Newspaper Page Text
The Atlanta constitution.
VOL. XXII
PROTEGE Os JRCKMW'S
How He Rescued Her from a Watery Grave.
By Bret Harte.
For The <’oustitiniuii
PART I.
The steamer Silveropolis was sharply ami
steadily clearing the broad paeid shallows
of the Sacramento river. A large wave like
an eagre, diverging from its bow, was ex
itending to either bank, swamping the tales
and threatening to submerge the loxver
bwees. The great boat itself—a vast, Imt
delicate structure of airy stories, hanging
galleries, fragile colonnades, gilded coniees
and resplendent frescoes-was throbbing
throughout its whole perilous length V,,, J
the pulse of high pressure ami the st.mi_,
monotonous beat of a powerful p,s.ou.
Bloods of foam pouring from the high pad
dle boxes on either side and reuniting, in
the wake of the boat, lett behind a tia< .* "I
dazzling whiteness, over which trailei
two dense black banners Hung fr-an lls
lofty smoke stacks.
Air. .lack Hamlin had quietly emerged
from his stateroom on deck ami was look
ing over rite guards. His hands were rest
ing lightly on his hips over the delicate
curves of his white waistcoat and he was
whistling softly—possibly some air to which
he had made certain card-playing passengers
dance the night before, lie was in com
fortable ease and his soft brown eyes under
their long lashes were veiled with gentle
tolerance of all things, He glanced lazily
along the empty hurricane deck forward;
be glanced lazily down to the saloon deck
below him., Far out against the guards
battled a young girl. Air. Hamlin knitted
his brows slightly.
Jit* remembered her at once. She had
come on board that morning with one. Ned
Stratton, a brother gambler, but neither
a favorite nor intimate of .Tack’s, Brom
certain indications in the pair Jack had
inferntl that she was some foolish or r ek
less creature whom "Ed” was spiriting
away from her friends ami family. 'A oh
the alssira-t in n-;iii!v of this situation Jack
was not in the least concerned, But it
suddenly occurred to him that lie bad s- n
S r.attop quickly slip o f t the boat at the
la-t landing slag. l . Ah! that was it: ho
had cast away a>l deserted her. It was
nn old story. Jack smiled, but he was not
greatly amused with S:r:itt*m.
She was very pale and si.iiir 1 to be eling
4. Hie 1
•H.-.-TJi iglt dm was gazii.ifjr
c<oeme l to !>• smdo d down amr-Jft .
~*‘d in the piddle box is the boa. s'y.'pf
on. It certainly was a fas. mating sight -
this shilling.' rapid, hurrying 011 n, bury it
self ... crushing v.heels. • " .
brief moment Jack saw b.ow they would seize
nm hing floating on that ghnstlj, inc irn .
whirl it round in one awful revomhon ol
the beitim* paddles and then hurv it. broken
and shattered out of all recognition, deep m
t’e mn ldy undercurrent <tf the stream bo
b'i d them. ..,.11
“she moved a wax' presently with an odd.
Kt ;q : sten chafing her gloved hands logetnor
av if th. v bad become stiffened too ,n her
,f th< railing. J:”k leisitri
W.ltebed h-t as she moved along tlw nnrroo.
K'rin of the deck. Sue was not at ah to
his 'taste a rather plump S';l- «”ith it ns
tie manner amt .1 -i;ai.
hair under her straw imt.
She might hive looked bettor had 5,.,,
n. t been -• haggard. When she reamien
Hie .loot- -f th. • -alo m she pans, d and then
turning smldenlx. began to walk quietly b.i< k
.m „ A- she neared-tlm spot where she
had been standing her pn<m slackened and
when she reached the 1 |
to relapse against it in her formei he.pl*
fashion Jack became. lazny mbn-e-ed.
; -d mm ca-: a
.. . . ( u-face Ja< ks. x
her express;.m. Wbatexer -t was. Ins
-wn changed, instantly the next mom. t
£. ; -I x. ' 1 ' ' r
th" meshes of .be netting ami had gripped
Ke.mmd to I;.- bewildered fumy as a part of
bar <ra am. f•" <-ward va
...ntlv <"! Urn railing. >et by tn s Lm
Jack had grasped her arm ns it to help
’’■‘irtdght’ Imre Siw tnyself by that fool
ing. mightn’t I?" he said, eheerful.y.
