Bemorrai can
Bellefonte, Pa., April 3, 1914.
J
THE
Ne'er-Do-Well
By :
REX BEACH
Author of
“The Spoilers,” “The Barrier,”
“The Silver Horde,” Etc.
emsssua
esasanEanss
issaies
Copyright, 1910, 1911, by Harper &
Brothers.
[Continued from last week.]
"7 CHAPTER XXII.
Checkmate!
NTHONY had no partner for
the eighth dance and was
very glad of it, for he could
not have carried off the nec-
essary small talk. As it was, he felt
that his excitement must be patent to
those around him now that the time
had come.
As the music ceased and the dancers
came pouring out into the cool night
air Runnels approached with his wife.
Together they strolled off through the
crowd, disappearing in the direction of :
the north wing of the hotel.
It seemed ages before the orchestra
struck up. Kirk began to fear that
something had happened to the musi-
cians. He edged closer to the dor
and searched out Chiquita with his
eyes. There she was seated with her
father, Colonel Bland from Gatun and
some high officer or other—probably an
admiral.
Kirk heard the orchestra leader tap
his music stand; then as the first
strains of the waltz floated forth he
stepped into the ballroom and made
toward his sweetheart. All at once he
found that his brain was clear, his
heart beats measured.
Of course she saw him coming. She
had waited all the long evening for
this moment. He saw her hand flutter
uncertainly to her throat; then as he
paused before her she rose without a
word. His arm encircled her waist.
her little cold palm dropped into his as
lightly as a snowflake, and they gfided
away together. He found himself
whispering her name over and over
again passionately.
“Why—why did you do this, senor?”
she protested faintly. “It is very hard
for me.”
“It is the last time I shall ever hold
you—this way.”
She faltered, her breath caught.
“Please! My father is looking. Ra-
mon’’—
“Have you agreed to marry him?”
“Yes—no, no! Oh, IT have prayed to
the Virgin every hour. I cannot, and
yet I must. See! I cannot waltz, se-
nor; I have s-stepped upon you. Don’t—
esqueeze—me—so!" she exclaimed. “I
cannot hold back—the tears. I am so
unhappy. If I could die quickiy—now.”
“Let us go out on the porch.”
“No, no! We must remain in my
father’s sight. Will you take me to
my seat?”
“No. I want you to listen carefully
to what I’m going to say and be calm.”
He spoke low and earnestly.
“Don’t stop dancing now, when I
tell you. Chiquita dear, you must
marry me tonight, right away! 1 have
arranged everything. No, don’t look
up at me until I have finished. Try
to smile. I've planned it all out and
everything is in readiness. I have a
room just around the corner of the
veranda; there's a judge waiting for
us, and Runnels and his wife”—
, “You are mad!” she gasped.
i “No, no. We'll slip through one of
the French windows, and we'll be back
again before they miss us. Nobody
will know, I tell you they're waiting. If
we are missed they’ll think—it doesn’t
matter what they think, you’ll be my
wife, and Ramon can’t marry you
then. We'll say nothing about it until
your father is elected president.”
“Senor, one cannot be married in a
moment. I am Catholic—the banns”—
“I’ve thought of all that, but a civil
marriage is binding. We'll have the
‘religious ceremony afterward; mean-
while this will stop Ramon, at least,
I promise not to see you again until
you send for me—until your father’s
hopes are realized. You may wait as
long as you wish, and nobody will
know. They tricked, you. Ch’ quita,
dear; I can’t explain, but it wasn’t all
politics; by any means. Oh, girl! Don’t
{you understand; I love you—love you!
{It’s our only chance.” The words were
{tumbling from his lips incoherently;
‘he was pleading as if for his life, while
she clung to him to support herself.
Through it all their feet moved rhyth-
'mically, their bodies swayed to the ca-
dences of the waltz as they circled the
ballroom.
| He knew it was her lifelong loyalty,
{her traditional sense of obedience that
made her hesitate.
| “Mother of God!” she exclaimed
faintly. “Is it that I am dreaming?”
i “They are waiting for us; the dante
is half over already. I love you—bet-
than all the world. Do you remem-
r two nights ago? You kissed me
n, and—I—I—can’t live without you.
| We'll go away together, you and 1.
|.through all the world—just we two.”
|
| flashed upward to his—they were wide
| and bright and shining—her lips were
|
|
She gave a hysterical. choking sob | band already.” she exclaimed lightly.
that was half a sigh. Then her eyes ! Then extending her hand coolly to
, Kirk, “I thank you. senor. for the—
| parted. her body was lithe and full of |
life. She slipped from his embrace.
whispering:
“Yes, yes!
