, 1889-10-17
DOCK


ing, closed the door after him and then
called ont to the newspaper boy, who
was cheerily whistling on his high stool
at few yards distance.
"Bring me the st. James Gazette,
will you?"
The summons was obcyed but not be-
fore the departing train had considera-
bly, quickened its pace.
The Gazette was hastily given, penny
flung out, fell close to the train on the
stone edge of the platform and rolled u
little way.
The boy stopped to pick it up, and as
he did 50 n door, not yet shut by the
guard, struck him violently. There was
an agonized shrek, n shout of many
voices, and Esley, looking out, saw with
ndescribable horror that the child Che
was only 13, and small for his age) was
lying prostra,e on the platform with a
ghastly streak of blood across the white
ness of his face. In moment the dark
ness of the tunnel hid the sight from
view.
In his soldiers life he had seen only
too much of pain and death, but he was
strangely moved by this accident.
The boy was well known to him by
sight. Esley had observed him with
growing interest. There was something
irresistibly attractive in the bright, clear
boys face, with the impudent frank
eyes and brown curls under his cap, on
the brim of which was inscribed the
well known name of his employers. Es-
ley had grown to have sort of affection
for the lad, and had watched him often
with quiet amusement carrying on in
ternecine fouds with guards and porters
continually harassing and being harassed
by them, ''chufling' his compeers, the
newspaper boys on tho other two plat
forms of the junction, with the ever
ready and perennial fertility of inyen-
ton which never forsakcs the true Lon
don gamin.
Eslcy observed that his protege (for
he frequently gave more cOppers than
the price of the papers on the stall de-
manded) had among the other boys a
tidus Achates in the shape of q marvel
ously ugly boy with the most astound-
ing faculty of grimacing ever seen by
the coloneD, who rejoiced in the appella-
ton of "Turtle," IL name arising out of a
wild rumor that he had once been
treated by cabby to some mock turtle
soup, for the first and only time in his
life, an event which was likely to iphu-
ence his subsequent career In u decisive
way.
Esley's attention had first been drawn
to Turtle by the following occurrence
Coming up to the stall for his usual pa
Ier one evening, he found his young
friend nqYinn wit IN an a. Y szinI1 nf ~
cessiye delight ut the opposite platform,
on which was visible the form OF Turtle
seated on Il threc-legged stool. an enor-
nous empty oil-can raised to his mouth,
the imaginary contents of which the
youth was apparently imbibing in capa-
cious draughts.
II wouldn't take too much of that
there If | was you," bawled Esley' S
young friend, as Turtle paused to look
round In his direction with wink oil
| remarkable distinctness and force, con-
sidering the range. at might fly to yer
head"
Both boys roared with laughter, Esley
was Obliged to smile as he paid for his
paper.
So that bright face was pale, perhaps
in death. The thought was so incon-
gruous that the colonel got out at the
! next station, jumped into a hanson and
drove back TO find out what had hap
penesd and proiler any help he could;
Colonel Esley had an interview with
the station master, who was able to tell
him that the boy had been taken in an
unconscious state to q hospital near at
hand. His name was believed 10 be
Rogers, but the name by which he was
always was "Dool1," the origin of which
was unknown to the kindly station
master, who appeared sincerely grieved
and anxious for the lad.
Going TO the hospital at once, the col
onel inquired for Dock, and learned with
shocked surprise that II was feared he
was suffering from conclusion OF
the brain, the door of u railway carriage
having violently struck his head.
The "sister" of the ward to which
Dock had been taken shook her head.
81 am afraid for him, poor little man
He is very thin and delicate, to begin
with, il seems, Yes, you can see him if
you like, but he is scarcely conscious,
even now"
Esley made arrangements for Dock to
have private ward, and then went up
to the bed on which the injured boy was
lying.
SO still and white All that unceas-
ing activity, laughter and fun crushed
out of him rs by u miracle.
AS the soldier looked silently at tho
motionless head on the pillow strange
emotion thrilled him, Tor there was Il
renliniscence OF another face in Dook' s
which .ballled his remembrance to grasp
II quite completely. And yet that re-
semblance was very strong, although he
could not remember ever having noticed
1t before tonight.
What could 1t be?
He went home to Albany, oddly
haunted by ii.
The following morning he passed the
the Eleusis theatre, and stopped to look
at n lile-si2ed portrait of the great actress
exhibited outside. 1t represented her
in the tragic part she was then playing,
and its set look of pale despair was
thrillingly like the beautiful woman it
represented.
Esley knew her well, Once he had
a passing passion for her, which had
subsidized into strong friendship on her
marriage-a change of feeling in accord
ance with her character.
Like Rachel, she was known on the
stage only by one name--it was her
second baptismal name, Joyce, and she
was spoken Of by it alone, like the great
Frenchwoman.
Now looking at the portrait, Esley was
suddenly seized by a strange fancy. The
artist had suppressed the lines that gave
character to the living woman's face,
and the portrait showed q younger
beauty than was really hers.
Turning round lie suddenly faced the
actress herself coming into the theater.
Looking at my portraitY she said,
the sad look of her face lighting up with
q charming smile. ''It IL u long time
since you have been to see the original.
When are you coming again? Ny hus-
band told me he met you at the club the