The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-23
THE MIsAnTHRoPHE
BY ETHEL WARD MesERvEY.

Copyright, 1914. by w. q. Chapmano
"vapid, profitless, almost unendur-
able" was the way Ralph Burt de'
scribed life a. 1t presented itself to MS
distorted view.
Then he became very much ashamed
Of the misanthropic utterance. he
glanced about his lonely but elegant
home, he looked into a mirror ana
noted the unusual glow of health upon
his cheeks, he realized that he had
not q real care in the world. Out
side the birds were singing. the now
ers blooming, all radiant nature
breathing purity, peace and promise
The sun shone at its brightest. It's
rays glorified the redolent garden. Be
yond 1t lay a sportsman's paradise
stables, kennels, garage and hangar
1t represented the latest facilities for
pleasure.
Eyes, with all this, l may well be
ashamed Of myself for finding notn'
ing worth living for!" murmured Burt,
selfreproachfully.
Burt went out to the spot where the
hangar was located. With the assist
ance of his hired man the superb b.
plane he operated was wheeled out.
He had become quite an expert avi-
ator and enjoyed his air trips greatly.
Under his expert direction the ma
chine struck an upward lateral course,
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 II for his life.
Struggling behind him, but in hot
pursuit, were three men. They were
shouting and gesticulating. One car
ried q 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 it, 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 menu"
"villains! They'll kill me-and you,
too. Oh, they're coming!"
They we're, indeed, but Burt was
going. He lifted the helpless lad in
his arms bodily, and made 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 a
terrified glance at the fence
The three pursuers had arrived
One tried to jump the fence and his
feet tripped and he fell with 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 bahied them
; The little fellow sat spellbound with
delight at the rare sensation of ar
. air flight he had never dreamed Of
For the first time in his life Ralph
Burt had found his mind invested with
, real human interest. 1t elevated him
An actor in an exciting and unusua
circumstance, he was eager to Learn
what lay behind the strange incident
Of the hour.
Soon he knew all about It, for wher
the biplane landed on home ground hi
took his passenger into his library
and questioned him.
It came out that he and his sister
Eleanor, were practically prisoners IL
the power Of one Of his three pursuers
Giles Warden. Fearing foul play, tn,
. sister had that day given him the will
Of her dead father. with the injunction
to place 1t in the hands of some law
yer for safety and action. Hence tn,
pursuit.
"Righting wrong-quite heroic
commented Burt's lawyer, when h,
, was made aware of the facts in III,
case why, your new experience ha
, made you look like a new man. II
, soon have this affair Strengthened
{ out"
II was with a good deal of surpris
that Ralph met Sister Eleanor" /;
- week later. He had supposed her t,
be a little girl. Instead. confusedly
]. he listened to the ardent thanks of
: beautiful young lady.
= "You have saved Miss Morley frpr
4 captivity and the loss of her fortune.
advised the lawyer. she may cor
. tinue to need a friend"
q Day by day Ralph Burt's hear
3 warmed to new impulses. Their
| came a fnalifv nroea o,nr ,o,.,-