Quickly, senor!” And
soon forget it.”
i ed in a low voice: “I thank you also
the next instant they were out upon
the wide gallery with the dance be-
hind them.
will follow!”
Together they fled along the north
wing of the hotel. The girl was pant-
ing. with one hand held to her bare
throat. But she ran like a fawn.
“Here! He swung her around the
corner and rapped sharply at a door.
“Quickly! Quickly!" she moaned.
“For the love of”’—
“Hurree. hurree, or they
With terrific force the door was fair- |
ly jerked from its hinges and slammed
‘to behind them. The next moment
Allan’s big body was leaning against
it, as if the wall were about to fall in-
iward upon him. Runnels leaped for-
ward with an exclamation; his wife
stood staring, her face as white as
snow. With them was the genial gray
‘haired judge from Colon, whom Kirk
had met af the Wayfarers' club on the
!night of his arrival.
“You made it!”
‘mmphantly. AE
«Miss Garavel!” his wife echoed.
“Thank heaven you came!”
“Quick, the music will stop! Judge,
this is Miss Garavel. You must marry
us just as fast as you can.”
“I presume you consent?’ the judge
asked.
“I—I want to be happy.” she said
simply.
“You understand, judge, she’s of age.
iSo am I. They want to force her to
marry a man she doesn't”—
; The muffled strains of music ceased.
There came the faint clapping of
hands.
“Madre de Dios!” Miss Garavel cried.
| “We are too late!” She beat her little
palms together in desperation.
There was a breathless interval.
Then the music began again, and to
Runnels cried tri-
a 0
“Quickly! Quickly!” she moaned.
its throbbing measures the marriage
ceremony was performed. As the last
word was pronounced Mrs. Runnels
burst into tears and hid her face
against her husband's breast. Runnels
himself held forth a shaking hand to
Kirk, then patted the bride clumsily
upon her shoulder.
“I know you will be happy now, Mrs.
Anthony,” he said.
With an incoherent cry of delight
Kirk folded his wife in his arms, and
she kissed him before them all.
“Come, we must get back. The mu-
sic has stopped again.” Kirk turned
to the judge. “Nothing is to be said
until Miss Gar—Mrs. Anthony gives
the word, you understand? I can’t
thank you all half enough. Now, Al-
lan, see if the coast is clear, quickly!”
He was still in a panic, for there yet
remained a chance of discovery and
ruin. One more instant of suspense,
then the two stepped out. The door
i closed softly behind them, and they
strolled around the corner of the north
wing and into the crowd. It had all
happened so quickly that even yet they
were dazed and disbelieving.
“My wife!” Kirk whispered, while a
tremendous rush of emotion swept over
him. She trembled in answer like a
wind shaken leaf. “You're mine, Chi-
quita! They can’t take you away.”
His voice broke. 5
“] am still dreaming. What have 1
done? Oh—h—they will know! In my
face they will read the truth. But I
do not care. Senor, I do not know if
some time you will be sorry for this
action, but I shall never cease loving
you. I prayed hourly to the Blessed
Virgin, and she heard. Now, I shall
perish until you come.”
steel and stone, through fire and wa-
ter.”
“Quick! For the one time call me—
that”— She hesitated, blushing vivid-
ly. “I will hear it in my dreams.”
“My wife!” he whispered tenderly.
“Ho! Chiquita mia!” her father
cried as they came to him. “There
you are then. I have missed you.”
His eyes smoldered as he gazed suspi-
clously at Kirk.
“Ah, but I was too warm,” she said
easily. “Yonder by the door we have
been standing in the night breeze.
And where is Ramon?”
heard a bellboy speaking his name and
, away.
“He is looking for you.”
“One would think him a jealous hus-
dance.”
Her husband bowed. *‘I shall not
To the father he add-
for your courtesy. We have been dis-
cussing your daughter’s marriage dur-
ing the dance, and it is my one great
est hope that she will never regret it.”
The banker acknowledged the words
ceremoniously. “Love is a thing that
comes and goes. Marriage alone can
bind it. Some day you will thank me,
and then perhaps you will honor our
house again, eh?"
“1 shall be happy to come whenever
you wish.” As he walked away the
banker said, with relief:
“He takes it well. He is proud—al-
most like a Spaniard.”
