The Springdale news., 1889-01-25
CHAPTER XIII
HAN kNs DEN

way from the west end of the city to the extreme east In passing through that great Israelitish emporium for what Amer leans eharacteristieally call notions he came across our old friend Teddy Hudson, who periodically replenlshed his pack with needles, knives, toys and other knick- knacks from the stores of Houndsditeh.
 Hello, my chickent exclaimed the ex- police officer, and what brings our one armed hero from the green lanes of Mid shire to the bustliEg streets of LoHdon4n
 IVY ell, if it amt Mr Hawansm m said the somewhat surprised pedder. Well, you see, Mr Hawkins, have customers as near as Edmonton and by the time l get around that far from Birmingham l generally find my pack pretty low, so just spend day in London 10 tin up. Houndsditeh and Lon don are my markets and visit them both just twice year. But I'm glad To see you, sir. How I've dota
 "Why, can't say that there's much the matter with me, Hudson. I saw you was just going in this shop when came Up How long will you be getting through your l business therefn
 s'Oh, a matter Of haif-au-hour,T replied Teddy
 .sYery well, then,a said Hawkins. "ru come back before then and wat for you here. You'll take dinner with me in my bachelor lodgings as I've had il httle i good luck today 1 will get a meal ii for a king. So longs'
 It should be here remarked that Teddy 1 Hudson had not the remotest idea of 1 the manner n which Hawkins galned livelihood. He only knew that Hawkins had stayed at his mothors cottage for two or three weeks in the sum mer of two years before, stating that he i aI. l fresh air tThe fact was he was hiding i from the officers of the law unti small storm should blow over) So Teddy. always 1 glad to meet a face he knew. especially in the great city, and pleased enough to save q l shilling by getting q good dinner for noth- i ing, willingly accepted Hawkins invitation. i True to his word, the latter Was waiting at the shop door and led the way to Il narrow i thoroughfare, thronged with low, foul mouthed Jew dealers i'll secondhand cloth ing, known in the London directory IS Mid dlesex street, but famlliarly called by the i lower classes of the East End "Pettieoat Lane.
 They finally diyed into a dirty passage and up flight of riekety stairs pausing at door which Hawkins opened by means of d large key. The room was furnished with what had been elegant furniture, but dust, | good looks and 1t now appeared in its true character-a low bachelors den.
 " don't wonder you get Ill and fall sick sometimes, living in a place like this, said Teddy. For my part l must have plenty of fresh air, and if Il came to a choice of sleeping here or in q barn 1 should choose the barn, I'm thinkine.n
 " Well, every one to his taste, old felowr replied Hawkins. :" My business IS chiefly in this part of the town, and business be fore pleasure is my motto, so here l live from day to day But as we two have no particular business we will to pleasure right away. You see l have kept my prom ise.H
 From the capaeious pockets of his coat he drew two or three bottles of wine Il cold roast duck, some ham, pickles and loaf Of bread. He then produced plates. etc. from a cupboard, and the two set to work at the viands. But Teddy could not drink wlne, so Hawkins pointed to a barrel of ale in the corner of the room, which just suited the peddler Hawkins was very taikatve and led Hudson on To talk about the Per eivals and Percyalthorpe.
 He always made il a point 10 learn all he could of any of the tdmbs. as he called his victims probably from the fact that he gen erally tieeced them pretty considerably. This tune, however, he got to know nothing beyond what he already knew. and soon be came so full of wine that his worldly wis dom failed him and he began to give away his own schemes.
 Teddy would only drink his usual dinner pint, and was, therefore, sober as t judge while his host took him into his confidence as only drunken man can. Hawkins re- marks were very rambling and disconuect- nd htqtt ba that he meant no good to the parties whom he mentioned He heard such remarks as ' We can find judge and jury to hang Foster;' Oh yes, her ladyship IS mad raving mad Doctor Bleadem's is the only place for her;H Five hundred pounds, five hundred pounds A good weeks work, Abe, old boy We'll skin Sir James a little before we're through with him" At last he rolled of his seat in a drunken stnpor. and the peddler, who wanted to be out on the road before night, prepped him on the bed and left hlm,
 Hudson hardly knew what to make Of this strange acquaintance of his and he resolved to ask venerable Hebrew who stood out side the door sorting dirty handllerchiefs to enlghten him.
 t Oh, oh, my vriend bed yer yer don'd know Mishter Hawkinsh, ha hal Weeping
 
 yer Mishter Hawkinsh yerselvei Bud iv yer nod, led me deli yer, my vrieud, Mishter Hawkinsh IS a clever gentleman, thad's all ha hali
 This was poor satisfaction for Teddy, but 1t confirmed his already half formed opinion that Mir Hawkins was not exactly square " Re resolved, therefore, to turn out of his usual track on leaving London Having just come through Stagshlrc, Il would hardly pay to traverse that county again so soon, yet he could not think of leaving George Foster 10 the tender mercies of Abe Hawkins and perhaps worse than he, so he walked down to the haymarket in White chapel and begged ride in one of the empty farmers carts, which, he saw by the name and address on the shaft. would pass right by Mill ill He travelled all night and in the early morning had the satisfac- tion of seeing George and putting him on his guard. George thanked the old fellow for his trouble and gave him good breakfast and crown, which was more than Teddy could have earned in day with his pack The peddler then returned to London in much the same manner as he had come and once more started on his legitimate busi- ness.
 Abe Hawkins slept pretty soundly after the peddler had left him, and walked up about the same time that Teddy was eating his breakfast ln George Fosters house. His first thought was for the check, which he luckily found all right in his pocket, and then, after shaking himself he drank a