The sound of a xmee near h< t •
< , 0.-11 to her dazed sense lit- Uncom-
"',££'££. n bis fall 1 ul arrested. She
made n convulsive bound toward the rai.-
j lr * but .lack held her fast
•i .... said in a low voice; “don
it won’t pay! It’s the s>ek.-<t game tl t
ever wa> pl.i.xol by man o.- v.oman. < ome
drew her toward tin empty stateroom,
whose door was swing.ng on us hinges 1
f,. v feet from ilwm. Sue wa ■ trembling
violently- he half led. hall pushed h-r into
the room. closed the door anil stood with
s back aaam-t it a- she dropped into a
; u;i,e looked at him vacantly: the ag-
rib'il’’’ coittinm-ii .lack ca-ily. 1 U's just
coped out to ea friend and got le!t by
tlm' tool boat- Hell b - a.otlg by t.ie next
earner, and. yca’te bound to meet him in
‘yes s. med-suddenly to
his m< aning. But., to his surprise,
slmimr-t out. «hh a
Irn’am gor'aml sirug-'le I
. ~- the door. .lack, albeit singularlx
” | to know that sh ■ sh.-ired his private
tc'nimmits regarding Stratton m-verthcless
■ ted her x,Vhere:it. she suddenly t timed
w ■. re’eb d back, ami sank in a dead faint
'"’ime "-unliler turned, drew the key from
pJ/'i'nX of the door, passed out. locking
it behind him. and walk.-, leisure j lUo
the main Mdoon. "Mrs. ..ohnson. )m san
'. ~. t ] v -cldressiug the stexvardess, a tail
nmlanm w!'h his usual winsome supremacy
over dependants and children, ymi d ob
l,g-. me if .‘.oil’d corral a l-w smelling salts,
vbi ! ‘i-etles. hairpms ami violet pow.wr
and unload them in deck staleroom No.
•’.-,7 There’s a lady—”
•• \ ]. t dv? Marse Hamlin i interrupted
the muiafto with an archly significant. Hash
of h’r white teeth.
" A ladv,” continued Jack with unabashed
gravity. ”in •' S!,lt - conniption fit. A rel
ative *of mine—in f u-t. a niece—my only
sister’s child. Hadn’t seen each other sos
ten years, am! it was too much for her.”
Tlie woman glanced at him with a ming
ling of incredulous belief, but delighted obe
dience; hurriedly gathered a. row articles
from her cabin ami followed him to No. 251.
The young girl was still iim-onsi ious. loe
stewardess applied a few res torn lives yitll
the skill, of long experience, and the young
girl opened her eyes. They turned va
cantly from the stexvardess to Jack with a
look of half recognition and halt' tri'.Tdx iie.l
inquiry. "Yes.” said Jack, addres.-iiig the
eyis. although ostentatiously speaking to
Airs. Johnson, "she’d only just come by
steamer to ’Jb'risco and wasn't expecting to
see me and we dropped right onto each
other here 0:1 the boat. Ami 1 haven t seen
her sim-e she was so lii-h. Sister Alary
ought to have warned me by letter. But
she was always a slouch at letter-writing.
There—that 'll' do. Airs. Johnson. She s
coming round: I reckon I can manage the
rest . Hut. yon go now and tell the purs. r
1 want one of those inside staterooms lor
my niece my niece, you hear? so that you
can be near her and look after her.
As the stewardess turned obediently away
the young girl attempted to rise. .But Jack
cheeked her. "No,” he said a Imost. brm i;U"l.x,
"you and I have some talking to do before
she gets back, and we’ve no time for foolin’.
You heard what 1 fold her just now? Well,
it's got to be as I said-you sabe? As long
as you're on this boat you're my niece and
in.v sister Alary’s child'. As 1 haven't got
any sister Alary you don't run tiny risk of
failing foul of her, ami you ain't taking
any one's place. Thai settles that. Now,
do you, or do you not. want to see that man
again? Say y’es, and if he's anywhere above
ground I'll yank him over to you as soon
as we touch shore.” He had no idea of in
terfering with his colleague's amours, but
he had determined to make Stratton pay
for the bother their slovenly sequence had
caused him. Yet he was relieved and as»
tonished by her frantic gesture of u.digna
tioi ami abhorrence. "No," lie repeated
grimly, "well, that settles that. Now, look
here quick, before she comes do you want
to go back home -home to your friends?”
.But here occurred what he had dreaded
most and probably thought he had escaped.
She had stared at him, at the stexvardess.
at tiie walls, with, abstracted, vacant and
bewildered, but always imdimmed and 11:1-
moist'-ned. eyes. A sudden convulsion shook
her wlrde frame. Her blank expression
broke like a shaddowed mirror, she threw
her hands over her eyes ami fell forward
with her face to the back of her chair
in an emtburst of tears.
A. las for Jack! With a breaking up of
those fountain camo her speech, also at:
Jirsi disconnected and iiie.iherent and then
sl.o.Jmd no
m - Tom '. ;<o,. h.id lost and
‘■Yfsgrm- d them. She had disgraced her
self. '['here was no home for her Imt the
grave. Why had Jack snatched her from
it’? Thon, bit’ by bit. she yielded tip her
story a story drearily commonplace to
Jack, uninteresting and even irritating to
his fastidiousess. She was a s' hoo! gir«
- not oven a convent girl but the inmate
of a Presbyterian female nedemy at Napa.
Jack shudder'd a- ho romembero I to have
once scon certain of the pupils xvalking with
a teacher, and she had lived with her
m’.irried sister. She had seen Stratton while
going to .ami fro on the Sin I'ratn-isco
boat; she had exchanged notes with him,
had me* him secretly and had .fimiily con
sented to elope with him io Sacramento on|v
1o disr-ovm- when the boat had left the wharf
■the real natnr ' of his intentions. .Ta -k
listened with infinite weariness and inward
e’mfing. lie had read all this before in
cheap novelettes, in the police reports ami
in the daily papers. But even now .Tack
f-iilo l Io Stratton as n situ or.
or. indeed, anything bat a blundering cheat
and clown, who had left his dirty prentice
work on bis (Jack’s) hands. But the girl
was helpless and. it seemed, homeless, al]
through a certain desperation of feeling,
which, in spite of her tears, he <-ci>|d not
but respect. That momentary sb.adow of
death had exh.-ialte 1 her. Ho stroked his
mustrn ho. pulled down his xx Into 'vaist cop t
ami I'd her cry without s.tying anything.
