Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-27
GTON. ID. c., JULY q. 1919.
IRISH


Il don't know. My wife is in the
hotel, down with brain fever. have
about twelve dollars. My letter of
credit Is in Hongkong. and I can't
get 1t until the consul general backs
UP my identity"
Give me all the details and I'll see
what can be done. 1t will be impos-
sible to reach the chief by. telegraph.
They go miles up north into the jun
gles."
William gave the clerk the essen
tial details, and to verify these the
clerk inspected the chiefs desk cal
endar: Memo. Write Cook Hong
kong relative w. Grogans letter of
credit" The clerk was glad to run
across this memorandum; it gave
some color to the story.
I'm afraid he went away without
sending that letter. A cable would
do no earthly good in a case like this
BY this time Cooks people must be
up in the air, and the consulate seal
would be necessary before they would
surrender the letter I'm sorry, but
I have no authority to act"
II don't care about myself. If
was sure everything would be all
right with her. could manage to
shift somehow"
The clerk chewed the end Of his
lead pencil. He did not know how to
act. Not day passed that some
clever rogue did not try to put
through a bit Of fraud. He himself
had been imposed upon several times,
nd h orl 1xvys LII ~.
into his shell. Yet this chap had the
identification book representing the
ownership of six hundred pounds,
and the chief himself had made a
memorandum on his calendar.
"Tll tell you what. Stick to the
hotel. They won't bother you with
any bill for couple of weeks, and
by that time the chief will be home.
Frankly, in this halfway port you
don't trust everybody. There's a lot
of strange driftwood floating around,
and we have our eyes open. I've
been stung a dozen times. You stick
to the hotel. II they come to you
with any bill before the chief re-
turns, hunt me up and I'll try to ex-
plain to the management"
That's pretty white"
You're welcome. over here about
all we do Is to straighten out flnan-
cial tangles for tourists-and they
are always losing money and trunks;
ship broken sailors back home; and
play charity generally. and no thanks
Anyhow, I'll take chance. Drop in
once in a while and let me know
how things work out"
Sounds pretty good to hear one
talk United States. Thanks"
William returned to the office Of
the hotel and engaged the cheapest
room he could find. On the morrow
he would look around for job-that
is. II Ruth were no worse.
From eleven until three he stood his
watch while the nurse slept. Man
and wife, he unused; the yellow bird
welded to the crow. What would she
do, how would she act, when she came
back from this holland where fever
ed fancies go? Maybe she'd forgive
him when she understood everything.
The doctor called. The temperature
had not gone any higher. and this
was an encouraging sign. Bravely
William laid bare his financial pre-
dicament. No matter what happen
ed. he was not going to sail under
false colors. The doctor told him to
put such worries into the background
or there'd be two patients instead of
one.
There's a lot of white men in this
world, after all"
"1'll wager" replied the doctor, put
ting away his thermometer. when
you're in trouble you find out where
they are. Tonight or tomorrow night
we'll come to the crisis. You see
every case Of brain fever Is indi-
vidual. No two persons are affected
exactly alike. If the fever goes no
higher by tomorrow night. then we
can breathe easier. 1t may hang
right where it is for a long time, or
1t may recede at once. You never
can tell. Tonight and tomorrow
night I'll take turns with the nurse
and you can sleep. If serious turn
comes. I'll send for you. She's
quieter now"
Ruth's left arm lay outside the
coverlet. William laid his hand upon
the forearm. 1t was dry and hot
He raised 1t gently to put 1t back un-
der the coverlet when the two rings
caught his eye. The sight Of them
gave birth to a Quixotic idea. Slow
w he slinped Off the rings and dron-