Kirk moved through the crowd as
if in a trance, but he was beginning to
realize the truth now. It surged over
him in great waves of gladness. He
longed to shout his news aloud. What
luck was his! The world was made
for him. There was no such thing as
adversity or failure—Chiquita was his
wife! All Christendom might go to pot
for all he cared.
In the midst of his rhapsody he
smiled at him vacantly as he turned :
But the negro followed him |
| persistently, saying something about a |
letter.
“It is h’'important. sar.”
“Very well.” He opened the envel
ope and pretended to read, but in re-
ality tbe sheet held nothing for him
but a ravishing, mischievous face with
pansy eyes. He must have stood star-
ing unseeingly at it for several sec-
onds. Then the dancing visions faded !
and the scrawl stood out plainly:
Williams, detective, St. Louis, arrived at
Colon this evening on the Prince Joachim.
You’d better take it on the run.
It was written upon Tivoli paper,
but the hand was strange, and it was
not signed.
“Well!” Kirk came suddenly to him-
self. and a spasm of disgust seized
him. “What a rotten inconvenience!”
: he said aloud. But before he had time
' to measure the effect of this new com-
lery and motioned him to the chair ad-
| joining hers.
; same time,” she said. “and here we'll
| made up my mind, and I cannot give
{ “I'm not a moderate person—I can’t
. do things by halves.
“When you give me leave—through |
dear! I'm to be the honored guest.”
plication the swelling music reminded
him that this dance belonged to Mrs. |
Cortlandt and that her answer was |
due.
She was waiting for him in the gal-
“I can't two step and talk at the
be quite private.”
Kirk remained standing. *What I
have to say won't take long. I've
up Chiquita.”
“You know what it means?’ She
stared at him with hard, level eyes.
No! I see you
are mad over this Garavel girl. But
you can’t get her.” Something in his
dazzled, love foolish smile enraged her.
‘So! you are planning even now.
Well. then. understand I can build.
and I can destroy”’—
“There’s nothing more to say,” he
interrupted her quietly. “so I'd better
excuse myself.”
“Yes! I would prefer to be alone.”
When he had bowed himself away
she crushed the fan in her hand.
staring out across the lights of the
city below, and it was thus that Cort-
landt found her a few moments later.
He dropped into the empty chair be-
side her, saying:
“Hello! Thought you had this with
Anthony ?”’
“I had.”
“What's the trouble?”
“There is no trouble.” She began to
rock, while he studied her profile:
then, conscious of his look, she in-
quired, “Aren’t you dancing?’
“No. just looking on, as usual. I
prefer to watch. You have broken
your fan, it seems.” He flung his cig-
arette into the darkness and, reaching
out, took the fan from her hand. She
saw that his lips were drawn back in
a peculiar smile.
“Well! Is that so strange?” she an-
swered sharply. “You seem”— She
broke off and looked deliberately away
from him.
‘“Row, eh?’ he inquired softly.
She could barely hold back her hatred
of the man. He had worked power-
fully upon her nerves of late, and sh
was half hysterical. :
~ “Why do you take pleasure in an-
noying me?’ she cried. “What ails
you these last few weeks? I can’t
stand it—I won’t’—
“Oh! Pardon! One quarrel an even-
ing is enough. I should have known
better. Too bad you and he don’t hit
it off better; he likes me. He's giving
me a party after the dance, a sort of
gratitude affair. A delicate way to ac-
knowledge a debt, eh?”
“You know very well it is Runnels’
doing,” she said.
“Oh, there are six of them in it alto-
gether, but Anthony originated the
little surprise. It’s intended for you,
of course.”
“I don’t see it. Are you going?”
“I accepted. Funny spectacle, eh?
Me the guest of—Anthony?”
There was a trace of anxiety in her |
voice as she answered, and, though
she spoke carelessly, she did not meet
his eyes.
“I—I'd rather you'd make an excuse.
I'll have to go home alone, you know.”
He raised his brows mockingly. “My
“Suit yourself, of course.”
A marine officer approached, mop-
ping his face, and engaged her in con-
versation, whereupon Cortlandt rose
languidly and strolled away through
the crowd that came eddying forth
from the ballroom.
: looked older . too.
Meanwhile Kirk had found Runnels,
who was looking for him. eager to ex-
press his congratulations and to dis-
cuss their exploit in detail.
Now that he had some one to whom
Kirk could talk freely. he let himself
go, and he was deep in conversation
when Stephen Cortlandt strolled up
and stopped for an instant to say:
“Quite a lively party. isn't it?”
Kirk noticed how sallow he had
grown in the past few months and
how he had fallen off in weight. He
His cheeks had
sunken in until they outlined his jaws
sharply. He seemed far from well.
