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Beach, Rex Ellingwood, 1877-1949

"The Ne'er-Do-Well"


Every evening he had to himself he spent in search of the Spanish
girl. Aside from his inability to find her, and an occasional
moment of misgiving at the thought of Frank Wellar, alias
Jefferson Locke, Kirk had but one worry, and that was caused by
Allan. Never a day passed that the worshipful black boy did not
fairly hound him with his attentions; never a nightly journey down
into the city that Allan did not either accompany him or, failing
permission to do so, follow him at a safe distance. For a time
Anthony rebelled at this espionage, but the constant effort of
refusal grew tiresome after a while, especially as the Jamaican
did just as he pleased anyhow, and Kirk ended by letting him have
his way. But this was not all. Allan insisted upon accompanying
his friend upon his daily runs back and forth across the Isthmus.
At first he succeeded in slipping past the gateman in some
miraculous manner, and, once aboard the train, behaved as if free
from all further responsibility. He made it plain, in fact, that
he was Anthony's guest and boon companion, and considered the
exchange of money quite unnecessary, if not even insulting. Day
after day Kirk argued with him, even threatening to throw him off;
but Allan ignored the arguments with bland good-nature and looked
upon the threats as the display of an excruciating sense of humor.


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