Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02

coed still remained, BIT. it mus. be said that
| Badgers interest in the matter suddenly sus-
| tanned decline in spite Of himself and the
| whole affair became tedious and almost dis
| gushing. He tried hard not to mako an exhibit
OF THIS fact, but tie quick intuition OF the girl
understood and half pitied him for it. He
| tried to smile, but bis smile was all made land
| and existed entirely in tho lower regions of his
countenance; the eyes. which everybody finds
| 1t at times hard to control, did not Join in The
facial festvity. but had a feeling disappointed
| in-spite- yourself look.
! You see, couldn't help it." she nurmured.
looking at MCPHERSON pettingly and half pity
| 1ngly. 81 met him years ago and-loyed him
at hrst-and-love HIM moro and more longer
know him-just as any one would you'll am
sureEjust as your sweetheart does, you know,
probably. Don't you see?''
Badger replied that he saw and tried hard to
| view the whole matter in way not uncompli-
mentary to himself, still with feeling that his
vanity had received a curiously hard blow.
But In that case what do you want to elope
with me for!'' he inquired with the slightest
twist of asperity to his tone. what do you
want to elope for anyhow
THAT is the curious part Of it." unused the
glri, and the most difficult You see," with a
aeep, oroodins look in her glorious eyes which
the best girl in Wilmington, Del, could not
approach, II love him-I love him So"
Yes, you love him." interrupted Badger.
with Increasing curtness, which he toiled hard
70 keep courteous. He began already to feel
| AeoAAy cAudusttu viii tQlB fellow whom abe
loved, loved So" You told me that. But
what do you want CT me?'
On, persisted the eccentric beauty, 81
ought to love him awfully well, for Pm the
only one OF the family that does They all.
nate MIN but me-poor, dear, unappreciated
30 Hugh" was the'given name of this fellow.
VINO was, no doubt, a rascal. Badger had never
nked the name Hugh. anyway, and it's net
eiongation into 'Hughi.' struck him as pc
IIlr Flu,
sometimes called him "Badgie." but even that
seemed stale, fat and unprofitables." just
now.
Father, mother. brother, sisters. all hate
MN, continued the maiden rehectiveiy. Even
Voltaire never would let him come into the
yard. if he could help it,.
fellow?'' ''A''A''
'sVoitaire is our family dog" replied the
girl. I'VE named him that because he does
not revere his maker. Everybody is down on
poor dughle, except me, and l never never
Will desert him! He is unfortunate, and most
people hate misfortune, even in anybody else
lie has explained all his troubles to me, and l
am the only one that understands him. All
the rest OF the world is against him.
large symmetrical tear that had been list
enlng to the conversation from behind the cor
ner OF one OF her eyes now discovered itself.
came boldly out and in a manner tried to ION
the company. But it was promptly rebuked
shN oShs away. luiS RlTl was no maiden
MODE, no matter what else she might be.
We'll, replied BADGER getting his second
WIND, tho elopemenE industry is generally
understood to be a wicked, dangerous, ever
lasting regretable kind of business; but, for
| the sake OF the argument Qayiny your own sake
aside for a momenD. if you two want to eope.
why In the world don't you do it? Why doesn' t
ne come here. chloroform VoltaIre and run off
with you like man? Why do you go telling
| other folks about it and try to get them to 20
| along with you? Why doesn't he"
He is not able" murmured the young lady.
HE cannot go anywhere just at present 1
can elope, but he can't for an hour or two vet
at least He-he-isn't very well. Poor, dear
| Hughier'
Where is hep asked Badger, in rather an
authoritative tone. feeling that there must be
| something very queer, ii not crooked, in the
| young man in question.
"Hughie is in-in-in-jail," replied the
maiden, with quaver in her sweet voice. But
ne mas explained 1t all to me- now he happened
| to be found with the horse. the silks. and the
! jewelry, and the marked bills, and the counter
felt money. and all the things that they hays
been accusing him of. Oh, it is too bad. II
| they knew Hughie as well as do they would
understand that he never would tiemenn him
self so as to steal horses, dry goods and things"
at is. indeed, unfortunate that the authori-
ties hold the opinions you mention" replied
| Badger, dryly. He was fast dropping into
| sarcasm. But admitting for the sake of ar
Sumtut Nduo YOUR own sake aSICe once
more). that he Is innocent, should not think
he would be in very good condition to receive
visitors in the dead Of night until after he has
been tried and acquitted
NO" replied the young lady pensively, but
with growing cheerfulness, she is not in a yery
good condition to receive visitors, but for nv
sake he will brace up to it. He has been tried
and convicted and will be sentenced and taken
to states prison tomorrow unless we go and
help him out tonight. Ihave gathered enough
fTTIa tar A.
| ten minutes. The jail is old, rotten and crazy.
He can get everything through the CRATES by a
| string. He can cut @ whole window out in n
few minutes, he says. if he only has the tools
Poor Hughie Is natural mechanic. Then, YOU
see, away we go! Hughie and l. to some place
| where true worth Is appreciated and innocent
young men are not accused of burglary and
other absurd crimes. l have gathered I'D
enough money to keep us till poor Hughie is
proven innocent. We will commence lite over
again, my true love and IL and she smiled
Badger and the absurd idea sweetly in the face
We'll, in the name of all that diabolica,, 90
on and 10 il. then, blurted out the student.
| now thoroughly off his temper. If you re
bound to wed yourself to vice and crime for the
remainder OF lite, forge ahead. But WHY
should you try to mix me up in it? I've enough
delinquencies of my own without going into
partnership with .Hushie.'
''Oh, have You delinquencies?" inquired the
girl, with SO demure and well-balanced a
decide whether she was sarcastic or in earnest
Il thought you were about perfect. But tell
you, Hughie is Innocent with slight flash in
her steady, but constantly changing eyes. ''It
will be proved SO, some day, he says and Hughie
wouldn tell me lie On mol He would die
sooner He said So" (Badger reflected
soemnly and savagely on the depths to which
woman infatuation could decsend.) lit was
all a mistIke-a whole lot OF mistakes. Ii he
can only get out now. before he has incurred
the disgrace OF going to states prison, and stay
there under another name, somewhere where
he can be appreciatc1-it will be all right and
that's what 1 want you to help me to help him
to do"
"well?" punctuated Badger. with sullen Gu
riosity.
'.You see." continued the enterprisiag young
| lady. Il will tell you just how we can make it
all come out, including Hughio. The Jail is
| only four miles from this house. We will steal
| from here quietly, and ip half hour we can
be there. Hughie will be expecting me: he
always is, and especially tonight. He whispers
| through the grating and says: Is that you, Co?
| Go is my snort name for Columbia Yes
| iIughie, and be awful quick will say. Throw
out the dangler.' CHATS what poor Hughie
| calls a string in that connecticut I'm afraid
| he has learned some slang in that terrible jail
He throws out the 'dangler' and pulls up the
.p-iers as he calls them, opens the crazy old
| window Of CRATES, or whatever it is, draws up a
! rope ladder and is soon on the ground beside
| me-"