And I've news
real news"
She nodded her head, and they
crossed the courtyard to the avenue.
from this bright thoroughfare they
urned in a moment into a dark un-
lept street.
"See," said Minot suddenly, "the old
spanish churchyard. They built cities
ifOun6 phurchoc in Tho ola