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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1904)
February 28, 1904. TIIE ILLUSTRATED DEE. 15 doing a good deal more for them than he could well afford to. "Don't pay a word," Bald the doctor. "It's all right. I get rates on that, of course. Lon't you see that I can easily steer a lot of business from tho ship Into the way of a hotel like this? They don't !ay me a commlalon on what I send them, hut they never fall to have my restaurant chctk-i all receipted when the waiter bring. them to me. They'll be, besides, mlghly Kind to have you here. . I've tipped them off to tho fact that you're likely to be a big card us soon as the papers Ret on to the fact that you are stopping here." "Why?" usked Norah, Innocently. "Why!" exclaimed the doctor in n tone expressive of amazement because she did not Fee. "Why, don't you suppose that every paper in New York will have extras out on the new phases of this affair as Boon as they can get a glimpse at tho farts and And type big enough to set tho bead lines in? The hotel will le a show place until the next sensation comes out in the sporting editions. They ought to let you have everything you nee I for nothing and pay you a salary besides. Their Increased bar business alone will be big enough to warant them In giving you a wedding present." The ceremony was to be performed In tho parlor of a private suite which tho hotel bad placed at the disposal of the party for the purpose. The doctor had Just gone down to see If everything was ready for it when a hall-boy came up and asked if a lady could see Mrs. I'arton. "I'm afraid not Just yet," said Norah, blushing, "but perhaps before long. Who Is she?" "It's a small lady old. She looks as If she had como from the country, I guess. She didn't give her name and she seemed to be very much worried. She's been crying. The clerk wasn't at Uie desk; he's busy with the doctor getting things ready for the wedding. 1 just came up to tell you myself." "It's the captain's wife!" exclaimed Norah. "It must be Mrs. Burgee. Tell her that I will be right down to see her." "Won't you just see her here in tho next parlor?" asked the boy. "The clerk said that you were to have It to receive any one that came to tee you. There's so many people down stairs in the halls and public rooms waiting to get a glimpse of you that maybe you'd better have her come up." Partor. went with her to see the captain's wife. She was not at all us they had ex pected her to be In appearance. The enj til.i had carried the Imprejslon (without saying so) that she was a large woman. As a matter of fact, she waii short and delicate In build. Her face was fuded, but wonderfully sweet in lis expression, and while she was nervous there was not about her the slight est Indications of hysterica either present or to come. She listened attentivo'y 4o all they had to say, took Pu,rton"s story of the ship wreck very calmly, and seemed to be grate ful to them for what they had done for her husband's comfort. When Purton told her about the escape from the burning ship and the following hours, when the captain had been bound to the floating gratings, she leaned forward in her chair with an In tense, strained look upon her face and with nervously shutting and opening hands. Ilec desire to see the captain at once she meekly put aside when she was told that the doctors were with him muking an ex amination and that they would send word to Parton as soon as they had linlsbcd their consultation. "You've been real kind," she said to Norah, whose heart had Instantly gone out toward her. "I ain't got my wits about me yet to thank you, but blmeby I will have. An' I can't never tell you, Mr. Parton, how I sha?l always feel about what you've done. It was. almost as if Obed had been ship wrecked right to home with his own folks. If a shipwreck could be comf'table, I guess you did all that you could do to make this one that kind. "Would you mind," she said, turning to Norah, "if I. should kiss your husband?" "He's not my husband," said Norah, col oring. And then she told Mrs. Burgee about the hurried wedding that was to take place as soos as arrangements could be completed for It, and the two women found a bond of sympathy In tbls which increased the liking which they bad already Instinctively began to feel for each other. Mrs. Burgee kissed Parton primly, and Norah more than once, and wept a little. Then she said: "It I'd known about the weddin' I'd never have come over from my daughter's with out a pie or cake or somethln'. But 1 sup pose that you c'h git roost anythin' of that Bort here to New York ready made. I guess Bomebody'a alius bakin' In such a big city, especially around a hotel. I've got a bonis of eldertierry wine in my