Part 13 (1/2)

”I know it will be full of romance,” West answered. ”And the mystery will be--can I convince you--”

”Hus.h.!.+” broke in the girl. ”Here comes father! I shall be very happy to meet you--to-morrow. Poor dad! he's looking for a place to sleep.”

Five days later poor dad, having slept each night on deck in his clothes while the s.h.i.+p plowed through a cold drizzle, and having starved in a sadly depleted dining saloon, was a sight to move the heart of a political opponent. Immediately after a dinner that had scarcely satisfied a healthy Texas appet.i.te he lounged gloomily in the deck chair which was now his stateroom. Jauntily Geoffrey West came and sat at his side.

”Mr. Larned,” he said, ”I've got something for you.”

And, with a kindly smile, he took from his pocket and handed over a large, warm baked potato. The Texan eagerly accepted the gift.

”Where'd you get it?” he demanded, breaking open his treasure.

”That's a secret,” West answered. ”But I can get as many as I want. Mr.

Larned, I can say this--you will not go hungry any longer. And there's something else I ought to speak of. I am sort of aiming to marry your daughter.”

Deep in his potato the Congressman spoke:

”What does she say about it?”

”Oh, she says there isn't a chance. But--”

”Then look out, my boy! She's made up her mind to have you.”

”I'm glad to hear you say that. I really ought to tell you who I am.

Also, I want you to know that, before your daughter and I met, I wrote her seven letters--”

”One minute,” broke in the Texan. ”Before you go into all that, won't you be a good fellow and tell me where you got this potato?”