Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-30
rWr.Hen for the Dispatch Copyright, is90.l
CHAPTER Y
A REMARKABLE THEFT.

c-,stcd 10 VAIN. To tho gentle, Welding
nature Of that substance Drane owed his
nrr.nrvation from serious injury when he
came ,umhiIuC down the SIDE of the barn.
te u Was. the shock was violent Hc
drrrrcd himself with some difficulty 20
.be Ice az Is rock fence and made hasty
examination. which convinced him that no
homes were broken. There was soreness
NJ lis throat and lungs which made every
lrosth he drew seem full of thrce-coruered
Clos bat on the whole he was in fair con-
Girou and able 20 walk. which was fortu-
rate. as 10 O;her means Oh getting away
wprO a, hand.
Eefore him was the blazing barn, now
one mass Of fire. He reflected with q
e.uldcr that perhaps some poor wretch
lad persisted there. and he began 10 re-
proarh huneelf for having made no effort
io rescue those who had been ms com
uauiou- IN misfortune. Then the recol-
lection OF the way the flames bad leaped
rp over the hay assured him that he need
ro. charge himself with cowar9ice. He
roc He'd tho fact that he had climbed up
n,f.c loft and the others had renamed
I.irw. where doubtless th0y mad bcen
awakened while the fire smOuldered, MI
n,the barn with that smoke which had
n,arIg been the death Of hlm.
A crowd lad now collected about tho
harm. and he decided 20 90 down aud nm
rla with il. BE did so. and the first words
ioloard were these Some blamed tramp
fls set this harm a!ire Every one or en-
f1rd IN the county to-day ought TO be
plf iu jail
D-spc did not wait to discuss the ques-
ton. He took hasty and unceremomous
leave. For half an hour ne plOdded through
r.uu,hed fields and climbed FENCES, III
~ length hc came to "a factory OF some sort,
tr0u which several little branch railroad
f~arks rau 10 the main line near by.
Tr.i-ht-clrs were being loaded there, and
Ur.rc. watching his chance. got aboard OF
one uuobeeryed. On the top OF big box
D. stretched his weary limbs ana ielI
asleep. ,..,-.
I. ran on for nearly sn hour, he thought:
without stopping. Iacu Cainc lot OF
llmpins and switching about, followed ny
stralou0ed pause. Listening, he heard a
strange sound Ike the splash OF waves.
Iie crcut 10 tlc side of the car ond tQnnd "a
cr.yire through which he peerod. 10 MS
.>t.uishmcnt me found that be was salIinS
ON 3D. broad river. \ great city lay 10 inc
raLt. and II did not take him long 10 DIS
cover that 10 was New York. Apparently
,he metropolis was hard place to get
aW from.
Thr 4oaf which bore their gbt-cors was
,r.l,4 AGAINST O pier. Drane stood mp ana
stretched his cramped limbs. MS lsIi I
exactly vostiUulCd pnlace-car,' ne
Thought. but have at least come through
.v York without change. as the time
-.Il.. say. " and he thrust ms hands INTO
.ravel bg freirht-car without handbag
ha-itsd advantages, and among them -
fn. llck of water soap, and cnance 10
brush ouo's hair, Drano looked ouj
'lr.uvh the hole in the side Of the car ana
wondered whether out of respect TO ciean-
I.f "a "a.
Tbrp be noted the color of the water ana
d,ciI.I that bee ought NOT. However. ne
resolved 10 give an imitation OF eood
c.ttr.n making his toilet, so he packeI up
a. Vice az broken glass from tho moor OF the
cu. aud pyopplng IL GsmnsS HauI W
ulrs paint on boy ne 9onl"iu H daoi LIZA
with lbs hands after which he qeciugu
tf,t ha wa. ready for breakfast. But the
roll and coffee didn't come.
E-fhe exercise Vi discretion he escaped
fr,r,tLa car and from the plcr and stood
os..u IN the streets of New OK. linen
came more wandering, more munger more
r.rpl,N.tv At noon he found hiinset III
park which looked ianuliaT. lie dIoppeu
,i...u "a bench and tried To decide whether
% ,,as tho ONE where he bad sat with her.
