The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-07-10
CHAPTER. VIII.

1t was night in LondOn-the clock
of St. Mary Danes had tolled la
cold, dark, rainy night in the middle
OF November, that month of fog and
gloom and wretchedness which Is
said to be SO unusually fatal to
suicidally disposed Englishmen, who
cut their Threats with dull razors,
or hang themselves from their bed
posts, and otherwise disport them
selves during its depressing reign.
A lonely, melancholy night to be
wandering abroad through that
blank and dreary street, with its
grim. dark houses standing silently
up against the darkened sky. And
yet IL foot passenger came sud-
denly round from harrington into
Fleet street, and began to pace up
and down there, as if walking in the
darkness and rain were two of the
most agreeable things on earth to
him.
A tall and slender youth, appar-
emily not more than II years of age,
with a certain air of grace and re-
finement about his very look and
motion that seemed strangely out Of
keeping with his present position.
and with the shabby jacket ard
corduroy trousers which he had
mantle silly o%utgrown.
His carriage was e~rect--almost
princely; his step light and free,
and the hands and wrists that pro-
truded from the short and worn
jacket sleeves were delicate and
fair. quite unlike the wrists and
hands n generally sees in such a
case and such attire. His dark
brown hair curled abundantly from
under his shabby cap; his eyes we're
large, blue and we'll opened; his
features firmly cut and thoroughly
aristocratic in their holdings; his
complexion fair and rosy, though a
trlfe touched just now by the too
ardent beaming Of the harvest sun.
Altogether a fine, gallant lad, whom
any gentleman might have been
| proud to call his heir. What was
he doing there so late at night, and
in the chill beating Of that pitiless
storm?
His quick walk gre more slow at
length. He gazed around him for a
few moments with an uncertain air,
then leaned against the massive side
of Temple Bar" and looked up at
the frowning arch above his head.
'.Now why couldn't they let a fell
low so into that comical little square
room at the top, and stay until this
po;, i, o,,C o., Ia ,,,,o1 ,1o,l IN.
hope of that, | suppose; and no one
there, either, unless it is the ghost
of n Of the traitors come back to
look after his head stuck up there
ever SO many hundred years ago.
Heigho. They are better off than l
in n sense of the word at least.
They are not left out in the streets
OF London at midnight, in Novem-
Der without a penny, or any chance
OF getting one, and nothing to look
forward to except-Holloa.'
He gave a startled jump backward
as he spoke, and then bending down
began to peer earnestly on the
ground by the dim light Of the gas
lamp above his head.
Il certainly touched something
when | swung my feet out like that.
| certainly heard"
1t came again as he spoke, but
louder and more distinct this time
a genuine, unmistakable baby's cry.
The next moment he had a little
soft bundle in his arms and was try.
ing to hush the weeping infant. He
was an awkward nurse, but at the
same time a tender one, and in {
few moments the child ceased cry
ing, and looked up at him with the