The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-04-11
acknowledgements
BY HENRY n n Copyright, 1919
BEACH NEEDHAM - n Page Co.

his balance, floored him with a
pretty uppercut, The the gambler,
bind with rage, seized a whisky
bottle from the wreckage. But be-
fore he could use it his arms were
pinoned from behind, and Shute
was pushed out of the smoking
room.
AS the loss in rum and glass
ware, generously estimated, was
made good, and as the smoking
room steward was properly re-
warded for his future reticence,
the episode did not come officially
before the captain.
But unofficially, through the
human wireless system, the story
went all over the ship. In its
travel it became embellished with
the ships Doctors account, based
on personal observation, of James
arrival on the ship-dead drunk.
The story did not get to Miss
Riley in expurgated form. An UNI
complimentary remark had been
made about her-"Oh, nothing OF
any consequence - bless your
heart, no." and James" had
though himself called upon to de-
fend her with his fists. ldiotic boy!
But then-"You know, my dear,
he's a terrible drinker. Yes, in
deed, he was brought aboard the
night we sailed so drunk that two
men had to carry him--two men;
the doctor saw them"
Win Shute, in his wholesome
and innocent view of things, be-
lieved that the unfortunate affair
in the smoking room would be
hushed up. He went about in
high spirits, as il nothing had
happened - headed straight for
Miss Riley.
They were getting on famously.
Together they had won many of
the events in the sports, and at
ships tennis, they were in the
finals to be played that morning.
Miss Riley couldn't have avoid
ed seeing him had she been SO
They won, and it had
been a hard fought match, in
which physical condition played
not q small part.
Miss Riley rather amused Win
as they were resting in steamer
chairs on the boat deck, by say
ing:
You seem to be pretty fit"
Fit" His tone had in it a
shade of sarcasm. I'm always fit
ready to jump in and
play-anything."
"Always?" She looked at him
He was blind as a bat. you
bet-in season and out of season."
"You must have a splendid con-
stitution."
81 have-but I don't abuse it. I
want to last" This had a queer
he saw too late, but he
didn't try to explain.
Miss Riley got up to go to her
and then, as if under
the spell of impulsiveness, said
quite shyly:
1T was good of you to take my
part in the smoking-room."
You didn't hear?" asked Shute,
his face horror-stricken.
"Oh, l didn't hear verbatim
what was said about me-" she ex-
planned, her tone little hard.
But | can imagine. Men are such
men. And | wanted
az, to Il that HEn1 N
you did, no matter what others
say about it. l must go now"
She slipped away, leaving Win
happy and angry, turnabout; hap
py at her unexpected tender of
gratitude, angry at the man who
had blabbed.
But happiness soon took the as
cendancy. In his limited expert
ence he hadn't much to compare
it with, except breaking into the
majors the very summer he grad
uated from college. This, on sec
ond thought, seemed a most un-
happy comparison, as Miss Riley
didn't care for baseball.
Then she could never care for a
professional ball player! He
hadn't thought of it before, but
now, for some imperative reason
that he didn't try to analyze, the
idea forced itself upon him. II
she couldn't care. what then?
I'VE land at Gibraltar tomor-
row." Win Shute heard passing
remark and suddenly II daWned
on him that the day he once had
looked forward to most keenly,
but which he had almost forgot
ten, was at hand. Now he could
establish his identity!
But something held him back.
Miss Riley wasn't fond of base
ball! She had come to like "Mr.
James," but would she, a real
SWELL" ever look with favor upon