The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-07-29

1he only glimmer OF lgnt was iaiuI
spark in the basement. The area was hit |
tered with scraps OF paper, and other hotsam
of the sportive Chicago winds.
The second time that Kent had sauntered |
by he had gone on the same side of the |
street with the house. Looking down In |
the basement area, he saw the guardian OF
the house sitting there smoking very |
strong pipe. Even in the half-light Kent
could see that he was sufficiently evil-iook-
ing to justify the Armory's description. tie
looked TO be one Of those sorest plaques to
humanity-an old, brOken-down tough, who
has lost even the few redeeming manlier
instincts of his younger days, and has lett
only dull brutality and the ineradIcable IN
stinct for crime
Evidently" Kent thought, "he is sit
ting there waiting for someone. He IS not
drunk tonight 1 might profit abiy put In
little while watching him."
Kent walked TO the corner and crossed
the street again to the side where the
shadows cast by the moon lay heavy He
stepped quietly behind tree-box. and was
hidden from view from the other side, while
he could see perfectly.
The streets were now almost deserted, and
very quiet. In few minutes he heard
hack rolling toward him over the Nicholson
| pavement.
| 1t passed by and stopped at No. 1913. In
spite OF the bandage over one eye, aud plas-
tiers on his face Kent recognized the driver
as Mick Morgan.
| Yell have to come out and git it yer
| silf, Jem," said Mick to the watcher in the
| area. olive bin badly hurried to-day, an
can't git down off me box. OF should be IN
bed this minnit, and not exposin' mesilf to
| the noight air."
Jem came up, with labor and grumbling,
opened the hack door, and tugged at a trunk
/! inside.
Hits bloody 'eavy," he complained.
{" HILL rack my bones to carry hit him"
well, s'posin' it does" said Mick. It's
not the first heavy box we carried in, nor
will it be the last; aud they've paid you
well. Good noight."
Kent formed sudden resolution. He'll
| go out to get drink after that work. I'll
meet and make up to him, and somehow
manage to get inside that house. There's a
world there that l want TO see"
| Kents prophecy was correct. Jem soon
came out of the basement, putting, painting,
wlping his steaming forehead, and making
| directly for a saloon on aneighboring corner.
! Kent slipped softly down in the shadow of
| the building, and entered the saloon from
another direction at the same time that Jem
| walked in.
Kent approached the bar, and called for a
glass of beer, and then apparently noticing
Jem for the first time called out:
! Partner. won't you join me? WhatH
you have?"
Don't care if do," answered Jem. "Gi'
me some whisky"
Lets go over to the table and sit down."
suggested Kent. "rm dead tired. I've
been walking ever since / came in this morn
ing, and Amt used to walking lately"
They took seat at one of the tables. Jem
swallowed his whisky at one gulp. Kent
promptly noticed the empty glass, drained
his own, and told the barkeeper to fill them
| UP again. Jem looked at him with approval
IN his bleared eyes.
Been an awful hot day." said Kent, wip-
| ing his face "I've been out in the sun, and
| / amt used to being out in the sum-"
| Hottest ever knowed," assented Jem
briefly.
Your glass is empty again. Sos mine.
| You must be as thirsty as / am. tell you,
beer tastes good to a man who hasn't had
any for three years. Barkeeper, fill 'em up
again"
Three large drafts of straight whisky in
quick succession must have a thawing effect
even upon such nature as Jem Tiles. He
began to show a feeling of interest in the
| liberal young stranger.
"Where'd you say you were from?" he
/ asked.
q haven't said,n said Kent, with show
| of evasiveness. I'm not exactly proud of
| my last postoffice address"
"Um," said Jem significantly, after mo-
ment's study of Kent's short hair and white
| T., ,,.,l Ine
| Apparently, Kent did not notice this. He
| seemed to be turning something over in his
mind At length he said:
! "Here, you seem to be the right kind of
a man. thought so the moment looked at
you. Let's have these glasses filled again. My
| s1ul. how good that beer does taste! A fellow
| never knows how good lush is until he's had
TO do without even smell of it for three
years"
/ He pulled out a roll of money, which he
took care to let the other man see, and Sc
lec,ed $40 bill TO give the barkeeper
Pm sure you've been a very lively man
in your day, and you're far from bad man
| vet. l said that the minute / laid eyes on
YOU"
Jem Tiles tongue was now pretty thor
| oughly loosened and he hardly needed this
encouragement to speak.
"Yes; though l say hit has shouldn't,
hand Hi scorn TO boast, the day as been
wen there wuz mighty few men hin the
world wat could stand mp through four
rounds before .Jem Tile. Hi won the mid
dle-weight belt for Hall Hingland from Pat
Murray, hand would ave 'eld it, but hat
'Ammersmith next year, wen Hi 'ad Giles
Douncer clean Wiped, hin spite hof the
rosin hon lis lands. witch was agin the new
rules the gang hof blokes that 'ad their
money up on i'm hat big holds, cut the ropes
hand broke up the fight. My seconds see
Us a-puttin' rosin on lis hands plain has
day, hand called the referees hattention to
hit, but e lad some hOf the Douncer gang S
stuff hin lis pocket, the bloody duffer, hand
wouldn't see nothink that e didn't want ter.
Hi wuz so sore habout hit that Hi left Hing
land, hand come to this beastly country"
Kent sylnpathized with the gross Unjust
ice of things and the decadence of the prize
ring, and ordered more, drinks. He set
his own glass, on the shelf under the top of
the table, and watched his opportunity to
pour its contents into the spittoon. Jen
Tile was now in the full tide of reminiscent
tial flow, which Kent patiently encouraged,
supplying fuel by sympathetic interjectons
and periodic orders to the barkeeper for re-
filling the glasses. The barkeeper at last in
terfered:
"Sorry to say it, gents, but must close
up It's 1 o'clock, and Pm SO sleepy i
| g y. -