He did not know that this most obje-tiona
ble phase of her misery was imr salvation
and his own.
But the stewardess would return in a mo
ment. "You'd belter tell mo what to ■•al!
you." he said quietly. "I ought to know
my nemo's first mime.”
The girl c.aiight h.r bn-ith and between
two sobs x.aid "Sophonisba .”
Jack filmed. It seemed only to need
this last sentimental touch to complete the
idiotic situation. "I'H call you Sophy,”
he said hurriedly .and with an effort.
"And, non.* look here. You are going into
that cabin with Mrs. Johns,m, there »slie
can look after you. Imt 1 can't. So i'll
liaxe to take your word for I'm not going
to give yon axv.-iy before Mrs. Johnson
that, you won't try that foolishness before
1 sc,. y,m again, ('an 1 trust you?”
With her head still bowed ov.'r the chair
back, 'she mttrmure I siowlx som ‘whero
from under her disheveled hair:
"H'H.est Tnjin?” adjured Jack gravely.
The slmflting step of the stewardess was
Heard slowly approaching
lin'hiThiJ' w '"‘l ’Mrs: J,?;:^'m
the door. "A ...... if y„,,-,| (||l|v l^^ 1 '
.Racilor: -\-i
=£££■'■
d only seems yesterday sinee"|
T-m were mst playing round her 1 n.. ; '
a Kitten on the back porch 11 ' '''
<'■- 11.'- Bm Imre's P \| •?’ j
t“ take you i„. com-
ano .mst Imok yourself 0.q,, x,!'' • •
son on that side at,d v...’|| mddl. ''.''l',"'
1 h<‘ young girl p.,,.]. , .
and wttli |„ r face still avert,, i f •
to be helped to her feet bv fl, 1 • ’''.’."’"Bod
•'"'•I- Perhaps .- .ueta'J 1
pathetic and tinrseliko in the 1 ■ > £
mulatto gave her assnram-e and
for her head lasped quite naiur dlx -m
toe woman's shoulder, .ami Imr Y —”' !sl
partly hidden as she . J|M ;ls
"’*■ ' lC( ' k - t :\" (1 ;"’
1 11 ' 1 s ’«iteroiHii d»h»r \
few passengers gathered cm i '
as mm h attracted by the nntim'al r
"I -la-K Hamlin in sm-l, 'v ’
by tl- girl hi.rs.df
her specially. Mrs. Johnson ” „.,:■ r. , .
unusually deliberate loiH- 111
a good deal petted at hmm..' ami mv sam
bas rather spoilt her. She's m-mfl- , .
of a child still a nd vou'll have ,' 1 " 1
, v 1 • . ‘‘.i' e to iimor
her. S.mhy-. he eontmtted. with oste • .
firms playfulness, directing his ' to
the dim recesses of the stateroom, "vou'll
just, think Mrs. Johnson’s your old nurse
won't you- Think it’s old Katy, hey?” ’
To his great coiisfern.-ilion the girl ap
proached trembling from the inner shadow.
The fainte.st and saddest of smiles for a
moment played around the corners of her
ATLANTA. GA., TUESDAY. JULY IS, 1893.
drawn month and tear-dimmed eyes as
she held out her hand and said:
"God bless you for being so kind.”
Jack shuddered and glanced quickly
around. But quickly no one heard this
crushing salutation, and,the next moment,
the door closed upon her and Airs. Johnson.
It was past midnight, and 'A>» irn on wa.s
riding high over the narrowing yellow river,
xvben Jack again stepped out 011 deck.»He
had just left the captain’s cabin and a
small social game with the officers, which
had served to aome extent to vaguely re
lieve his irritation and their pockets. He
had presumably quite forgotteii the incident
of the afternoon, as he looked about, him
and complacently took in the quiet beauty
of the night. The low banks on either side
offered no break to the uninterrupted level
of the landscape, through which tho .iver
seemed to wind only as a. race track for the
rushing boat. Bvery fiber of her vast but.
fragile bulk quivered under the goad of her
powerful engines. There xvas no other
movement but hers; no oilier sound but this
monstrous beat and panting; the whole tran
quil landscape seemed to breathe and pul
sate with her; dwellers in the tales, miles
away, heard and felt her as she passed. ::::d
it seemed to Jack, leaning over the railing,
as if the whole river swept like a sluice
through her paddle boxes.