,,r., L. asked himself frankly whether
would rather sce her at that minute or
o. .frIoIn s'oak with fried potatoes end
d" 7 don't know" lie muttered. burying
his faca in hl- hands. us u Aard qdeS-
,tor. ] must be IN love-
80 fixed his eyes on the ground ana
wondered why he didn't find hall dollar
.r.r.. No doubt there were coins enough
..,..l i'm the dust of New York streets 10
nav li. WAY 10 Kansas City. Why Couldn't
hefud one? lie began 10 accuse ms guar
tInu angel If serious neglect OF dutY: one
,u.lf al least tOthrOw enough IN MS way
.. -.t him a breakfast. He poked around
D, fh. little heaps of rubbish at the ends
'ftla bench with the toes OF his dllapi-
dated Shoes: but his guardian angel 9p-
r.r.rtlv had 40 change TO spare. lie
didn't find penny. r.
file General collection was a piece OF paste
board which looked like a Indebtedness.
g. ll evidently been dropped very re-
c.rliv. fur IL was scarcely soAed al all lie
remembered. with a sudden siaft, that
I,.f.rnt. sometimes sold tlckcts tbai
W.. good for "a meal. With nasty hand
l. sr.leh,d the piece of pasteboard from
thr ground and read:
rims tickot entities the bearer to one
Turkish bath at Hubbard's, No. 90 west
Iu,rtv-seyeuth street. An extra charge
Tor alcohol or electricity.
Trel- the way that Fate takes advan-
t..rrfs mani. position to insult HIM. II
a.. rot Drane's fault that he had not
v...'.l li- face. and It was aggravatlng
t.f,.. "A lint like this thrown out by
... 10 emNtter the results OF her own
t.r-4 Drane was on the point OF tear
i.. tLe ticket ia rage and dlsdaIn when
b- t.tter Judgment checked him. \
Trril.l lath-house was a nice, quiet
t.... 10 ro.t. IL offers the greatest Of
-.r.,s on hot day. True, severely
'..r.uoh bath D. not good thlng 10 take
o.atoo empty stomach, but still he was
,.-. that IL cOuid not make him feel any
moro hollow than be did without II. He
sro.e and began his search for west iWen-
,.--.vcuth street. 1t was not lar away,
and ia less than half an hour stood IN
font of No. 3d. A handsome building u
wa perhaps little too ornate, but emf
I.nflt suggestive Of luxury. Drane en-
tered and presented ms ucket al the desk
Tha attendant stared at HIM.
How tho dickens did you get this tick
- ~ he asked.
TbeY Drape sew that he would have to
d.. he was determined 10 get inside the
h.fh now. and a small matter of talsehood
shugld not stand in his way. HIS moral
t,rse bad been gradually weakehcu by the
c,ll compdulonsnlp oil ms yloIhes, ana he
v. in "a condition 10 stretch Inc iapilc OF
Tu-h's sp0tless robe TILL he split II up the
Look here" he said. 81 am quite reg
ular patron of this place. You don't recog-
M. me becauso-well, 10 tell the truth,
Il.ve been Oh hard spree for a week and
lave got pretty well torn up, as YOU see;
I'd like 10 sober up here IN tho 6ath anu
then I'll send out for a suit OF clothes IN
which, can begin an era OF reform by go
in home 70 dinner"
"WnaCs your namei" asked the attend
ant hositatingly. r..
Drane looked over his shoulder as II 70
make sure tina, nobody could hear him de-
clare hos real identity, aud then bending
over the desk he whispered, John n.
smyth. You remember the name, don't
youtn
well. Pve heard it before" the clerk
Glmitted, hut can't place YOU"
Am 1 so changed by single week OF
debauche-y ?" said Drane. sadly; then. III
Gstiil more confidential tone, " GU must
recall my name. } spell IL with y"
The clerk smiled. .,
II guess rs all right. Ny. Smyth. Shall
take care Of your yaluabies!"
You're TOO late. my young friend" SAID
Draue. Somebody else il taking care OF
them in a WAY that beats the safe-deposlt
49,. ..r.ia ~