Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-08-25
PICKING A HEROINE
BY Il. IRVING KING

DATRICIA was rich, handsome and
learned. She had q dazzling COM
plexion and scattering Of Greek.
herited under the will Of rich old
uncle. Just now her interest was GEN.
tered in q mission where human dere-
Lets were put into drydock for phys.
: ical and spiritual repair before being
launched again on the sea Of life. One
night, during function at the mission
house, Patricia noticed stalwart
young man whose appearance sug-
gested ships and seas, and who sang
with q fine tenor voice. She pointed
him out to the superintendent, who
had been on the lookout for material
out Of which to fashion a sort of sec
rotary. and handy man, and after the
exercises derelict Mark Straight was
t0wed before the official mentioned
for examination as to his seaworthi-
ness. With a few minor repairs it was
decided that Mark might be rendered
serviceable and he was established at
q desk in the executive Office Of the
salvage establishment.
Patricia, as chief patroness Of the
establishment, was frequently brought
into contact with the young man. The
young man accepted all Patricia's sar-
casms and snubbings without COM
plant.
At last, one day when he and Pa
tricia happened to be alone in the
Office. she suddenly said to him, "Well,
Mr.. Warren, hasn't the masquerade
about been played out?"
"Oh, don't know" replied the
young man calmly; II haven't accom-
plished all I came down here to do
yet. So you have known me all
alongT'
II have" answered Patricia. "A
shaved Off mustache and sailor clothes
do not constitute an exactly impene-
trable Disguise And what Is more,
you knew that recognized you from
the first"
"Well, yes. to be frank with you"
was'the reply, II did, You see. Icame
down here with an object"
II am quite aware OF that. Mr..
Clifford Warren" snapped Patricia.
shut your object will not be attained.
Have you forgotten our last inter
view?"
"Not bit Of It." replied Warren.
1--WE were on that yachting trip of
Van Duser's, and were alone In cor
ner of the moon-lit deck, and was
making desperate love to you. and you
began to quote Greek"
"And you said"
"And said, oh. chuck the Greek,
Pat. and come down to earth-and
me- and you called me an ignorant
brute with nothing but my money to
recommend me an hounced away.
And the next heard, Of you you had
gone into the uplift business"
"And 80 you followed me down
here"
II beg pardon-ran across you down
here"
"It's the same thing"
'Not at all; I came down here to
gather material and Atmosphere for
q novel,"
"You! write q novel?"
eyes, why .not7 I am Of quite Z
literary turn-even IL my Greek Is
shaky."
Now, after all, Patricia was human
and q woman. She had thought a
great deal Of Clifford Warren. It was
disgust with herself at her foolish
break with him that had really driven
her into the salvage work and she
was secretly delighted when she found
that he had followed her>to the repair
shop. And now to be told that It was
not herself but atmosphere" for q
book that he was after!
"Of course" said Warren in plaza
tory manner, you VIII be the heroine
OF the story"
III you put me into your old book
Tll-T1l-" cried Patricia. too angry
to complete her sentence
"oh, well, Of course" said Clifford.
III you object"
II do" interrupted Patricia sharply,
land furthermore have severed my
+. connection with this establishments and
am going abroad at once"
"When do you SAIL PatriciaY
She hesitated, blushed and then
said, shortly. ION the Cassenovia. on
the 16th," turned and went out Of the
room. Clifford Warren also sailed on
the Cassenovia on the 10th. Now 1t ID
absolutely impossible for two persons
who have known each other intimately
to play ct being strangers on board
SHIFT can't be done. The Casse.
!, novia was about mid-ocean when one
day, as Clifford and Patricia paced the
heaving deck together, she said to him,
'Wers you really going to write .
book, CIiffordT'
II was" replied the young man.
"but have given up the idea"
"yery sensible OF you" retorted Pa
tricia, "and shows q juster apprecis-
ton of your own limitations than I
had given you credit for. May I ask
what brought you to such reasonable
state of mindr
swell, you see" drawled Clifford.
"you would not let me make you the
harnina If the" h00k. no instead of