Jack had quite unconsciously lounged be
fore that part of the railing where the
.ouiig air! had leaned a few hours ago. As
Im looked down upon the streaming, yellow
mill race below him he noticed - what
neither he nor the girl had probably noticed
before that a space of the lop bar of the
railing was hinged and could be lifted by
V .'Ar C : ’e-N 1 - ••' —• ■ •>, r
- ■' v.'b ‘..'t'*'? ~ I ’“'c • .A
. ' hX.’av'' , -g;+':.... ■. ; ■ ■ .’.'•T■< •:.-.
■ • *£'■!>£ I '
I.' iP W. ’■
~i w ( ': .A /!'!' 1 Tb'C.
r =: '■ b/ftr
’ I wed’s ' - -
Mlt HAMLIN. WITIiBRAAVINt: Ifl.'ISI?- latge p.UB’.S SIDE. INSTANTLY
l HAU’ st. ;:mj
soft fi>
withdraxving a small bolt
access to I lie glltl ids . I '
al it. xvhistling soli 1
proached.
"Jack,” said. .
Ma r.x ?”
"Il's a long time >
only child. Jack, ain't i.
voice, "and yet ii sort o' s*»,
bow that I've seen her before.”
Jack recognized tin- voices of tv-, m ;
Lite companions at the card table. Hi
xvhistling ceased, so also dropped ex erf-
Iraee of colpr and expression from his hand',
some face. But he did not turn ami r<
maim'd quietly gazing at the xvater.
"Aimi Rachel, too, must be gelling on ii
years. Jack,” continued the first speaker
halting behind Jack.
"And Mrs. Johnson does not look .‘is mm h
like Sophy 's old nurse as she used to.” re
marked tiie second, following bis example.
Slill Jack remained unmoved.
“You don’t seemed to be interested, Jack,
continued the first speaker; "what, are you
looking at?”
Wiiiiout turning his head, the gambler
replied: "Looking at the boat -he’s boom
ing along just chawing up ami spitting out
the river, ain't she? Look at that sweep of
xvater going under her pad lie xvheels,” he
continued, unbolting the rail, and lifting it
to allow the two men to peer curiously over
th ■ guards, as lie pointed to Hie murderous
incitin' beneath them: "a man -wouldn't,
stand much show who got dropped into it.
How these paddles would just snatch him
bald-headed, pick him up and slash him
round and round, ami then sling him out
down there in such a shape that his own
father wouldn’t know him.”
"Ai'S.” said the first speaker xvilh an os
tentatious little laugh; “but. all that ain t
telling us how sister Mary is."
"No.” said tlie gambler, slowly slipping
into the opening with a white and rigid
face in which no! hing seemed living but the
eves. "No, but it's telling you how two d -d
fools who didn’t kw'W xviten to shut their
mouths might g't them shut ou<-e ami for
ever, It’s telling you what might happen
to two men xx ho tried to 'play a man xy ho
didn't C'tire to be 'played' a man xxmo didn t
■ •arc much what he did. yy hen he did it, or
how he did it. but would do what bed sot
out to do even if in doing it he xvent to
hell with the men ho sent there.”
He had stepped out on the guards, beside
the two men.' elosing the rail behind him.
||c had place 1 his hands mi their shoulders;
tficx had both gripped his arms, yet, xmove
from Hie ■!■■■ k .'bov", 'h.-y s.-enu d at l a
lent an amicable even I ate. mil „!• UJ .
Mb.M lb- fa.-s of the three were dead
white in Hie moonlight.
■■l don't think I m very mmh mtm-
I in sister Mary.” said the firs! speaker
,I ''''\o,| : 'i''d'm'i 'se'ni’to think so mm-h of
. ' / i>.-1 -is I did ” said bis companion.
'kJ . /’ki'!"-'.:
h .. . ponin.; th- rail and siepnmg bm k
-Il ail depends -m the xvay you look
;l i such t kings . flood night.
' ', !i ; awn paused, si each other’s
1,-. , sl gbtlx ami .•■ paraled. Jack sauittm
•;,/ : 'h,wl.v back lo his stateroom.
PART H- .. .
( , (I)l( .., ti() nal establishment <> A>s
1 Vi,,.,. F.itiee. situated in tin In.M.
■' ,x " <.,'.,• miento and jiatronized bx
'st ’siat'o officials ami memb-rs of
111 ~ ... nrettv. if not an muiosing.
' h r ( ‘"'■'"--'I surrounded by a high,
white plekxl 11 i)., balemiies feslooW'd
•I.'es, ami it- spotlessly
hr «■
new to tlm. u.msmdly scli-eon
tid "it man R •membermg hoxv his hist ap
;;:;X,ce liad fluttered Ulis dovo-eote and
1 lull SUSPIi’HUI ill ill** UHlhls
t.™ ~1.- Im .'i-'"'.'" 1
o irni<'t"s for a rough, homespun suit, stip
msed ‘to represent a homely agrteulturisr,
Imt which had the .‘fleet of 1 ranslorming
usual I'.isiiiomibk altireand elegantly-fitting
him ini., an adorable Strephon nmmtcly
more dangerous in his rustic shepard-hke
simplieil v. 1 I ■ had also shaved otl his silken
mustache for ,’.ie same priuieulial reasons,.
