The Ne'er-Do-Well

m no helpful thought. Perhaps, after all, he decided, his best course would be to seek relief from the Cortlandts. Accordingly, he strolled into the offices of the steamship

the office was closing, and, seeing the a

e to ask

t is

to the best hotel in

they're out and i

ut you don't need an introduction

and I have

ou know

een stopping at his house for

air of one who detects a fraud too obvious to be taken seriously. "Now I understand. The p

the other. "Somebody will have to take

" The agent finished locking up, then walked away, leaving his visitor to ref

ing the stairs ahead of him like a trained hippopotamus was the colossal, panting figure of the American consul, at sight of which Kirk's pride rose up in arms and forbade him to follow. Doubtless Weeks had spread his story broadcast; it was manifestly impossible for him to appeal to his recent card partners-they would believe he had deliberately

g Mrs. Cortlandt's words regarding the intermixture of bloods in this country; for every imaginable variety of mongrel breed looked out from the loitering crowd. But no matter what the racial blend, black was the fundamental tone. Undeniably the Cas

exchange the white shawl for the black, escorted by their husbands; huge, slouching Jamaican negroes of both sexes; silent-footed, stately Barbadians who gave a touch of savagery to the procession. Some of the women wore giant firebugs, whose glowing eyes lent a

eling-while on a moose-trail in Maine. But now there was no guide, with a packful of food, to come to his

nt, he again called up the Tivoli, rejoicing anew in the fact that there was no toll on Isthmian messages. But again he

a bench with a negro of about the same age as himself. For perhaps an hour the two sat there hearkening to the dy

't you g

flew open, then he laughed

all

, s

not only the right place, but als

rson do in that

oes to wo

. Are you going to sta

e policeman will

strange that Kirk inquired

arn on the narth coast

just arri

ave been a liver h

rk could not

h'office. Lahst week lose I my position, and to-day my r

ting craps," said

ar! What

craps is! I mean yo

I h'inves

dee

I the big prize. I 'ad

y ticke

in all," the negro sighed.

in the same boat this beautiful eveni

humbugg

m flat

t me tru

e. I'm an outcast of f

ou make I lau

ha

eated the other in a br

ou h'appear li

not permanently affect my social stan

All

lla

ar. H'

ur first or

r-h'Allan

said Kirk, gravely. "Now, speaking as one gentleman to a

nquired the p

cocoanuts in the world right here-worth five cents apiece; they require no care, have no worms, no bugs. You

the cocoanut falls, it is no good fo

ar service. But h'acid or sweet, h'eating or cooling, I must

lease. I know the place where a very good fe

far i

plied, optimistically, and

e forth. Men began running to and fro; a voice in authority shouted orders, each of which was the signal for another bugle-call. Through the wide-open doors the Panamanians could be seen, scurrying around a hose-cart, apparently

cried, quickly. "There

hose company, as

iforms. They had nearly reached the fire when around a corner back of them, with frightful speed and clangor, came a modern automobile fire-truck, clinging to which was a swarm of little brown men in red shirt

driver could straighten it up, and in a magnificent sweep carried away the wooden supports of an overhanging balcony. The timbers parted like straws; there came a shrill uproar from inside the building as the sleeping occupants poured

company he had just seen making up. They had found their uniforms at last, it seemed, down to the final belt and shoelace, and now came charging g

behind and jogged to the

llaneous articles as to menace the safety of those below. Men shouted, women screamed, children shrieked, figures appeared upon the fire-lit balconies hurling forth armfuls of cooking utensils, bedding, lamps, food, and furniture, utterly careless of where they fell or of the damage they suffered. Kirk saw one man fling a g

an interminable delay, water began to flow, as if by a miracle. But except in rare instances it failed to reach the flames. A ladder-truck, drawn by another exci

get closer?" Kirk inquired

with white; his teeth gleamed in

sar; greatly too 'ot! It would tak

he stream he directed continued to describe a graceful curve and spatter upon the sidewalk in front of the burning building. "You're spoiling that old woman's bed," Anthony warned him, at which a policeman

ets sounded again; firemen rushed down the street, dragging a line of hose and drenching the onlookers. But, despite their hurry, they halted too soon, and their stream just failed to reach the blazin

let the whole town

Very prob

oof and be out of the heat." He undertook to convey this suggestion to the fellow, but w

well

e, from which a feeble stream was dribbling, and mechanically directing it at the fire. Kirk laid hold of the canvas and, with a heave, dragged it, along with its right

the hose behind him writhe and swell as Allan released his hold. The next instant the negro was at his side, and the two found themselves half blis

as crying. "Oh, Lar

r hat and shie

le upon him he scampered away amid the jeers of the crowd. A few moments later, the American felt a hand upon his arm an

rn the 'ose where you fo

to wrench the hose from his hands. Meanwhile he uttered epithets in broken English which the other had no difficulty in understanding. Kirk promptly turned the nozzle upon him, and the full force of Colon's water-pressure struck him squarely in the stomach, doubling him up like

," laughed Kirk, as he turned

fully: "Oh, boss, I fear

edals for us-gold medals for bravery, Allan. T

r a half-dozen policemen advanced in a businesslike man

r? We're doing a

, que

llan mumbled. "I shal

've been pinched lots of times. We'll have to quit,

retreated with it to a discreet position, then fo

e said to Allan, notin

rn us loose

ised to see that the negro's captors had snapped "come-alon

als, consisting of chains fitted with handles so contrived that a mere

ut, instead of heeding his words, the men on each side of the Jamaican twiste

ar, I'll come

treet lamp showed blood flowing where the chains had cut. The whole proceeding was so unprovoked, so sickening in its cruelty, that Kirk, who until this instant had looked upon the affair as a rather enjoyable lark, flew into a fury and, disregarding his own captors, leaped forward before the policeman c

street fight; this was deadly; he must beat off these fellows or be killed. But, as fast as he cleared them away, others appeared as if by magic, until a dozen or more were swarming upon him like hungry ants. They clung to his arms, his legs, his clothing, with a desperate courage wholly admirable in itself, while strokes were aimed at him from every quarter. Time and again they dragged him off his feet,

damn you!

sailants fell upon him with fresh fury, and he reeled about, striving to shield himself. Every movement, however, was construed as resistance, and his punishment continued, until at last he must have fainted from pain or had his wits scattered by a blow on the h