The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-22
SOMETHING TANGIBLE"
BY MAY BENNETT EARLE,

Copyright. 1915. by W. @. Chapman.)
Something tangible!" pronounced
Richard Thorpe, with self satisfied
smack of his fat sensual lips and a
gloating glance around the establish.
ment Of which he was proprietor.
Something tangible. young man.
he repeated property
the visible evidence Of things ma.
terial. That's my motto and business
precept. Something l can weigh and
sell. You come to me with an airy
fairy story. Where's evidence, sir,
the documentary evidence?"
His visitor looked embarrassed, con.
fused and disappointed all at the
same time. He was . little handsome
young fellow, with q clear ingenious
face well burned by tropical sun.
Sir" he said, arising to his feet,
Il come to you in good faith from Mr..
Travis in far away Ceylon. He was
my employer. my true friend until
he died. He was your faithful repre-
sentative there. as you know. When
the fire came that swept away your
entire establishment in Ceylon, in try.
ing to save your property he sustained
fall from the effects of which he
died. Before his last moments ar.
rived he called me to his bedside and
gave me the message I have Just de-
livered.'
THE fantasy Of . disordered brain!"
remarked Thorpe.
Il cannot think that" responded
Vernon Davis. "Mr. Travis was too
true to deceive and his mind was per-
fectly clear. All his thoughts were OF
his orphan daughter. He told me to
see you and recall to your attention
the fact that when he went to Ceylon
he was to be considered q one.fourth
partner in that branch Of your busi-
ness, provided he made 1t succeed.
He did succeed. He waited for you to
make some recognition Of the fact.
He had a written agreement, that COW
cred the subject"
Produce IT," suggested Thorpe.
1T was destroyed in the fire."
Have you proofs OF any?"
Only moral evidence. Sir, I am
going to appeal to you in a new way
The last anxious thought of Mr.. Travis
was concerning his daughter, Bertha.
The disaster Of the fire makes her
penniless. She Is left, young girl
at school, without dollar or relative
In the world"
"She cannot expect any assistance
from me-" declared the hard.hearted
merchant. Il don't deal in sentiment.
want something tangible in my deal
ings. sir. Good day"
Within the next few hours Vernon
located Bertha at the school where
she had been placed by her father.
He was surprised. pleased at the way
in which the brave little soul took
her rudely announced poverty. He
was attracted. nay, more, fascinated
by her pure, gentle spirit. He had
lost In the effort to secure to Bertha
her rights. He had gained, new and
fervent. that which was far more
priced than fortune-love.
Il shall leave the school at once"
decided Bertha, in her resolute. wom-
anly way.
Orphans both. struggling each for
. living, the pleasantest hours OF his
life came to Vernon Davis during the
ensuing few months. Bertha found
congenisl work in An once. Vernon
refused position with Thorpe and
secured employment - . travelling
salesman.
One evening Bertha met him At the
door Of the house where she vas iiv-
ing with more than Ordinary eager
ness and excitement.
"A strange thing has happened"
she said. "A man, Q stranger I think
from Ceyion, called here IN hour ago.
He had been looking for you 1t your
boarding house and they must have
directed him here. He 10 . tall thin
man and spoke our language broken.
". He looked % though he had BEEN
through . long period Of illness or
hardship. He was 20 anxious to meet
you and ! 90 pitied his wearied for.
lorn condition, that I asked him ia,
knowing you would be here later"
Vernon Davis closed the door and
advanced towards the half recumbent
figure. He touched the arm of the
sleeper. The latter aroused. He stared
for . moment confdsedly at his dis
turber. Then with gladstone eyes he
sprang to his feet.
in . thrilling tone. you thought me
dead-or false? It is neither Alb!
were my kind old friend, Mr.. Travis.
here to learn the glad news l bear!"
What the strange visitor had to tell
took over an hour. Both left the
house. but not until Vernon had ex-
planned to Bertha that the man was
an old employee Of her father in Cey-
lon. who had sought him out with a
message from that far away country.
The next day Vernon and the Cey.
lonese appeared At the ONCE of the
merchant
Mr.. Thorpe" spoke Vernon. here
II a former employee OF Mr.. Travis.
who also believes that there was some
partnership agreement between you"
"6o?" snarled Thorpe. well. I al
solutely deny IT,"
Thea" observed Vernon, let me
advise you that Mr.. Travis staked this
man on . venture that has turned out
very richly. l presume he 10 able to
return from the investment some
thisg like . hundred thousand dol
lars"
Huh" calculated Thorpe.
Yes" and Vernon drew from his