Iml had only succeeded in uncovering the
delieale lines of his handsome mouth, and
so absurdly reducing his apparent years that
his avuncular pretensions seemed more pre
posterous than ever. And when he bad
rung the bell and was admitted by a severe
Hibernian portercss, his momentary hesi
tation and half-humorous ditlideiice had
such an unexpected effect upon her that i,:
seemed doubt fill if he would be allowed to
pass beyond the vestibule. "Sliure, miss,
she said in a whisper to an under teacher,
"there's wan at the dure who calls himself
‘Aiister Hamlin,’ but ay it: is imt a young
lady maskeradin’ in her brother s clot hes
(ti'ni very mmh mistaken; ami av its a boy
- one of the pupil's brothers —sure ye migat.
put a dhress on him when you lake the
others out for a walk and he'd pass for the
betr it.v of 1 lie wluje school.” .
Meantime I lie unconscious subject ol tms
criticism was pacing somewhat uneasil.x up
ami down the formal reception room into
which, he bad been finally ushered. Its
fur; her end was filled by an enormous
parlor organ, a number of music books
and a cheerfully variegated globe. A
large presentation Bible, an equally mas
sive illustrated volume on the Holy Land,
a few landscapes in cold, bluish, milk-and
water colors and rigid heads in crayons,
the wotk of pupils, were presumably orna
mental. An imposing mahogany sofa and
what, seemed to be a disproportionate ex
cess of chairs somexvhat: coldly furnished
the room. Jack had reluctantly made tip
his mind that if Sophy was accompanied
by any one he would be obliged to kiss
her to keep up his assumed relationship.
As she entered the room with Miss Alix.
.Jack advanced and soberl.v saluted her
on the cheek. But so positive and apparent
was the gallantry of his presence, and,
-s amt 1. n-qjy-p ,q' some pastoral
' ■ft r vi • , , , .
- .li-Miv, lo Jr.ek s surprise,
'Xj/i*. 'ce.ime stony. But
i Mifxt one of].
on need.' ~ l(' uneasily from
.... of tlint" ’•'♦ ' :l slight, exclamation,
-neral plaAiioriimee to Air. Hamlin',
ii'tlsod oiiewhat mollified Aliss Alix,
(i | diff.-'fenn!y relaxed her austerity. She
■' '* I _.ad to be able to give the best ac
*‘d|‘..lfs of Aliss Brown, not only as re
"JMrded her studies, but. as to her conduct
and deportment. Really with the present
freedom of manners and laxity of home
discipline in ('alifornia. it. xvas gratifying
to meet, a young lady xvho seemed to value
the importance of a, proper decorum and
behavior, especially toward the opposite
sex. Air. Hamlin, although her guardian,
xvas perhaps too young to understand and
appreciate this. To this inexperience she
must also .■iiirdmte the indiscretion of his
calling during school hours, and xvithout
preliminary warning. She trusted, hoxv
ever. that his informality could be over
looked after consultation xxith Alme.
Blaiiee, imt, in the meantime perhaps for
half an hour she must xvithdraxv Aliss
Brown and return with her to the class.
Air. Hamlin could xvait in this public
room, reserved especially for visitors, un
til they returned. Or, if he cared to, ac
company one of tlm teachers in a formal
inspection ot the school-she added doubt
fully with a glance at Jack’s distracting
attractions she would submit this also to
Mme. Blame.
"Thank you—thank vou,” returned Jack,
hurriedly, as a depressing vision of the fifty
or sixty scholars rose before his eyes. "But
I’d rather not I mean, you know. J’d just
as leave stay here alone. 1 wouldn’t have
called, anyway, don’t yon see, only I had a
clay off and and I wanted to talk xxith
ni\- niece on family matters.” He did imt
say that he had received a somewhat dis
tressful letter from her askiiigjiim to come;
a now instinct; made him cautious.
('onsidcrably relieved by Jack’s iinexpeet
?d abstention, xxhieh seemed to spare her
xupiis the distraction of fits graces, Aliss
Hix smiled more amicably and retired xvith
n r charge. In the single glance he hail ex
changed with Sophy he saw that, although
•esigned and apparently self-controlled, she
Hill appeared thoughtful and melancholy.
She had improved in appeai'ance ,and seem
<d more refined and less rustic in her school
dress, but she xvas conscious of Hie same
<.i::iin<'l separation of f.-r personality, which
xvas uninteresting to him. from the senti
ment that had impelled him to visit her.
She was possibly slill hankering after that
fellow Stratton, in spite of her protestations
to the contrary. Perhaps she wanted io go
back to her sister, although she bad declared
she would die firsf ami had always refused
lo disclose her real name or give ativ clue
bx which he could have t raced'her relations.
SIH' WOUld l-l'y H f | 1( , ;|] ll|os(
Inat sue would mu return alone; he half re
gr-tled that he had gone. Sin- still held him
only by a single quality of hi r nature the
iiesperatton sue had shown in the boat; tiiat
xx.is something he understood ami re
spected .
tcntedly to the window
and looked mil; he walked discontented!! to
the end ol the room and stopped before lite
organ, ft was a fine inst rmm-nt: he .-mild
see tli,-it xvilh an admiring and experiem-ed
e.\e. He xxas alone in ifi,, room, in fact
•III"*’ alone in that pari of th- house, which
xvas separated from the class rooms He
would di'liirb no one by Irving it And if
Im old, what then? He smiled a little reck
lessly. smwly pulled off his gloves and sat
doxvtt before il .