A nervous twitching of his fingers
betokened the strain he had been un-
der. He was quite as immaculate, pol-
ished and collected as usual. however.
“How is our little ‘stag’ coming on?"
he asked.
“Fine! Everything is ready.” said
Runnels. “You won't expect an elab-
orate layout. It's mostly cold storage.
you know, but we’ll at least be able to
quench our thirst at the Central.”
“Then it’s really coming off? I was
afraid you'd forgotten it.” Cortlandt
cast a curious glance at Kirk. who ex-
claimed heartily:
“Well. hardly!”
pective guest moved off,
strange remark!"
“Yes,” said Runnels. “he’s a queer
fellow: but. then. you know, he's about
as emotional as a toad.”
CHAPTER XXIII,
The Crash.
IRK bad no further chance of
speaking with his wife, for
after the dance she was
whisked away, leaving him
nothing but the memory of an adoring,
blissful glance as she passed. With
Runnels and Cortlandt and the rest he
was driven to the Hotel Central, where
they found a very attractive table set
in a private dining room. It was a
lively party. and Kirk's secret elation
enabled him to play the part of host
with unforced geniality. The others
joined him in a hearty effort to show
their guest the high regard in which
they held him, and if Cortlandt did
not enjoy himself it was entirely his
own fault.
Toward Kirk, however, he preserved
a peculiar attitude, which only the
Then. as their pros-
“What a
young man’s self absorption prevented
him from noticing. If he had been
less jubilant he must have felt the un-
natural aloofness of the other man’s
bearing. But even had he done so he
would doubtless have attributed it to
Cortlandt's well recognized frigidity.
At the propitious moment Runnels,
who had reluctantly agreed to share
the social responsibility, made a little
speech, explaining that he and his
boys had been sensible from the first
of their guest’s interest in them and
were deeply grateful for it. They now
tendered him a token of their regard
in a forma which he could preserve.
He handed a handsome loving cup
to Cortlandt, who thanked him appro-
priately. then waited courteously for
the party to break up. But Anthony
rose, saying:
*T simply have to say a word on my
own account, fellows, for I owe Mr.
Cortlandt more than any of you.”
The object of these remarks shot a
swift, questioning glance from his
stony eyes and raised a hand as if to
check him. But Kirk ran on unheed-
ing:
“] want to thank him before all of
you for what he has done for me per-
sonally. When I landed in Panama I
got into trouble of the worst sort, and
Mr. Cortlandt got me out. He was my
bail bond, he put me up at his hotel,
gave me clothes and paid my way until
I got started. I was a stranger, mind
you, but he’s been just like one of my
own people, and if I ever succeed in
doing anything really worth while it
will be due to the start he gave me.”
Though the words were common-
place enough, they carried a sincere
message. and Cortlandt saw by the
faces about him that the others were
pleased. His own gaunt features
turned more sallow than ever. The
memory of what he had heard on the
porch of his own house a few after-
noons ago, of what he had seen at
other times, of his wife's telltale be-
havior on this very evening, swept
over him, fanning anew the sullen
emotions he had cherished all these
months. How far would this fellow
dare to go. he wondered? He dropped
his eyes to hide the fury in them.
“I want to give you a little remem-
brance of my own.” Anthony was
speaking directly to him. “It isn't
much, but it means a good deal to me,
and I hope it will have some sort of
personal association for you, Mr.
Cortlandt.” He drew from his pocket
a plush case and took from it a very
handsome thin Swiss watch with the
letters .“S. C.” artfully enameled upon
the back.
Cortlandt accepted the gift mechan-
ically; then, as it touched his flesh, a
sudden color mounted to his cheeks,
only to recede, leaving them bloodless
again.
“I really didn’t expect this,” he be-
gan slowly as he rose. “Anthony ex-
aggerates: he is too kind. But since
he has chosen to publicly call attention
to our relations, I will confess that
what he tells you is all true. Through
my assistance—partly, at any rate—he
has made a man of himself. He has
been welcome at my house, at my
table; he has come and gone as he
pleased, like one of the family, youn
might say. But those are little things;
they count for nothing.” His tone
gripped his hearers, and Anthony
stirred uneasily, thinking this an odd
way of accepting a gift.
Unclasping his long, white fingers,
Cortlandt held up the watch to public
view.
“In payment for my poor friendship
he has given me this magnificent thing
of gold and jewels, the finest I ever
: [Continued on page 7 Col. 1.1
AE
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