The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-01-08
THE FITTEST SURVIVES
By ]. H. CONNOLLY.

CHAPTER XIV.

SI1<dI AN.
The pawnbroker looked askance at
the big chunk of silver, scanned sus-
piciously the inscription it bore, and
utter good deal of elaboration said he
sould advance $25 on it. He admitted
that it was intrinsically worth ten
times that sum and perhaps more, but
that was all he proposed to risk on the
chances Of its being reclaimed by the
police.
Chester burned with Indignation, but
did not dare to resent the fellows in
suits, for it was quite true that he had
no right to dis lose Of the property and
he wanrCd the money. With the
small sum thus obtained at such q sac
rifice of honor and self respect, he al
most ran to Mr.. Cofferty's gaming ia
ble Within an hour he saw he Dealers
long, snal1y fingers close upon the ivory
disk representing the last dollar Of the
twenty and with easy, graceful in
difference slide it upon pile of its
fellows at his side.
The young man walked slowly out,
down the stairs and away, feeling stun
ned and moving in a dazed, uncertain
way, like one walking in dream. The
blow seemed to have induced a sort of
mental torpidity, in which somehow he
recognized that he was an ungrateful,
destitute hopelessly dishonored thief,
and yet even that thought could not
sting him into wakefulness and mad
ness 1t slipped away from him.
An electric light long way before
him fascinated his sight, and he walked
on and ON toward it mechanically, with
out purpose, thinking of nothing Out
of saloon door, suddenly opened as he
passed, came burst of coarse music,
and the strain he caught of it chung in
his dull brain, repeating itself monoto-
nously, making him unconsciously time
his steps to it. 1t was finally dispelled
by the vehement profanity of cab
driver in front of whose horse he de-
iberately walked at q crossing. He heard
the mans lurid remarks, but went on
without answering, changing his gait
or looking back like an automaton.
After time he noticed bench and
sat down upon it, as if his muscles had
remembered that they were weary. A
man in a gray uniform came out Of the
shadow of a clump Of evergreens few
feet away from him and stood in the
middle of the road, regarding him sus-
piciously. Partially recalled to himself,
he looked about him, recognized that he
was in the Seventh avenue entrance Of
Central park, and, rising, went out to
OH u1u N
westwardly.
A fine, penetrating, cold rain was
falling, and gradually sense of phys
ical discomfort forced itself upon his
consciousness, at the same time waking
q keen mental agony. Since his neces-
sarily frugal breakfast he had eaten
nothing, and now, in addition to being
saturated by the rain, chilled to the
bone and very weary, he was horribly
hungry. Worse than all-he was an
outcast thief.
Where he was he had no idea further
than that he must be somewhere far up
town ON the west side, in residence
section of the city, very lonely and quiet
at this hour, particularly on such
night as this. If he could find place
where he might get some food and a cup
of hot coffee, he would not care where
he was. Careful search through his
pockets brought to light but one solitary
nickel 1t would be useless to find
place for refreshment without having
more money than that. He sat down
upon rock near street corner, with
growing, sullen indifference. to every
thing.
The rise of the hill cut off from where