He played cautiously al first, will) lhe
soil p‘d.il <hi\\ n. 'I h<‘ jnst i’ujiicni pad Dever
known a strong masculine hand before
having been fumbled ;l nd friveled over by
softly, incompetent feminine fipgers. But
presently ii began to thrill under the pas
sionate hand of its lover, and carried away
by his own innocent xveakness, .Jack was
launched upon a s-.-i of musical reminis
cence. Scraps of church music. Puritan
psalms <q his boyhood, dying strains from
sad. forgotten operas, fragments of oratorios
ami symphonies chiefly phrases from old
masses heard at the missions of San Pedro
and Sant.i Isabel, swelled up from his lov
ing and masterful fingers. He had finished
an Agnus Dei; the formal room xvas pulsat
ing xvith divine inspiration; lhe rascal’s
hands were resting listlessly on lhe keys,
his broxvn lashes lifted, in an effort of mem
ory, tenderly toxvard the veiling. Suddenly
a subdued murmur of applause and a slight
rustle behind him recalled him to himself
agaiu. He wheeled his chair quickly round.
The two principals of the school ami hall
.a dozen teachers were standing g'ravely be
hind, and at the open door a dozen curled
and frizzled youthful heads peered in eager
ly. but half restrained their teachers. r
The relaxed features ami apologetic at
titude of Aline. Banco and .Miss Mix showed
that Air. Hamlin had unconsciously
achieved a triumph. He might not have
been pleased to know that his extraordinary
performance had solved a difficulty, effaced
his other graces, and enabled them to place
him on the moral plane ot a mere musician
to whom these eccentricities were allow
able ami privileged. He shared the admira
tion extended by the young ladies to their
music teacher, which was always under
stood to be a sexless enthusiasm and a.
contagious juvenile disorder. It was also a
line advertisement ot the organ. Alme.
Banco smiled 1 Jandly—improved tin- occa
sion by thanking Air. Hamlin for having
tiiven the scholars a gratuitous lesson on
the capabilities of the instrument, and was
glad to be able to give .Miss Brown a half
holiday to spend with lie" accomidished rela
tive. ’.Miss Brown was ev<»: now up stairs,
putting on her hat ami man '.:'. Jack was
relieved; Sophy would not attempt to cry
on I he st rei t'
BART HI.
AVhen they reached the street and the
gate closed behind them Jack Hamlin again
became uneasy. The girl s <-louded face and
melancholy manner were not promising. .It
also occurrei; to him that he might meet
some one who knew him and thus compro
mise her. This was to be avoided at. all
hazards. He began with forced gayety:
"Well, now, where shall we go?”
She slightly raised her tear-dimmed eyes.
"Where yon phase —i ( don’t care.’
"There isn’t any show going on here, is
there?” He had a vague idea of a circus or
menagerie—himself in the shadow of the
box behind her.
"I don’t know of any.”
"Or any restaurant or cake shop?”
"There's a place .where the girls go to get
candy in Alain street. Some of them are
there now."
Jack shuddered. This was not to be
thought of. "Bui where do you walk?”
"I p and down the Alain street.”
‘Where everybody can see you?” said
Jack, scandalized.
The girl nodded.
They walked on in silence for ;i few mo
ments. Then a bright idea struck Mr. Ham
lin. ile suddenly remembered that in one
of his many fits of impulsive generosity and
largesse lie had given to an old negro retain
er, whos“ wife had nursed him through a
dangerous illness, a house amt lot on the
river bank. He had been told that they
had opened a small laundry or wash house.
It occurred to him that a stroll there and :>.
call upon "Lucie Jtannibil” and "Aunt
Chloe” combined the propriety and respecta
bility due to the young person he was with,
and th.e requisite secrecy and absence of
publicity due to himself. He at once sug
gested it.
"5 .>u see shy was a mighty good woman
and you •plight to know her, for she was
my old nurse---”
The giri glanced r.i, him wiih smldmi
imps lienee.
"Honest injin,” said Jack solemnly;
"she did nurse mo through my hist cough.
1 ain’t playing old family gags on you-”
"Oh. dear,” burst out the girl, impulsive
ly. "I do wish you wouldn't ever play
them again. I wish, you wouldn’t pretend
to be my uncle; 1 wish you wouldn’t make
me pass for your niece. It isn't right.
It's all wrong. Oh. don't you know it’s
all wrong ami can’t come right anvway.
It’s just killing me. 1 can't stand it. I'd
rather you'd say what 1 am and how 1
came to you ami how yon pitied me!”