carpetbag. Obed's very fond of it. I alius meet him with a bottle, but 1 don't ('pose the doctors 'II lot him liavo it now that he's so stck. This is the first tlie I've ever met him to New York. Ho must always docks to Boston." Further conversation on the subject was Interrupted by the entrance of the doctor. He greeted Mrs. Burgee heartily, and told her that her husband was doing as wel! as anyune could be expected to after having passed through such experiences' as ho had kirown. Ho delighted her by predicting that her own nursing would do wonders for the ailing navigator, nnd said that after the doctors had looked him over and done what they could for him ho had fallen into a sound and apparently restful sleep. He told h"r gently that it would be un wise to awake him even for the purpose, of letting her go to him, but added cheerfully that the moment lie woke up she should be told of it and taken to him. It was easy to see that the delay was a great trial to her, but, being a New Kng land woman, she was biave and accepted his decision without complaint. The doctor seemed to be worried by some matter not at all connected with the cap tain's Illness, and as soon as he could, with courtesy to Mrs. Burgee, he beckoned to I'arton to go Into tho hall with him. "Now, old man," said he, "If It's your design to get married here In this hotel you will be taking my advice If you do it as soon as you can. I just saw a reporter that I know and he told me that old serpent of a stepfather of yours has been at police headquarters for the last two hours, telling them that you have robbed him and trying to get a warrant for your arrest. If you are married nt all today 1 am pretty reasonably certain that you will spend your wedding night in Jail; and you won't le married today unless you hurry up about It." Ten minutes later the clergyman was In his place before the pair. They had clasped hands and were standing In front of the great mirror. Parton had Just received from Norah his first husband's kiss and the doctor was about to claim his privilege as best man, when a bell boy came up and said that Mr. MacFarren- was below nnd had sent word that he wished to have Miss MacFarren come down to see him. Norah spoke up. quickly. "Tell him." she sa(d, "that Miss Mac Farren is not here." "Beg pardon. Miss," said the bell boy, who had not recognised the hymeneal at mosphere, "I'm sorry, but the clerk has already said you was here." "So I am," said Norah, "but you can tell Mr. MacFarren that Miss MacFarren Is no longer here and Is never coming back. If he wishes to see Mrs. Parton he may step up stairs." "Yes'm," gasped the boy, and vanished. CHAPTER XXI. Never say another feller's bustin' of the harbor law unless you're sure about vour own clearance papers. The Uttg Book of the L,yddy. After the lioy had gone downstairs to Mr. MacFarren with her message, Norah wept a little, with her face hidden on her husband's shoulder. Mrs. Burgee had gone to the window to look out and the doc-tor had retired discreetly to the hallway, where he was walking up and down with a keen eye on the elevator entrance. When Mr. MacFarren appeared, very much ex cited, with a look of Incredulity and rage In his eyes that made his mean little face seem even meaner than It was by nuture, the doctor nodded at him. MacFarren recognized him instantly nnd stepped up to him nervously. "How do you do, d ictor?" be s ild. "What Is thlB absurd story that the bell boy has been telling me?" "I don't know," said tho doctor. "I didn't hear him tell It." "He said that there hud been a marriage here," said MacFarren. "That," said the doctor, "Is not an absurd story. It is Ood's truth." There was another man with MacFarren, and the doctor did not like his looks. He had that indescribable quality in his ap pearance which savored of police head quarters to the ship's surgeon. An Instant later he recognised him as a man who had once or twice been at the trfer to at tend to the business of making arrests when the ship came In, and he nodded to him with an appearance of great cordlaMty. The detective seemed surprisingly glad to see him. He greeted him with an en thusiasm which indicated to the shrewd young physician that be was weary of Mac Farren's company. "Perhaps you would better go In and see them, sir," said the doctor to MacFarren. "While you are in there talking natters over, we will be downstairs getting a drink." MacFarren hesitated for a moment, but the doctor linked bis arm Into that of the detective and drew Mm toward the elevator. "You won't be wanted, I guess," he said confidentially. "Take my tip and keep out of this if you can. If that old fool has any sense at all he'll quit before he's gone too far. If you do anything at all it ought to be to take him In