The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-25
THE M|sAnTHRoPHE
sy ETHEL WARD MEsERvEY.

BY ETHEL WARD MEsERvEY.
Copyright. 1914. by w. G. Chapmano
"vapid, profitless. almost unendur'
able" was the way Ralph Burt de-
scribed life as it presented itself to his
distorted view.
Then he became very much ashamed
Of the misanthropic utterauce. He
glanced about his lonely but elegant
home, he looked into q mirror and
noted the unusual glow Of health upon
his cheeks, he realized that he had
not . real care In the world. Out
side the birds were singing. the flow
ers blooming. all radiant nature
breathing purity, peace and promise
The sun shone at its brightest. Its
rays glorified the redolent garden. Be
yond it lay a sportsman's paradise
stables, kennels, garage and hangar
It represented the latest facilities for
pleasure.
"Yes, with all this, l may well be
ashamed Of myself for finding moth.
ing worth living fort" murmured Burt.
self-reproachfully.
Burt went out to the spot here|the
hangar was located. With the ASSIST
ance Of his hired man the superb bi-
plane he operated was wheeled OUT
He had become quite an expert aV-
ator and enjoyed his air trips greatly
Under his expert direction the ma
chine struck an upward lateral courseA
a thing Of life and beauty. He en-
joyed the rare exhibition Of pure air
and bird-like speed immensely.
Ten miles accomplished. Burt vol
planed to a meadow stretch to adjust
a trivial defect in the control mechan'
ism. He had Just got in trim to re-
sumo his cloud work, when a shout
down the highway attracted his atten'
ton.
With both interest and indignation
the amateur airman observed lad OF
about fourteen running towards him
as If for his life.
Struggling behind him, but in hot
pursuit, were three men. They were
shouting and gesticulating. One car
ried cane, which he waved menac-
ingly. A second had picked up lot
Of stones. These he hurled with va
ried aim after the running boy.
"You young rascal" roared the man
in advance. drop 1t, l tell you. or
I'll have you jailed!"
But the little fellow never needed
the threatening cries and actions OF
his pursuers. He forged straight
ahead. momentarily nearing the spot
where Burt stood.
This way! This way!" shouted
Burt. as the boy came nearer. Climb
under the fence"
"Oh! OH" yelled the lad Just at that
moment, in frantic pain.
Brace up" cried Burt, leaning over
and lifting the lad clear of the en-.
tangling wires, Nov. then, who are
those men,"
williams! They'll kill me-and you,
too. Oh, they're coming!"
They were. indeed, but Burt was
going. He lifted the helpless lad in
his arms bodily, and made a run for
the biplane.
Don't get frightened" he ordered
placing his charge in the seat behind
the pilot post and hurriedly strapping
him in.
Quick. mister! oh, quick as you
cant" insisted his passenger. with
terrified glance at the fence.
The three pursuers had arrived
One tried to jump the fence and his
feet tripped and he fell with a thud.
A second attempted to crawl under the
lower wire and his clothing had be.
come entangled.
Don't you interfere with that boy
or you'll be liable to the law!" he
shouted at Burt.
The latter paid no attention to the
threat. He sprang to the pilot seat.
Chug-chug-whirr! and the biplane
went aloft like an arrow.
The dismayed and chagrined men
below vainly vented their wrath on
the rescuer who had bafiled them.
The little fellow sat spellbound with
delight at the rare sensation of an
air fight he had never dreamed of.
For the first time in his life Ralph
Burt had found his mind invested with
real human interest. It elevated him,
An actor In an exciting and unusual
circumstance. he was eager to learn
what lay behind the strange incident
Of the hour.
Soon he knew all about it, for when
the biplane landed on home ground he
took his passenger into his library
and questioned him.
1t came out that he and his sister.
Eleanor, were practically prisoners in
the power Of one Of his three pursuers
Giles Warden. Fearing foul play, the
sister had that day given him the will
OF her dead father, with the Injunction
to place it in the hands of some law.
yer for safety and action. Hence the
pursuit.
Righting wrong-quite heroic,"
commented Burt's lawyer, when he
was made aware Of the facts in the
case why. your new experience has
made you look like a new man ri
soon have this affair Strengthened
out"
1t was with a good deal of surprise
tnat Ralph met Sister Eleanor" a
week later. He had supposed her to
be a little girl. Instead, confusedlv
he listened to the ardent thanks of a
beautiful young lady.
You have saved Miss Morley from
captivity and the loss Of her fortune -