The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-07-10
largess, bluest pairsof eyes hs had

awful shame. nave that
London is the wickedest place on
earth, but this beats all! You poor
little thing! I vas going to rough
it here tonight myself, but it will
never do to let you stay here and
die with cold and hunger. Some of
these respectable householders must
just turn out of their beds and take
you in, if | can make noise enough
to MAKE them"
de looked up and down the long
street. Not a lighted window was
visible; not a sound was to be heard
except the washing of the river and
the frlling of the rain. The police
man had gone to the farthest corner
Of his beat. There was no one to
a for the deserted infant but him
sell.
'Ill adopt you, little one, here on
the spot" he said aloud. ..I'll find
something to do tomorrow that will
keep us both, and if any wicked per-
son mas left you here in the hope of
killing you by exposure, why 1t
strikes me that that person will be
slightly disappointed, that's ally'
He said those words with his face
turned toward the dark arches OF
Temple Bar. If anyone was indeed
lurking there who wished Or who had
planned harm to the infant, they
made no answer. And yet he thought
he heard a heavy sigh breathed close
beside him, as he turned away; he
! could almost have sworn that a light
footstep passed under the side arch.
and opt toward the Strand side of
the bar. He took a step forward in
his turn, still holding the child.
He saw, though indistinctly, two
dark female figures, by the drapery,
stealing away through the gloom.
.Stopm be cried in a loud voice.
whoever you are command you to
stop and take this child with you"
There was no answer. The dark
figures glided away silently and
rapidly. He had followed swiftly,
though somewhat incommoded by
the unusual burden in his arms. So
closely had he gained upon them, as
they cleared the bar, that he heard
the frightened sobbing of one of the,
women, while the other was urging
her. in low. eager tones, to keep up
her courage, and trust IN the GER
tainty of making their escape.
81 hear you; | know you. l shall
not forget your voice" he cried out
eagerly. And stretching out his
hand he almost laid hold upon the
cloak Of the hindmost one. when it
was suddenly snatched from his
grasp, while the two figures darted
swiftly down a side street, and en-.
tered a carriage that was evidently
waiting for them there.
1t was only a common cab. He
say that, even in his haste, for it
stood so near the lamp post that it
was distinctly visible. But the
driver had been properly tutored and
evil emily understood the urgency Of
the case in some measure, for he no
sooner saw the figure Of our hero
following than he closed the door
swiftly, sprang to his box, and
ratified away at q rapid pace.
AS the cab flashed by a head was
thrust from the window: a pale,
wild, beautiful face, haggard and
worm, but lit up by immense dark
eyes, gazed out for an instant-only
an lnstant-and not at him, but at
the child.
care you mad9" he heard some
n cry out barshly, and then the
face disappeared, the cab turned the
corner of the street. and he was
again left alone, with the infant
beginning to whimper once more,
and to cling fretfully to his breast.
s.There's more in all this than
you and can understand, baby" he
said, gently, ''but V mind. never
mind: I'll take care of you some
how; one of these days it will all
come out right. I'll not forget that
face. it is certain. and if it is in
London I'll see it again. ..There,
there. we'll get out of the rain,
baby, At any rate. One house is as
good as another for US, if they will
only take us in. Here's an eating
house and a tailor's shop all in one
and q light in the bedroom above,
too. And that's a lucky sign, baby,
and we will pull this bell and see
what fate will send u.s.
He suited the action to the word,
and then waited the result, hold
ing his shabby jacket over the child
to shelter 1t from the driving rain.
His pursuit of the mysterious
figures had led him some distance
from Temple Bar on the Strand side,
and the house before which he now
stood was one of those eating rooms
,yl,;nl g y, M ~ Ho,,;nl x.4l 100,