charge and put him In an Ice box somewhere." And over a pleasant pair of cocktails at a table In the hotel bar be told the de tective as much of the story as he thought Was necessury to ait understanding of the case. "Well, I don't give a darn," said the de tective. "I guess he U a pretty crummy old guy. He let me pay my own car fare on the way up. Said he supposed the 'gov er'ment' allowed a man his expenses when he was on official busine.se, and put the change from hi own dime in bis pocket. Besides, I don't believe the wTmTits any good." The dorter TO fit this ns a hungry bass rises to a fly. "Why?" he asked. "If the offense was committed on the other side," said the detective, "there are a number of things about his complaint that won't hold water. The arrest ought to be made by the federal, and not the city, authorities. The warrant ought to bo issued by a Flitted States coninilsKioncr, and not a police )utl-e. But It was given to me and 1 was told to come along when I ought to be In bed." He seemed to resent this deeply, and the doctor, learned In the ways of New Yolk oflliialdom, was delighted. "It's no affair of mine," said the de tective, "but I've a good notion to tell him where he can go, and then go back myself to headquarters and report sick." Tho doctor was a wise youth in his gen eration, nnd he knew something about New York nnd of Its ways. The detective's point of view was instantly plain to him. He realized that MacFarren had lost the support of this representative of official Gotham by saving hid 5 cents, and he grinned pleasantly. He made up his mind that there might be lurking here an op portunity to help Parton. lie told the de tective frankly what he wished to do and Ingenuously asked advice. "Has be got any money?" asked the de tective. "Well," said the doctor, "he hasn't any cash. You see what he hud he lost on the burning ship. But he ran get ull he wants. He can get plenty of It." He was not nt all certain of this, but he had gone into this mutter and he did not propose to have anything upset because of lack of conversational ability. "Well, you think he's all right, do you?" asked the detective. "I know he la," said the doctor, with em phasis. "And It's likely to be a big case, in the newspaper," mused the detective. "I guess Mux would take It up on spec." "Do you mean Max Kammer?" asked the doctor Max Kammer was n Trry small man with a large, smooth, bald head, who devoled his time to releasing those accused of crime from jail, husbands and wives from the holy bonds of wedlock and attending first nights at the theaters. "Max will take it up if I telephone to him and ask him to," said the detective. "Would you be willing to pay the telephone charges?" The doctor grinned, und took a $10 note from his poi ket. He said thut he should le glad to if that would be sufficient to cover them. The detective reflectively remarked that he thought it might just about; took it, and said, "Thank you." The doctor sighed a quick, small sigh and nodded. Ten dollars to a ship's do-tor Is much money. But this one had faith; nnd, even beyond his faith, there wus In his heart the milk of human kindness. "You'd better go und telephone, then," suld he. "I'll wait for you here." In the meantime MacFarren was having anything but a plcacant quarter of an hour. He had been full of wrath as he had en tered the presence of tho bridal couple and received Norah's pleasant greeting with a poor grace. Before his entrance Bhe had had her Irish wits hard at work, nnd was, apparently, quite prepared for him when he burst out with an angry demand to know if the tales he had beard downstairs were true. Norah answered blm with much enthusi asm. She not only confirmed the reports which he had heard, but she asked him where the congratulations were which she had a right to expect from one so near and dear to her. MacFarren looked at her with wild eyes. The others In the. group, who bad expected something verging upon tragedy Instead of this bit of comedy, gazed at Norah with admiration and withdrew a little, leaving the field to one who seemed to be wholly capable of rilling It. MacFarren did not congratulate her. He sputtered things that made an Impotent Jumble of protest. Norah listened gravely, offering no In terruption, and apparently trying hurd to understand some incomprehensible situs tion. It was as if she had been surprised by a totally unexpected contingency. That MacFarren was other than de lighted at the fact that she was marrlei and happily off his bands wus, It seemed from what she said and her general de portment, quite Impossible for belief. She Interrupted one of his most hopelessly In furiated and Involved protasis by going to him as If he were merely overcome by Inability to express his Joy. "Don't