The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-08-06

the rain came down in continuous drizzle.
Therefore it was with no little surprise that
tho captain felt the wet edge of woman's
shawl flirted into his face by the wind as
its owner brushed swiftly past him.
"Some Water street GIRL" he thought,
glancing toward her; ga hard life, poor
thing"
The woman fiirted quickly by, but when
beneath the glare of the next street lamp,
she turned her head and looked hurriedly
behind her.
"Blast my toplights !" said Captain Bur-
ril to himself as he caught sight of her sad,
white features; " that girl never came from
w atel street. Where ,s she bearing now ?"
The woman, or rather the girl, for her
1.-THE, supple movements denied the possi-
bility of her being more than eighteen or
twenty at most, paused moment under
the lamp and then darted suddenly across
the street toward the shipping.
Something wrong there" muttered the
captain to himself, stopping to look after
her as she disappeared among the shadows
on the opposite side of the way. "Now
/ shouldn't WONDER
He left his sentence unfinished, and re-
gardless of the danger from river thieves
and the night prowlers who haunt the dark
corners among the wharves, crossed the
street, ALSO He groped his way out on a
long pier extending into the river between
two huge vessels which cast their black
shadows over it, and then paused for mo-
ment to listen. There was nothing to be
heard but the steady patter of the rain and
the washing of the river under the piles,
and so he walked softly on again toward
the end of the pier. AS he neared the ex-
tremity of the wharf, however, he heard
light step close by his side, and caught
sight of woman's figure standing upon
the string-piece, the dark outline of her
form revealed against the lighter sky
above the river Stealing nearer to her, he
saw that she had removed her shawl and
had stepped back as though about to cast
herself into the water. With sudden ex-
clamation he seized her quickly by the arm.
"For Heavens sake what are you about ?"
She made him no answer, but sank down
trembling at his feet
"Were you going to jump to your death ?"
he asked arising hel gently.
go sir, let me 60" she said plaintively.
"What do can be nothing to you. Let
me 60"
What you do is a good deal to me,
when you try such things as this" he re-
Piled "Where do you live ?''
"Nowhere."
Have you 10 friends?"
"Friends !"
She clasped her hands and looked down
at the black water, dashing in sad, contin-
uous surges against the wharf
"No-no friends"
81 see," said the captain picking up her
shawl and wrapping it about her, " the old
story. Well, will be friend to you, my
poor girl, and if you viii give up the idea
Of going to Davy Jones locker just at pres
ent We can't stand here in this rain, talk
ing about it. Come with me-"
90" she cried, passonately, "you don't
know what am. You are Il good man l
am sure and you would never touch me,
you would never speak to me, fyou knew
what my life has been.'
81 don't care what you are" said the
captain, decidedly. 81 know you're a
fellow-creature without shelter and I'm
going to find dryer lodging for you than
the one you proposed engaging. Now
put your hand on my arm and come with
me-"
She obeyed him passively, and without
word followed him down the wharf and
out into the street. As they reached the
street lamp again, Captain John stopped to
look at his companion more closely, and
could not help giving utterance to an ex-
clamation of surprise when he found what
manner of woman it was who leaned upon
his arm.
1t was no plebean face that turned
toward him as he did so. A pale delicate
complexion, with features finely cast, and
pair Of wide, soft hazel eyes, deep and lus-
trous as those of a fawn, were what Cap
tain Burrill saw, as he turned back the
girls hood to look ather. She was young,
not more than twenty, and her brown hair,
loose and wet with the drizzling rain encir-
cled with shining halo face that, though
livid with mental suffering, was beautiful
even now.
"There's more of a story here than /
thought" he mattered, taking the girls
arm again and moving on. "I shouldn't