They had luckily entered a narrow side
street, and the soliS which shook the young
girl's frame were unnoticed, hi a fe"'
moments Jack felt a. horrible conviction
stealing over him that in his present, atti
tude toward her he was not unlike that
hound Stratton, and that hoxvever innocent
was his oxvn intent, there was a. sicken
ing resemblance to the situation on tlm
boat, in the base advantage he had taken
of her friendliness. II" had never told
her that he was a gambler like Stratton,
ami that is was impossible for him to as
sist her except by stealth or the deception
he had practiced, without* compromising
her. He who had for years faced the
sneers and half frightened opjmsition of
tlm world, dared not tel! (he truth to this
girl from wliom he expected nothing and
xx ho did not interest him. Ho felt he xvas
almost slinking at her side. At last he
said desperately:
"But 1 snatched them bald-headed at
the organ, Sophy, didn't I?”
"Ob. yes," said the girl, ‘you jilayo 1
beautifully an I grandly, it was so good
of ymi. 100. For I think somehow Alme.
Banco had been a little suspicious of ymi;
Imt that settled it. 'Everybody thought* it
was tine and some thought it was your
profi's-.,ion. Perhaps," she added, timidly,
"I play a good deal. I reckon." said .Tack,
with a grim humor, which did not, however,
amuse him.
"T wish f could, and make money by it,”
said the girl, eagerly.
Jack winced, but she did not notice it,
as she went on hurriedly:
"Thai's what 1 wanted to talk to you
about. I xxant to leave the school and
make my own living. Anywhere xvhere pc-,
pie won't know me, ,imj where I can be
alone and work. I shall die here among
these girls with all their lalk of the r
friends and their -sisters and their ques
tions about you.”
"101 l cm to dry up, said Jack indignant
ly. "Take ’em to the cake *shop ami load
’em with candy' and ice cream. That'll
stop their mouths. You’ve got money you
got my last remittance, didn't vou?” Im
replied qiiiel.ly. “If ymi .lidn't. 'here's "
his hand was already in his pocket when
the girl stopped hini with a despairing ges
ture.
"Yes. I got it all. T haven't: touched it
I don I want it. For I can't live on you.
i>ont ymi nndersl aml I want to work
Listen. I can draw and paint. Afnm.
Banee says I do it well; my draiving master
says I might in t me take Portraits and
get paid lor if. And. even now, | ri ,_
touch photographs and make corolcd minia
tures from them. And " she stunned and
glanced nt Jack half timidly, "I’ve done
some already.”
A glow of surprised relief suffused the
gambler. NT so much at this astonish m*
revelatmn .-Is at the- change it seemed to
ellem in Iler. Her pale blue eves mide
paler by tears, cleared aml brightened under
the'!' swollen lids like wiped steel; the
lilies of her depressed month straightened
and became firm. Her voice had lost its
hopeless monotone.
"There’s -i shop in ,he next streeta
photographer's where tiny have one ol*
mine in the window.” she went on. reas
sured Jack's unaffected interest. "It's only
round the corner —if you care to see.”
Jack assented. A few paces further
brought them Io the corner of a narrow
street, whore they present.],'.' turned into a
broader thoroughfare and stopped befor* l
the window of a photographer. Sophy
pointed to an oval frammiaiuing a por
trait. painted on porcelain.
Air. Hamlin was startled. Inexperienced
as he was, a certain artistic inclination told
him it was good, although it is to be fear
el ho would have been astonished oven if
it bad been worse. The mere fact that his
PRICE 5 CENTS
headstrong country girl, who had run away
with a. cur like Stratton, should be able to
do anything else look him by surprise.
“1 got $lO for that,” she said, hesitating
ly, "and I could have got more for
a larger one, but I had to do
that in my room during recreation
hours. If J had more time ami a place
where I could work—’’she stopped timidly
and looked tentatively at Jack. But he
was already indulging in a characteristi
c-ally reckless idea of coming back after bo
had left Sophy, buying the miniature at an
extravaga;.i:. price, and ordering halt a
dozen more at. extraordinary figures. Here,
however, two passers by stopping ostensi
bly to look in the window, mil really at
tracted by the picturesque spectacle of
the handsome young rustic and his school
girl companion, gave Jack such a fright
that he hurried Soph.v away again into the
side street. "There is nothing mean about
lh.it picture business,” he said cheerfully;
"it. looks like a square kind of game,” and
relapsed into thoughtful silence.
At which Sophy, the ice of restraint
broken, again burst into a passionate appeal.
11 she could only go .away somewhere
where she saw no one but tin* people who
buy her xvork; who knew nothing of her
past, nor cared to know who were her re
lations. Sim would xvork hard ——she knew
she could sujiport herself in time; she would
keep the name lie had given her; it was
not distinctive enough to challenge any in
quiry—-but nothing more. She need not
assume to lie his niece; he would always
be her kind friend; to -whom she owed
everything—even her miserable life. She
trusted still to his honor never to seek to
know her real name —nor to over speak to
her of that man if he ever met him. It
would do no good to her nor to them: it
migljt drive her- for she was not yet quite
sure of herself—to do that which she had
promised him never to do again.
. There xvas no threat, impatience nor
acting in her voice, but. he recognized the
same dull desperation he h;id once heard
in it. and her eyes xvliich a moment be
fore wore quick and mobile had become
fixed and set. He had no idea of trying to
penetrate th.e foolish secret of her name
and relations; he hail never had the slight
est curiosity—but. it. struck him now that
Stratton might, at any lime force it upon
him. The only xvay that he could prevent
it was to let it be known that for unex
pressed reasons he xvonld shoot Stratton
"on sight.” This would naturally restrict
any verbal communication betxveen them.
