The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-31

.nR bHnb young itiioW WIN eVIueHt Ic!4sH'
lie had not neglected him through careless.
ness. and apparently the table understood
that fact. The spectacle was making Mrs.
Ma gh very uncomfortable. She had the
took ~ one who hopes against hope that
the impossible may happen. But as the
tured TO epenk up and remind hsr husband
that Nat Brady hadn't been helped to the
Irish atew.
Marsh lifted his head and gasped ont
with mock courtlineas: "Oh, he hasn't,
hasn't he? What a pity that Ia. / don't
he must pardon me. You must, indeed,
Mr. observation-disclosures yon must pardon
me. I--er--my attention was directed to
eome other matter. | don't know what.
The thing that grieves mo mainly Is that 1t
happens every meal now. But you must
Try to overlook these little things, M.
Bunker, these little neRlects on my part.
They're always liable to happen with me in
any case, and they are especially likely to
happen where f. person has--er-well,
whore Il person is, say, about three weeks
in arrears for his board. You get my
meaningI You get my idea? Here is your
Irish stew, and--er--it gives me the great
that you will enjoy the charity rs much rs
! enjoy comforting it,"
A blush rose in Brady's white checks
and flowed slowly backward to his ears
and upward toward his forehead, but no
said nothing, and began to eat his food
under the embarrassment of u general
silence and ths sense that all eyes we're
fastened upon him. Barrow whispered TO
Tracy:
1.-The old mans been waiting for that.
He wouldn't have missed that chance for
anything"
IT'S q brutal business said Tracy.
Then he said TO himself, pnrposing to set
the thought down in his diary later: %
well, here in this very house is a re-
public where all are free and equal, If men
are free and equal anywhere on the Garth,
therefore ] have arrived at the place |
men. and on the G~trictest equality
possible to men, no doubt. Yet here
on tho threshold / find an inequality.
There are people at this table who are
looked up to for some reason or another.
and here is n poor devil OF a boy who IL
ence. and shnmed with humiliations, when
he has committed no crime but that COM
mon one Of being poor. Equality ought to
make mon noble minded In fact, I had
supposed it did do that"
After supper Barrow proposed a walk, and
they sta, ted. Barrow had a purpose. lie
wanted Tracy to get rid of that cowboy hat.
He didn'ts see his way to finding mechanical
or manual employment for a person rugged
in that fashion. Barrow presently said:
'As ] understand it you're not a COW
boy"
"Well, now, if you will not think mo too
curious. how did you come to mount that
hat? Where did you get it?'
Tracy didn't know quite how to reply to
this, but presently said:
well, without going into particulars, !
exchanged clothes with a stranger unde
press Of weather, and I would like to find
him and re-e1change."
well, why don't you find him? Where
is heY"
II don't know. I suppose the best way to
find him would be to continue to wear bis
clothes, which are conspicuous enough to
attract his attention if l should meet him
on the street."
II the outfit IN we'll enough. and whifs-it's
not too conspicuous, it isn't quite like the
clothes that anybody else wears. Suppress
the hat. When you meet your man he'll
recognize the rest of his suit. That's
mighty embarrassing hat. know, in a cen,
ter OF civilization like this. l don't believe
an angel could get employment in Wash
ineton in a halo like that"
Tracy agreed to replace the hat with
something of a modester form. and they
stepped aboard q crowded car and stood
with others on the rear platform. Presently
as the car moved swiftly along the rails two
men crossing the street caught sight of the
backs of Barrow and Tracy. and both ex-
claimed at once: "Ihere he is'p' It was
Sellers and Hawkins. Both were 80 para
lyzed with JOY that before they could pull
themselves together and make an effort TIC
stop the car it was gone too far, and they
decided to wnit for the next one. They
waited q while; then it occurred to Wash
ington that there could be no use in chas
ing one horse car with another, and lie
wanted to hunt up a hack. But the colone
said:
no occasion for that at all. Now that I've
got him materialized, ! can command his
motions. Pll have him at the house by the
time we get there"
Then they hurried off home in q state Of
great and joyful excitement.
(To BE C~oNTINuED.) "