Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-25

"a the little coaster bound for Pernam-
buco and eyed Alan, whom he had
made comfortable In a camp bed on
the deck.
sit seems to me, Mr.. Wayne" he
said, that there mought be business
waitin' for me at Pernambuco thet l
dom know nothin' about. I've got a
hunch I'd best go along of you and
see."
Alan smiled. 81 know what your
huncn is, Kemp, and it's wrong one.
I'm all right. Weak, but I'll make it.
Don't worry"
Kemp was standing in angles. His
hands were thrust in his trousers pock-
cts, but even so his elbows were
crooked. One foot was raised on n
rail. He was coatless as usual. His
unbuttoned vest stuck out behind. His
Stetson hat was pulled well down over
his eyes. His eyes had taken on the
far-away and slightly luminous look
that always came into them when he
was about to speak from the heart.
"Mr. Wayne" he said, "rve toll you
some things about Lieber an you've
seen some more. You know how he
stands. Lieber's livin' in hell, like a
rich greaser in the Bible with his
tongue stuck out beggin' for one drop
of water, only Lieber hain't got his
tongue stuck out-he's bitin' it."
Kemp paused and Alan nodded.
II was thinkin'," Kemp continued,
'thet perhaps you'n Mr.. Lansing. with
yo' folks he'pin', mought chuck him
that drop O. water when you got back
to heaven, meanin' Moo Yawk." Kemp
brought his eyes slowly around and
rested them on Alan.
"Kemp," said Alan, don't you wor-
ry. If J. Y. Wayne & Co. haven't gone
to smash or the world otherwise come
to an end, you can be sure Lleber will
get his water in full bucket"
Kemp nodded and with a "S'long
and good luck" disappeared down the
gangway.
At Pernambuco Alan found an ac-
emulation of mail awaiting him and
a liner bound for home. The liner was
too big to get into the little harbor be-
hind the reef. She rode the swell a
mile out from shore.
Alan lost no time in making his
transfer. From the tender he was
winched up to the deck in a passenger
basket. AS he left the wicker COOP
he smiled at himself in disgust. Ten
Percent Wayne had often jumped for
a gangway from the top of Il flying
sea; never before had he gone on board
as cargo. But the smile suddenly left
his face. He reeled and put out one
hand toward a rail- Somebody caught
his arm and led him to a long chair.
He sank into it and shivered.
1t was a girl that had helped him.
AS soon as she saw he was not going
to faint she left him, TO come back
presently with the doctor and a room
steward. They took charge of him.
Day after day Alan lay in his cabin,
listless, before he thought of his batch
of letters. They were still in the
pocket of his coat He asked the stew
ard to hand them TO him, looked
through them, picked out one and laid
the rest aside. The one he picked out
was Clem's.
With her own peculiar wisdom Clem
had written not about him or herself,
but about Red Hill. Alan read and
then dropped the letter to his lap. His
hands fell clenched at his sides. His
eyes, grown large, stared out down the
long vista of the mind. Walls faded
away and the sounds Of great ship
at sea were suddenly dumb. To his
ears came instead the caroling of birds
In evening song after rain, to his eyes
a vision of Red Hill dripping light
from It's myriad leaves and to his
heart the protecting, broodlng shelter
of Maple House-of home.
1t cleanses a mans soul to have been
at deaths door. Sickness, more than
love, leads a man up. Alan was feel
ing cleansed-like little child-so 1t
seemed a quite natural thing that the
girl who had taken charge of him on
his arrival on board should knock at
his door and then walk in. She drew
out a camp-stool and sat down beside
him.
She was very small and very young,
not in years but with what Alan
termed to himself acquired youth. Her
nearslghted eyes peered out through
big glasses. They seemed to see only
when they made special effort, and
yet they seemed to give oct light.
"You are better?' she asked. and
smiled.
Alan caught his breath at that smile.
"Yes," he said, 81 am much better to-
day. have had letter from home"
You must get up now and come
up on deck" said the girl. "I'll wait
for you outside" Her voice had a pc
culiar modulaton. 1t attracted and
soothed the ear.
Alan frowned and then smiled. GAIL
right" he said, "wait for me-" He
dressed laboriously. His hands seemed
weighted.
On deck she had his chair ready for
him beside her own. She tucked his
rug about him and then sat down.
"Don't talk ever, unless you want to-"
she said. "Silent people are best"
"WhyT asked Alan.
"They are springs. Their souls