.Tack's ideas of morality were vague, but
his convictions on points of honor were
singularly direct and positive.
.Meantime they xvere passing the outskirts
of the town: the open lots and cleared
spaces xvere giving*' way to grassy .stretch
es, willow copses and groups of cottonwood
and sycamore; ami beyond tlie level of
yellowing tides appeared the fringed and
raised banks of the river. Half tropical
looking cottages with deep verandas the
homes of early southern pioneers, took the
'place of ini'oniplctc blocks of molern
houses, monotonously alike. In these
.•I-, u surroundings Mr. Hamlin’s piei
uresqito rusticity looked less incongruous
and more arcadian: the young girl had lost
some of her restraint xvith her confidences,
and lounging together side by side without
the least consciousness of any sentiment
in their Words or actions, they neverthe
less contrived to irnpresss the spectator
with the idea, that they were a charmina
j,air of pastoral lovers. So strong was this
impression that as they approached .Aunt
(’ldoe's laundry, a pretty rose-covered
cottage, xvith tin enormous xx'hitexvashed
hornlike extension in rhe rear the black
proprietress herself, standing at the door,
called her husband io come and look at
them, and flashed her white teeth in such
unqualified i'ommendaiion ami patronage
that Air. Hamlin, xvirhdr.-r.x-ing himself
from Sophy's side, instantly charged down
upon tin in.
"Il you don f slide the lid back over that
grinning box of dominoes of yours and take
il inside, I'll just, carry Hannibal off xvith
me/' he said in a quick whisper xvith a half
wicked, lia 11 mischievous glitter in his brown
eyes. "I hai young lady's a lady -do you
understtind? No rill-raff friend of mine, Imt
a regular nun a saint do you hear? So you
j'isi stand back and let her'lake a good look
round and rest herself until she wants
you. " I’wo black idiots, Aliss Brown,” he
cotitintied cheerfully' in a higher voice of
explanation as Sophy approached, "who
think because one of 'em n-ed to shave me
and the other saved lily life, they've got a
right to stand at their humble cottage door
and frighten horses.”
So great was Air. Hamlin's ascendency
over his lormei' servants tlm' even this in
genious plcasanli'y was received with every’
sign <d affection ami appreciation ot' the
humorist, ,-ind of profound r*'spect for his
companion. Aunt Chloe showed them ef
fusively into her parlor a small but scrupu
lously- neat and sweet-smelling apartment,
iiiordinali‘!y furnished, with a huge mahog
any center table and chairs, and the most
iragile and meretricious china and glass
ornaments on the mantel. But the three
jasmine-edged lattice windows opened upou
a homely garden of old-fashioned herbs and
tbnxers, ami their I ragranee filled the room.
The cleanest and slarehfi's.l of curtains, the
most dazzling and whitest of tidies and
chair covers bespoke the adjacent laundry,
indeed the whole cottage seemed to exhale
the odors ol lavender, soaji and freshly
ironed linen. A'et the cottage was large for
(lie couple and their assistants. "Bar was
two front rooms oi de next tlo' dat: dey
never used" explained Aunt Chloe; "friends
alloyvcd dat iley could let 'em io white
folks, hut. dey had always been done kep’
tor Marse Hamlin, of he ever wanted to be
xvi'l his old niggers .igain." Jm-k looked up
quickly with a brightened face, made a
sign to Hannibal, and the two left, the room
together.
When h" came through the passage a few
moments later there was a sound of Jaugh
t"f in the parlor. He recognized the full,
round lazy chili klo of Aim; Chloe, but there
was a higher girlish ripple that Im did not
know. He had never heard Sophy laugh be
fore. Nor, when he entered, had Im ever
seen her so animated. She was helping
(’idoe set the table to that lady’s intense
delight at "missey’s" girlish housewifery.
Sii" was picking tlie berries fresh from the
garden, buttering the Sally Lunns, making
Ihe lea and arranging tiie details of the re
past with apparently no trace of her former
discontent and unhappiness in either her
face or manner. He dropped quietly into a
ehair by the xvindoxv, and with the homely
scents of the garden mixing with the honest
odors of A mil Chloe's cookery, her
xvilh an amusement that was as pleasant
and grateful as it was strange and unpre
cedented .
"Now, den,” said Aunt Chloe to her hus
band. as she put the finishing touch to the
repast in a plate of <loughnu(s as exquisitely
brown ami hilling as Jack’s eyes were at
that moment. "Hannibal, you just come
away ami let dem two white quality chillens
have dey tea. Dey’s done starved, shuah!”
And with an approving nod to Jack she
bundled her husband from the room.
The door closed; the young girl began to
pmir out the tea. but .kick remained in his
seat bv tlm window. It xvas :i singular sen
sation’ which he did not care to disturb.
Presently, however, he rose and sauntered
to the table xvith shining .'yes.
“Well, what do you think of Aunt Chloe's
shebang?” he asked, smilingly.
"oh, it’s so sweet and clean and torn*
