Evening star., 1900-10-13
CHAPTER XIII.

crowding around Bruce One of them
looked up and said:
Il guess he's done for. Hunch."
CHAPTER XIII.
1t was a cold Gay in Manistee. The
snow lay in high banks on both sides Of
the street tracks. with paths cut
through at the crossings and in front of the
larger stores; underfoot 1t creaked and
crunched. Men walked briskly, keeping
their hands in their pockets or holding
them over ears and noses. and pausing at
the drug store the corner to look at the
red thermometer.
1t was close to noon, and number Of
men were coming down a flight Of stairs
which reached the sidewalk a few doors
beyond the drug store. The last one was
Hunch Badeau, with his ulster collar turn
ed up. his cap pulled over his ears, and
his fur mittens When they reached
the street two of the other men turned and
shook hands with him, but he had nothing
to say and a moment later he was walking
alone slowly, up the bridge approach. The
examination over and he was free. His
case had not reached trial. for he had
killed Considne plainly in self-defense.
A long row of schooners, steamers and
tugs lay alongside the docks on both sides
of the narrow river. On most OF the
schooners length of stovepipe came out
of cabin window, and a few wisps OF
smoke winding laZily out, to be snatched
away by the wind, showed that many a
sailor was lying dormant during the winter
months Hunch fingered the bridge.
He had once spent winter in Chicago on
big schooner, locked up snugly In the
North branch, near Goose Island, eating
and sleeping, smoking and swapping yarns,
and helping to drink up somebody's sum-
mer profits. That was a long while ago;
1t seemed to Hunch dim part of some
past life before he had ever met woman
other than the rough girls Of the Chicago
levee and the North Peninsula stockades.
Mr.. Jackson had told Hunch that he need
not go back to work that day, so he climber
to his room and sat on the chair by the
window. Bruces things were lying about
| the room, his razor on the bureau, his Sun
day clothes over a chair In the closet, his
shoes under the foot Of the bed. Hunch
got up and began to get them together,
without knowing exactly why he was doing
| 1t. He packed what he could in the patent
leather valise, and made up the rest into
bundles. borrowing paper and string from
, the landlady. Then he sat down again: but
before long, too restless to stay alone. he
put on his coat and walked out to the mill.
Mr. Jackson was standing near the waste
| dump with a memorandum book in his
hand
We'll Badeau, what's the NATTER"
Nothing; guess 1 nights we'll get to
| work"
Just as you like"
| The men looked surprised when he Joined
them. He was nervous, and he worked
both himself and them al pace that wore
| them out in a few hours. But at o'clock,
| when Inc whistle pieW, ana ne put on MS
| coat and went to the boarding house, he
/ felt refreshed.
| On Sunday after several days Of hesitat-
| ing over the best way to get Bruces things
| to Mamie, Hunch gathered up the bundles
| and the valise, and took the noon train to
| ManLstogee. He sat for two hours in the
| station before he could make up his mind
| to take them to Joe Carriers house. When
he finally knocked at the door Joe's wife
| opened It.
How dye do. Mr.. Badeau. Come in.
| won't your
| mo, I can't" said Hunch. Hold on:
| yes. I WILL too, just minute. Where's
| JoeT
| Here he is." replied Joe himself coming
| through the hall in his shirtsleeves. Come
! in and sit down.
I Hunch stepped in and dropped the bun
dies In the corner.
| Can 1 speak to you a minute. Joer.
Sure thing. Walk In the front ROOM.
/ Martha, I could swear Hunch ain't had his
dinner. Fetch out some of the chicken and
potatoes. It ain't 30 hot as twas. Hunch.