The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-29

clothes. Moloch. though this would be a bad
night to be turned away without a rag-but
don't take his"
Draw up to the fire, madame, and warm
yourself-lch charge You nothing"
This is coy, Moloch,' she said in a voice Of
less bravado; lit reminds me Of" she stopped
and looked at Darby more closely. 'of another
room. These two cursed rooms have been the
death of me-they took from me first. honor.
and then hope. You needn't squirm, Molocb. l
shant moralize any more. Your friend here
seems uncomfortable. too"
Darby sprang to his feet and stared at her.
My Cod Walter Darby she exclaimed.
''You herei' For a moment che was struck
dumb. You are in his clutches, are you'll 1t
is n just reward. To you l owe all that l am, q
creature of the street-a bedraggled outcast, a
soulless, homeless, shameless thing"
"She snatched up the tattered shawl that bad
fallen from her shoulders. and rushed through
the curtained doorway; the bell above the door
tangled as she went out into the stormy street.
Darby stood for a moment petriied with shame
and amaZement. Then he started after her.
The pawnbroker had smiled in a sinister way at
the wOman's words: now the smile faded. aud
with a stern, commanding face he barred the
way.
"Sit down. he said. THAT foolish girl led
you to ruin once. Why should you follow her
aeainl Every woman works out her own dis
grace or glory"
led his face in his hands. He thought how that
woman had looked that night when, mad with
love, she came TO his rooms, how his own weak
and passionate nature had given way to the
tried to recover himself. he had loved a pure
young girl, but his wild ways were
against him; she married q cold, persist
emit. indomitable fellow whom he hated
for his very nature; picture after picture and
face after face passed before him. He forgot
the little room with its warmth and color. and
the old keen-eyed pawnbroker with the purple
cap. All consciousness was resolved into mem.
ory-old friends, old happiness, old-hush! and
the soft voice OF the p~awnbrOker broke the
thread, the realities of . moment before faded
into misty shades and disappesred-bs saw only
the inscrutable, deep, glowing eyes OF his COM
panion.
You dream. SIR said he. as il again he had
known what was passing in Darby's mind. II
can bring back those dreams-I. can make life
swee. again: make it glowing, passionate. real
and livable for you"
But 1 have nothing exclaimed Darby.
why do You torture me with I hese vague prom
ises,r
"Ah, that is easily managed :" said the pawn
broker. II ask but little-n othing you have
any immediate use for-.only-, and he
bent over Darby and whisper ed q word or two
In his ear the visitor started and looked into
the glowing eyes that were fixed upon him.
Here is this cabinet" he said, pointing to the
heavy carven case beside the armchair, lit will
be In good company. You can live untrarnmeled
by troublesome thoughts"
Darby felt his power Of volition and action
gradually weaken; vague. pleasant thoughts
fitted across his mind. His brain was drowsy;
q sharp spasm OF will-energy shot across his
consciousness as II another's hand ha6. plunged
q pin into his body and he had been g reused in
voluntarily.
"All right he said. 'it is a bsrcain.,
As the pawubroker rose to his feet arby fell
into q deeper reverie that became a dream-a
series OF dreams-in which were pictured the
wild Joys and pleasures Of the renewed exist
ence promised him, the loves Of beautiful
women. the companionship OF say men, all the
old reckless lie came up befors him more Wv
div than We would care TO picture.
The lights in the room hal. been gradually
turned down. The old man @ pened the myste-
rious cabinet and took froui q little compart-
ment q vial OF peculiar shape, rese.n bling q heart,
and q round curiously mari ed piece of metal;
the case when opened shove a a hundred or more
such little square comps rtmeuts, in each Of
which stood a similarly So aped vial. The lights
burned lower; the ire was. a mnss of biack-baked
Goals, from which q thin blue Game occasionally
leaped mp, but its subdued glow only illuminated
the room sufficiently to show the tall form OF the
pawnbroker moving hithe'. and ,hither, from the
motonless form on the diyan 20 the table, back
AND forth. AT length he stopped. and taking up
the vial from the table restored IL TO the cabi-
net He sat down in The armchair and appeared
to be wrapped in thou Rlt. Still Darby slept on
without a motion or q sound. Finally the man
turned up tho lights e.gaiu; the little room was
nooded with the intel light Darby turned IN
easily under the gla re, and in n few minutes
opened his eys. he lay for a minute and stared
about the room. The pswnbroker pointed TO .
little Pile OF green. backs on the table. on top Of
which lay the mall round piece of metal which
he bad taken from the cabinet. Darby rose 70
his iess.