Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-08-10

the hint to Galitzin had been sufficient |
and the Grand Duke from his hiding |
place saw her pretty figure get ashore
among the miscellany Of martyred |
'r'yalty.' He turned away from his
portfolio with a catch of his breath as
the last vestige of his old life passed
from sight. And then quietly took up
fresh cigarette and awaited the Cap
tain.
The details were easily arranged |
Blashford was man Of resource and
at night returned from visit to the |
Captain of the Bermudian, with word |
that all was well. He had been obliged |
to relate the facts. but Captain Armi- |
taSe could keep secret and promised |
the refugee a job under his steward |
who was short handed. And so the |
next morning, after shaving and dress
ing himself in borrowed clothes. Peter
Nichols shook Captain Blashford warm.
ly by the hand and went aboard his
new ship.
Peter Nichols new job was that of
a waiter at the tables in the dining
.oloon. There were English officers
bound for Malta. Frcnchmen for Mar
seilles and Americans of the Red Cross
without number. bound for New York.
Girls. too. clear eyed. bronzed and
lctrty. who talked war and politics
beneath his very nose, challenging his
own theories.
They noticed him. too, and whispered
among Themselves. but true to his am
bition to do every task at the best OF
his bent, he preserved an immobile coun-
tenance and pocketcd his fc"s. which
would be useful ere long. with the grntr-
full appreciation of one to whom shil-
llngs and franc pieces come as the gifts
of God. Many were the attempts to
draw him from conversation, but
where the queries could not be answered
by laconic "Ycs, sir or mo, sir
this paragon of walters maintained a
smiling silence.
I'm sure he's Prince or some
thing he heard one young girl of a
hospital unit say to young medico Of
the outfit, Did you ever see such a
nose and brows in your life? And his
hands--. You can never mistake
hands. l would swear those hands had
never done menal work for thousand
years.
He slept forward, messed abaft the
galley, enriched his vocabulary and
broadened his point of view. There is
no leve'cr like a ships TO 'c'sle, no bet
ter school Of philosophy than that Of
men upon their ''bcam ends" There
were many such--Poles, Slovaks, Ru-
manians, an Armenian or two. refugees.
Hdventurers from America. old. young.
ll'ssolutc, waking necessity of virtue
under that successful oligarchy. the
ships bridge.
In the Americans Peter was inter
ested with an Englishmans p0.at OF
view. He had much to learn. and he
invented a tale of his fortunes which
let him into their condolences, especially
into that Of i'm Coast. waiter like
himsc f. whose bunk adjoined his own.
Jim Const was citizen of the world
Injured to privation under many flags.
He had been born in New Jersey. Y.
s. A., OF decent people. had worked
in nth the C cranberry bogs;' farmcd in Penn
ming. ''prospectcd" in the Southwest.
looted ranches in Mexico. fought acninst
Diaz and again with the insurgents in
Venezuela, worked on cattlcsh'ps, and
so, by easy StHg"a. hal driftcd across
the hrcndth Of Europe living by his wits
at the expense Of the credulOus and
The unwary. And now. for the first
time in many years, hc was going
home--though just what that meant he
lid not know. He had missed great
fortune twicc-''by the skin of his
teeth. AS he picturesquely described
1t. once in mine in Arizona and again
in land deal in the Argpntn,. There
were reasons why he hadn't dared to
return to the United States before. He
was man with grievance. but, how
ever free In his confdenccs in other
respects, gave the interested Peter no
tnklin as to what that grievance was.
NO NOR" curious acquaintanceshiD
could possibly be imagined. but priva
tion. Ike politics, makes strange bed
fellows. and from tolerance and amuse-
mcnt: Pete. as the other called him.
found himself yielding, without stint.
multifarious attractions. He seemed
to have no doubts as to the possibility
OF making a living in America and re-
ferred dnrkly to possible "coups" that
would net fortune. He was an agree
able villain, not above mischief to gain
his ends, and Peter. who cherished an
ideal. made sure that. once safe ashore.
u would be best If they parted company.
But he didn't tell Jim Coast so, for the
conversational benefits he derived from
that gentleman acquaintance were a
liberal education.
We are admonishcd that they are
blessed who Just stand and wait. and
Peter Nichols. three days out from New
+ York harbor, found himself the possess
scr OF $40 in tips from the voyage. with
SGO coming to him rs wages---not 80 bad
for first venture upon the high sens
of industry. II was the first real
money he had ever made in his life and
he was proud of it, jingling it content.
! edly In his pockets and rubbing tho bills
luxuriously ono against the other. But
his plans required more than this. for
he had read enough to know that in the
United States one is often taken at ones
own estimate, and that If he wasn't to
find Il job rs n hitch digger. he must
make good appearance. And so il was
now time to make use Of the one Grand
pucal possession remaining to him, n
gold ring got with gorgeous ruby that
lad once belonged to his fnther. This
ring he had always worn and had re.
moved from his finger at I'Shan, in
the fear that its magniticcnce might he
tray him. lie had kept it carefully tied
about his neck in bag on bit of string
and had, of course. not even shown IL to
Jim Coast, who might have deemed II an
excuse to sever their strange friend
ship.
Through the head steward he man
aged message to CAPTAIN Armitage md
was hidden to the officers CABIN. where
he explained the object of his visit. ex-
hibited his treasure and estimated its
value.
The captain opened his eyes a bit
wider as he gaZcd into the sanguine
depths Of the stone.
'If / didn't know something of your
history. Nichols" he said with wink.
Il might think you'd been looting the
strong box Of the Sultan of Turkey.
Pigeons blood and as big as my thumb
nail You want to sell it?''