try to talk, darlin" she said with the delightful drawing of the "r" which added so great a charm to her slight and wholly unsellable Irish accent, "wait until your Joy cools d'rwn a bit. You'll be able to tell me how pleased you are more plainly then." This had the effect of making him In carmble of speech entirely. For a moment It even stopped his sputtering, but he grew dangerously red In the face. Norah approached him prettily and said aa she packered up her lips; "Sure, and aren't Ju going to kiss Um bride nt alii" MacFarren, showing no disposition to take- advantage of the puckered lips which wire placed so invitingly near to his own, rigidly set mouth that he would scarcely have had to stoop In order to meet them, Norah droppi d them snd turned smilingly tow. ltd the others. "tih, th' poor man!" she said, with a delicious nod wholly calm and colic. -ted wink. "He's too overcome to kiss the bride. But it's Joy that never kills, so don't be frightened, dears, he'll not die of it." At last MacFarren found his tongue. He had to some extent regafhed his i om posure. "Well, Norah," he said, with the air of a wise guardl in whose ward has been astray, "you have made your bed and you must He on It. I suppose, unless I manage, to rescue you from It In some way. There Is a question whether the laws, even of this new and somewhat loosely governed country, will sustain you in a marrlago made without the consent of your legal guardian; but aside from the fact tlmt you have taken the step without my eon sent, I must deeply regret that yon should have linked your life to this mm, who has bild himself, by his own wilful and inexcusable actions, liable to a term In prison." Kveryone In the room hud listened very attentively to MacFarren during thW speech. It was the threat which I'arton bud expected, and which be did not ex actly know how he was to meet, but which he no longer feared as he hail feared It In London, There came Into bis eyes that same gleam which hud made the mate on the I.ydla Kkolfeild turn away In fright. He rose und wulked toward the barrister. The two women saw the strange glance at the same time that MacFarren caught a sight of It, and it would be hard to sy who of the three was most frightened by It. Mrs. Burgee caught Parton by one arm, a circumstance which uppurently had no morn effect on him than would the casitil alighting of a mosquito have upon an elephant's back. Norah caught her breath quickly and started to step between the two men, but then, lost In that admiration which those of her blond always liavo for brave men or.d good fighters, drew bnck for a moment, not pleased, but fasclaated. But the two women need not have lieen afraid. There was no danger that Parton would do bodily harm to MacFarren while that cautious gentleman had legs beneath blm on which to run nway. He rose hastily and barricade himself behind the table. His face was white enough to justify the thought that the marble slab which topped that piece of furniture was about to fultll another purpose and act the part of tomhson then ami there with Mac Farren for the corpse. A illverslon came at this moment In the form of a Ik'11 boy with a card for Mrs. Parton. Norah took It and glanced nt it quickly. She laughed n bit. This took the tension of the situation nway from every one exoccpt MacFarren. "Walt a bit," she said to Parton. "I've Just to run down stairs to see some one that the doctor thinks I might consult ubout a certain matter. (To be continued.) Club Full of Cheer The Tonstmaster I now have the plea sure of Introducing A Voice Three cheers for the toast master. (Three cheers are given.) The Toast master I now have More Voice Three cheers for Bryon. (Cheers.) The Toastmuster I Introduce Mr. Charles Voices Three cheers for Charles Smith. (Cheers.) The Toast master I mean Charles Brown. Vol-es Three cheers for Churles Brown. (Cheers.) Mr. Brown Gentlemen. I come from New York. A Voice Three cheers for New York. (Cheers.) Mr. Brown The home of Mayor Mo Clellan A Voice Threo cheers for Mayor Mc Clellun. (Cheers.) Mr. Brown The lender of Tammany A Voice Three cheers for Tammany. (Cheers and a tiger.) Mr. Brown Mayor MoClellan, who baa given the republican party h I. A Voice Three cheers for h I. And once more the cheers are given. Iewiston (Me) Journal. A Bachelor's Reflections No man can ever make love to a girl la all tho different kinds of ways she thinks he ought to. When a man Is looking at the queer way a woman's hat is kept on her head it is mighty easy for her to think he Is marvel ing at the luster of her eyes. After she has been married sevw years and had five children, a woman begins te know almost aa much about managing a family, as aha thought she did a week be-, fore her wedding- day. New York Press.