The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-19
Are you drunk or sunstruckr b,
inquired presently.

The young man clapped him on the
shoulder.
Listen to me-" he said quietly. you
must have been a man once, from all
I've heard Of you. / recognize you
now from your photograph, although
that beard makes you look quite differ.
ent. Miss Dale's father is dead. He
has left her his whole fortune. She
wanted me to come and find you and
bring you back to her She loves you,
| and pride doesn't count. She knows
what you must have been through,
and she's going to ask you to marry
her, once she gets you at her side.
Understand"
Jim understood. The thought of the
Dale millions at his command was
paralyzing; it galvanized him into life.
He looked up, to see the young man
reading his face
Here's ten dollars!" he said sud.
| denly. "No-wait!" He pulled out
the pocketbook again. Here's a hun.
dred. Do you think you can get
washed and cleaned and have a new
suit and good linen on your back,
ready to sail on the ship tomorrow ?"
Jim pocketed the money mechan-
ically. Il suppose So" he muttered.
Whats your hurry"
Because" said the other gravely,
Miss Dale is on board That's why.
And the best man in the world couldn
deserve your luck"
| Somehow the new clothes, the lux
ury of bath, had put new manhood
into Jim. He lay in bed early in the
morning in the hotel and specialized
what he would do with the Dale mil
lions. He would go to San Francisco,
of course. He would build a palace
there. He would have automobiles,
fine clothes, C.gars, all the physical
luXuries which he had been denied
| so long And-he would marry Elsie
at the first opportunity, to keep his
hold on her.
He got up and dressed He was
| just about to leave the room when the
young man entered. He surveyed Jim
with a grimmer smile than before.
| You haven't shaved off your beard, =
he said.
mo" said Jim thoughtfully 1T
looks-more manly. | think"
| The other looked at him in con.
tempt. 1t penetrated the mans skin
Jim WINGED 1t was the first moment
Of selfrealization in many a year.
'Why have you done all this for
me?' he asked, looking at the other
curiously. do you know. | believe
| believe you are in love with Elsie
yourself"
Miss Dale from you, please" re
piled the other. Yes, | am in love
with her, if you wish to know it. And
if | hadn't found you ! think she
would have married me-"
Then why did you find me?" nut
tered Jim.
The other choked down an expletive
IF you're ready" no said codly
well start right away"
Jim went out with him. And now
surveyed by the curious inhabitants
of the little settlement, the target OF
their sneering glances, Jim felt sud
denly more ashamed than he had ever
felt before in all his life. And for
the FIRST time he really understood the
depths of his degradation.
He had been a worthless beach
comber, while she had waited for him
believed in him. He was utterly worth
less. He could not degrade that pure
life to the level of his own He had
thought of nothing but the Dale mil
lions, nothing at all of the love that
had been true to him.
Unconsciously he held his head
higher and flung back the scornful
gestures, the looks. the thinly yelled
! jeers. They should learn some day
that there was that spark OF manhood
in him which would kindle the old
fires!
He knew that his past was utterly
dead. And SO, walking at the side OF
his companion, he boarded the boat
There was a delay, brief delay
The young man turned to him and
said:
Remember, Bennett, my lips are
sealed forever. You have your own
future and hers to make or mar
know her love for you, and that is
why | shall remain silent Can you
honor it? Promise me that from this
day forward you will strive with might
and main to be worthy of her.
Il promise" answered Jim humbly,
and the man at his side looked at him
! strangely. This seemed to be a new
mamie had known nothing of him.
Along the deck came a white-robed
figure, tripping gladly. Jim knew her
at once. All his heart went out to
i her. Elsie had not changed a bit dur
ing those three years, except that
there was more of the woman in her
poise, her thoughtful eyes, and jus.
as much of the happy girl in her smil,
ing face.
john" she exclaimed. where
where is Jim, then? And who is this
gentleman"
Suddenly Jim realized that she had
not recognized him. His tan, his
beard, the ineffaceable marks of those
three years on his face.
He turned little away
Jim died last week." he said qui-
city "We didn't dare to break the
news to YOU at once He died. was
( his friend-he wanted me to tell you. y
He turned and walked with steady
steps to the ships gangway, and along