Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-09-20
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By FERGUS ". HUME
CHAPTER XIV.
A WOMAN OF TIE PEOPLE.

Bourke street is always moro crowded than
Collins street. especially at hight The thea
tres are there, and Of course there is invarla-
bly, large crowd collected under the electric
lights Fashion does not come out after
dark to walk about the streets, but prefers to
roll along in her carriage, therefore the
block in Bourke street at night is slightly
different from that of Collins street in the
day. .. ...-. .... ..- ....
Turning of Little Bourke street the de-
tective led the way down dark lane, which
felt like a furnace owing to the heat of the
night; but on looking up Calton caught a
glimpse Of tho blue sky far above, glittering
with stars, which gave him quite sensation
Of coolness
'Keep close to me-" whispered Kilsip,
touching the barrister on the arm; 1--WE may
meet some nasty customers about here"
At last, to Cations relief, for he felt some
what bewildered by the darkness and mar
rowness of the lanes through which he had
been taken, the detective stopped before q
door, which he opened, and stepping inside
beckoned to the barrister to follow. Calton
did so and found himself in low, dark, i'll
smelling passage, at the end of which they
saw faint light Kilsp caught his COM
panion by the arm and glided him carefully
along the passage. There was much need of
this caution, for Calton could feel that the
rotten boards were full of holes, into which
one or the other of his feet kept slipping
from time to time, while he could hear the
rats squeaking and scampcring away on all
sides. Just as they got to tho end of this
tunnel, for it could be called nothing else,
the light suddenly went out and they were
left in complete darkness
Light that" cried tho detective in DO
remptory tone of voice. "What do you mean
by dowsing the gliin~
Thieves argot was, evidently, well under
stood here, for there was shuttle in the
dark, muttered voice, and then some one
lit the candle with match. This time Cal
ton saw the light was held by an elfish look
ing child, with a scowling white face, and
tangled masses of black hair, which hung
over her eyes. She was crouching down on
the floor, against the damp wall, and looked
up at the detective defiantly, yet with GER
tain fear in her eyes, as though she were q
wild animal, cowed against her will.
"Where's Mother Guttersnipe?" asked the
detective sharply, touching her with his foot,
an indignity she resented with malignant
glance, and arose quickly to her feet
"Upstairs," she replied, jerking her head
in the direction of the right wall, in which
Calton, Lis eyes being moro accustomed to
the Pickering light of the candle, could see a
gaping black chasm, which he presumed was
the stair alluded to. "You won't get much
out of her tonight she's a-goin' to start 'ei'
booze, she is" .... IT,. ..H
"Never mind what she's doing" said Kill
sip, sharply; stake me to her at once"
The girl gave him sullcn look, and with
reluctant feet led the way into tho black
chasm and up the stairs, which were SO
skaky that Calton was in terror lest they
should be preciEitated into unknown depths
He held on firmly to his companions arm, as
they toiled slowly up the broken steps, and at
last stopped at door, through the cracks of
which q faint glimmer of light could be seen.
Here the girl gave a shrill whistle, and the
door opened as if by magic. Still preceded
by their el6sh guide, Calton and the detective
stepped through the doorway, and curious
scene was presented to their view. 1t was a
small, square room, with low roof, from
which the paper, widowed and torn, hung in
q kind Of low stretcher, upon which woman,
almost naked, was lying, amid a heap of
frowsy, greasy clothes. She appeared to be
i'll, for she kept her head tossing from side to
side restlcssly, and every now and then sang
snatches Of old songs in q shrill, cracked
voice. In the center of the room was n
rough deal table, upon which stood gutter
ing tallow candle, which but family illum.
mated the scene, and half empty, square
bottle Of scnapps, with broken cup beside
it. In front of these signs of festivity sat an
old woman with pack of cards spread out
before her. and from which she had evil
IDENTIFY been telling the fortune Of q villain
Gus looking young man who had opened the
door, and who stood looking at the detective
with no very friendly expression Of counte-
nance. He was dressed in greasy brown
velvet coat, much patched, and a black wide
awake hat, which was pulled down over his
eyes. He looked like ono of those Italians
who retail ice cream on the street, or carry
round organs with monkeys on them, and his
expression was SO scowling and vindictiye
that the barrister thought it was not very
hard to tell his ultimate destiny-Pentridge
or the gallows. .,l
As they entered the fortune teller raised her
head, and, shading her eye with one skinny
hand, looked curiously at the new corners.
Galton thought he had never seen such re-
pulsiye looking old crone and, indeed, she
was worthy Of the pencil OF Dore to depict,
such was the grotesque nsliness which she
exhibited Mother Guttersnipe took driE
out of tie broi'ea crN, nud, catherine A.! he"
grease: rt.s tt. 7i.hrra l;:si:iess ike ,.a~.
looked insinuatinsiy at Calton, with sls-
gestive leer.
"Itsthe future ye want unveiled, dearicg'
sho croaked, rapidly shufling the cards; ian
old mother I'D teiii - '
"No, she WON'T interrupted the detective,
sharply. "rve. come on business"
The old woman started at this, and looked
keenly at him from under her bushy eye
brows.
"Who was that woman who died here
three or four weeks agor' asked Kilsip,
sharply .4 ssea
s".'Ow should I knowr' retorted Mother
Guttersnipe, sullenly. n didn't kill 'er, did
II It were the brandy she drank; she was
allays drintin.s M ~ .i'
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