, 1921-09-10

LEFTY BURKE was a young mat
n of honest countenancs and god
like hgure, who had been born
by some mischance in the Fourth
Ward. instead of IN a more exclusive
neighborhood- whore he would later
in life have been able TO show Of the
godlike figure In a frock-coat- Hay-
ing been born on the East River
front. he had followed the river for
a livelihood ever since. and could
swim when other children OF his age
were learning TO walk about alone.
This fac had been demonstrated only
by accident. but was vouched for by
those who had seer him at the age
Of three jump ont Of his fathers
arms over the railing of an excursion
boat. and paddle around in the water
until dragged out Of It at the end of
a boat-hook.
At Che age OF twenty-five he was
making small sums OF money BY
races. and had been given numerous
medals for saving life. This latter
recreation he regarded only as 4
advertisement He did not make a
business OF II. and II was not 10 him
4 matter OF serious moment, like the
winning OF ions-distance champion
ships. But neither OF these perform
ances made him wealthy. and II was
most necessary that he should become
so IN order that TO might marry Miss
Mary Casey. the daughter OF the
~janitor OF the Mount Blanc Flats.
Hefty was very much in love with
her, and had urged her to marry him
and live on the little money he could
earn. hut Miss Casey was a thought
full young person and thoroughly APP
preclated her own value. She wished
him to show his love by approaching
Il also. It is sometimes difficult to
express the magnitude of ones low
by ones wages, and Hefty found this
true. but Miss Casey saw no c
in It. They had been engaged for
owe a year.
But while It was dimcuit for him to
earn money. II was as easy for him
to drag n drowning man from death
Il tho pier-head as for you TO guide
a blind man from one sidewalk to
tho other, or a girl across a ballroom:
and his manner in doing h one
thing was as matter-of-fact. and as
little s-elf-consciovs. as yours would
probably be in performing the other.
There was not. accordingly. the
least hesitation in tho movements of
Mr.. Burke when the daughter OF
Senior Juan Alvarez failed to place
her foot or the lower rung of the
accommodation-ladder. and sank be-
tween the port side OF the tramp
steamer Liverpool" and the Liver
POOLS" iong-boat-
Mr.. Burke was at this moment
lacking around the stern of the
steamer in q cat-boat- There was
nc time TO go about and chase the
broad white hat that rose for an in
slant at the foot of the ladder, SO
when he heard the father scream he
dropped his sheet and tiller and dived
owe tho boats rail- to leeward. leav-
ing her Keeling and ~careening i'm
potently in tie wind. And when
down below him he saw. turning and
twisting in the sharp undercurrent. a
slim white figure. he dived for it and
brought 1t up firmly under his arm.
struck out confidently for the
anchor chain that stretched above his
head q few rods farther back. culver
ing in the current He reached 1t
with a few quick strokes. and threw
his arm rel It and hung there.
heavily. and shaking the
damp hair from his ayes He saw the
OF the Liverpool" tumbiing into
tae long-boat, and three tugs making
towards him with fierce shrieks of
their whistles. and the passengers on
q numbering ferryboat crowded at the
ran and pointing him out II Is al
most Is difficult to drown in the up
per bay as In Madison Square. and
Mr.. Burke. knowing this. concerned
himself not at all with the approach
ing aid. but turned his eyes with care
interest TO the face beside his
own II was a different face from any
which MI. Burke had known. He
would have clnsscd its owner, had he
asked to give a guess at her
as q foreigner, and more
particularly as "E~yetalian-" Tho
lashes were longer than any he had
ever seen. the lips smaller. and the
skin a warmer. browner tint. which
made the ciinched teeth under the
parted lips moro white by contrast
II reminded kim OF a picture he knew
in the cathedral. but he could Got re-
call just then vnere he had seen it.
The face wac SO delicate and beauti-
full that he i~nstinctiveiy moved his
own away from 1t. and relaxed his
hold round the girls body. and as her
head sank back on his shoulder he
gave a short laugh. and wondered
with a grim smile what Mary Casey
would say II she could see him then.
One of the men in the long-boat
lifted her up gently. and her father
seized her II caressed her and
noaned and wept over her. chatter
ing in a soft unknown tongue. The
captain of one of the three tugs
leaned over the low rail and recog-
nized Hefty with a wave, OF his hand.
"L bet on 1t 1t was you" he said.
And then added. looking down at his
shoulder with a languishing smile.
WHO'S your friend?"
Mr.. Burke redeemed nercely at
this. and did not answer; but whether
he had blushed from anger or en-
barrassment he could not tell. He
still felt the touch of the girls face
against his own, and as he became
conscious of this. he rubbed his cheek
hastily with the back of his hand. as
tribute of fidelity to Miss Casey,
who had not been there to see.
ut was awful hot stuff" he argued,
land he certainly did take on about
st. Might have been her mother
from the way no took on" Then he
said "Foreigners.' briefly. as though
fb-f exDlnfned IT all. and went IN tn