The sun., 1893-07-16
A PROTEGEE OF HAMLINS.
BY that Prince of American Story
TeIlers,
BRET HARTE.
toopnlgh. 1898. BY Bret Harts.)
concluded.

: When they reached the street and the cat
closed behind them Jack Hamlin again bt
came uneasy. The girls olouded face an
I melancholy manner were not promising.
also occurred to him that he might meet som
one who knew him and thus compromise he
This was to be avoided at all hazards. He be
gan with forced gayety:
: We'll. now. whero shall we Ro2"
! she slightly raised her tear-dimmed eyes
Where you please-I don't care.'
: Thero isn't any show going on here. 1
there2" He had q vague idea OF circus o
} menagerie-hmsel in tho shadow Of the bo,
behind her
Il don't know OF any,"
| Or any restaurant or cake shop?"
There's place whore the girls 60 to &c
candy In Main street Some OF them are thor,
now"
Jack shuddered. This was not to bo though
OIL But whore do you walk2"
Up and down Main street."
Where everybody can see your" said Jack
scandallzed.
The girl nodded
They walked on in silence for few m oments
Then bright idea struck Mr.. Hamlin. He
suddenly remembered that In one of his many
hts OF impusive generosity and largesse he
nau given to an old negro retainer. whose wife
had nursed him through n dangerous illness
house and lot on tho river bank. He had
been told that they had opened small laun-
dry or washhouso. 1t occurred to him that q
stroll there and call upon "Uncle Hannibal
and Aunt Chloe" combined tho propriety and
| respectability due to the young person he WAS
| with' ana the requisite secrecy and absence
OF publicity due to himself. He ut once sug-
gested it.
| You see, she was mighty good woman and
you ought to know her. for she was my old
| nurse"
Tho girl glanced at him with mratlence.
Honest lnlun." said Jack. solemnly: she
did nurse mo through my last cough. l amt
PLAYING old family gags on you"
oh. dear burst out the girl. lmpu lsively.
90 wish you wouldn't ever play them again.
wish you wouldn't pretend to be my uncle: I
WISH you wouldn't mako me pass for your
| niece. 1t isn't right. It's all wrong. Oh don't
You know it's all wrong-and can't como right
any way. It's Just killing me. l can't stand it.
Ia rather you'd say what am and how came
to you and how you pitled mel"
Ihey had luckily entered a narrow side
street. and the sobs which shook the young
girls frame were unnotcod. In q few mo-
ments Jack felt horrible conviction stealing
over him that In his present attitude toward
her he was not unlike that hound Stratton.
ana that however innocent was his own in
tent. there was sickening resemblance to tho
situation on the boat in the base advantage he
had taken OF her rfriendlessness. He had never
told her that he was a gambler like Strattop.
and that it was impossible for him to assist
her. except by stealth or the deception he had
practised. without compromising her. He. who
had lor years faced the sneers and half fright
encd opposition of the world. dared not tell
the truth to this girl. from whom he expected
nothing and who did not interest him. He felt
he was almost sinking at her side At last be
said. desperately:
But snatched them baldheaded at tho
organ. Sophy. didn't l 2"
on. yes. said the GIRL you played beau.
tfully and grandly. 1t was so good OF you,
TOO. For think somehow Nine. Banco had
been little suspicious Of you: but that set
tied It Everybody thought it was fine. md
some thought It was your profession. Per-
haps." she added timidly. 1T is"
Il play good deal. I reckon" said Jack.
with a grim humor which did not however. |
amuse him.
Il wish could and make money By It," said
the girl eagerly.
Jack winced but she did not notice II ma
she went on hurredy:
That's what wanted to talk to you about.
l want to leave tho school and mako my own
living. Anywhere whore pSople won't know
iHc aht Nhcio 1 'dl De alOn0 ana work, |
shall die hero among these girls. with all their
talk OF their friends and thcir-sisters and
their questions about YOU"
Tell en- to dry up" said Jack. Indignantly.
Take EN- to tho cake shop aud load 'em up
with candy and ice cream. That'u stop their
mouths. You've got money-you got my last
remittance. didn't you?" he replied quickly.
If you didn't, here's-" His hand was
already In his pocket when the girl stopped
him with despairing gesture.
Yes. got it. all. l haven't touched 1t. I
don't want 1t. for can't live on you. Don't
you underestimate want to work Listen. I
can draw and paint Nine. Bance says do it
well; my drawing master says might in timo
lake portraits and get paid for It. And even
now can retouch photographs and make
fappsd and from them Ant she
'pve done some already '''A'u'''
A glow Of surprised relief suffused the gam
2Ier,s face. not SO much at this astonishin rev.
'lation as at the change 1t seemed to effect in |
ier. Her pale blue eyes made pnler by tears.
;leared and frightened under the r swollen Iids;
mouth straightened and became firm. Her
'ciee T, had lost It's hopeless monotone.
apher's,,, where they have one OF mine in tie
1ss Sea Interest saes . so. only round The
Jack assented. few pacos further brought )
hem to the corner Of a narrow street whcro
are and STOPPED before the window Of a pho T
ontaining a portrait PAINTED on porcelain. \
MIR. Hamlin was startled. Inexperienced AS c
% was. q certain artistic inclination told him n
wa; was good. although II Is to be feared he a
cen worse, The mere fact that this hea dstrong \
ountry girl who had run away with a cur like 1
tratton. should be able to do anything else il
ook him by surprise. r.
II got ten dollars for that" she said, hesi- h
,tngly. and l. could have got more Tor a a
lrger one. but had to do that In my room h
uring recreation hours. II had more tims i
nd q ]5 place where could work" she stopped i
. was already induging In characteristic. j
Ally reckless idea Of coming back after ho had n
1T Sophy. buying the miniature at an extraya- I,
mt M price, and ordering half dozeS, more at Ii
assers- by. stopping ostcnsibly to look in the W
indow; but really attracted by the picturesque u
)ectace of the handsome young rustic and | i,
: ;.hf hsfsh0olsrl tSompanion. gave Jack suGha G
70 side street. There's nOthlng mean about 81
at picture business. he said. cneerfuIly: "it a
oks like n square kind OF game" and re "
psed into thoughtful silence. ca
At which Sophy the Ice Of restraint broken d.
rain burst into passionate appeaI. IN sha