The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-28

The president was interested. But
you haven't been to high school," he
urged. You'll have to go there. or.
since you're too old, you'll have to
pass our entrance examination. And
then to work your way through-why.
my boy, your plan is impossible. Give
1t up"
Tom shook his head. I'll try I've
got four years." he said.
A year later Tom Holloran passed
| the entrance examinations. He en-
tered upon a three years course At
tho end Of the time he put his sheep
skin into his bag and went to the me-
tropolis. with a decent suit of clothes
on his back and dollar in his pocket.
The butler who admitted him to
the financier's house looked at him
obviously.
iii give your name to Mr.. Henry"
he said. in a non-committal manner.
He stopped. Tom barred the way.
Miss Helen Tom stammered.
I'll see, SIR said the butler.
Ten minutes passed. Then the finan.
cier entered the room. He did not
know Tom.
Il am Mr.. Holloran," said Tom. You
remember our agreement-that was
to marry your daughter in four
years"
The bankers face grew purple. You
impudent rascal" he said. Get out
Of my house,"
Il shall wait on the doorstep till I
gee Helen" said Tom.
The banker glared at him and left
he returned with stylishly dressed
young woman. who looked at Tom as
II ne were hardly a human being.
But 1t was Helen. Tom hardly heard
her scathing words, he only knew that
his pride was crushed Her ringing
laughter dismissed him. He stumbled
from the room.
The next day he entered his IA
TIERS house. The old man, hardly
changed, looked up and nodded
Il recognize you, son." he said.
Still a fool I reckon. Still banker
ing after that girl l warned 70.
told ye"
Eyes. l was a fool" said Tom. i've
come back to get a job with the
boats"
III that's all you're WORTH" said the
old man, you'd best have stayed
where you was"
The panic year wiped out many
fortunes. and loudest was the crash
Of the Henry chain of banks. In q
day the banker was a ruined outcast,
and the next week a suicide. The
house was sold. The papers contained
strange stories of Helen's discovery
upon the island, and reporters came
and pestered Tom. But nobody knew
anything Of the girl
Still a fool, TOM" His father
asked one day. as the young man sat
brooding over his nets.
II reckon So" said Tom.
You've given the best years Of
your youth to worthless woman"
said his father. Now is the time to
look for another"
Tom did not answer. His spirit
seemed broken. All the neighbors
thought that. He seemed to take no
interest in life. Gradually they &C
cepted him as one of themselves
again, and forgot.
There Is legend along the coast
that what the sea gives, it takes; what
1t takes 1t restores. The winter Of that
year was one Of raging storms Many
ship in distress far out at sea was
sighted, but it was not till February
that the lifeboat rockets signaled
a wreck upon the rocks in the bay.
They launched the boat Tom, bend.
ing to the oars, saw dimly, through the
blizzard the bulk Of great liner ~
ing between the needle-points. The
cold GU. him like a razor edge. Me-
chemically he bent his strength to the
oar.
Az the boat drew near and tried to
lay alongside. while the breakers
pounded her. q desperate cry Of .
multitude fell on their ears. A mighty
wavo had swept the decks Of half their
huddled humanity. The waves were
black with bobbing heads, hands
clutched wildly for aid and found
mono.
Tom leaped into the sea to where
. woman's head appeared for . mo-
ment in the suck OF giant wave. He
seized her by the hair and hauled
her to the boats edge. Somehow they
got her in.
Laden to her gunwales with all
that they had been able to rescue. the
lifeboat made her difacult way to.
ward the shore. But when she reached
1t at last and the men and fisherwives
who had assembled there looked into
Toms face they knew who the we'll
dressed strange woman was.
Tom kneeled beside her, chatting her
cold hands. A tress of her hair hum
like wet wisp over him. Her eyes
were closed, but faint pulse stirred
in her.
She will live" said the doctor that
night. But her brain is injured. How
far. don't know. 1t is impossible to
say until she wakes"
Still fool, Tom?" inquired his n.
Their, watching his face.
No, sir" said Tom. 'I know hsr
for what she is: nothing can wipe
that out
She's asking for you," said the
doctor.
Tom went into the room who're
Helen lay. Her eyes were open: a
| Tom draw near aha str.x.h>A -.