The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-20

! He remembered gazing up at the lights
| In the Cecil and the Savoy, and that
| they called to his mind that he was hum
| CRY. and then he seemed to know nothing
save that everywhere was soft and silent
| whiteness and that he was gravitating to-
| ward the Courier office. with its warmth
and welcome.
1t was within the last half hour Of his
| task that ne stood in the deserted Strand
| again, at the corner of Southampton
| Street. He glanced up toward Covent
| Garden. and coming slowly toward him
was figure In black y girl, thiHIy and
! poorly clad, 4 mere slip Of womankind;
| the drifting snow lay thick upon her CLOAK
and crepe-trimmed hat, and her face was
white and pinched with cold as she walked
| ,msteadily. buGeted by the gusts OF wind
which hurled themselves upon her.
| She swayed and almost .fell as she
neared the man who waited at the corner
| and in a second he was by her side.
You viii pardon me" ne said, you
are III and"
Thank you, no." she interrupted as
she glanced at him standing before her
with his hat in his hand and the snow
thickenng upon his head. 1t is nothing.
| am only tired
But you should not ne out on such
night he continued, for the face that he
looked upon was that of a girl unused to
| the rough side of life: If it is an errand.
let me do II for you.
Il am on my way home now. she an
| swered. You are very good. I've had
trying day and then, almost before
he knew what had happened, she had tot
tered before him. and he saved her only
by hairs breadth from falling upon the
pavement
The quarter struck as he stood there
with the fainting girl clasped in his arms.
and Their as a helated cab came level with
them he stopped it and lifted. her in
Daily Courier office. Fleet Street, he
said, "as fast as you can get along"
IN "a eYap1 n
snaiHs pace in the terror Of that old-fash-
Toned winter, and she was almost as one
dead when ne bore her in his arms into
the room of the editor of the Courier
and gently placed her in the chair of the
chief.
The room was empty, but in the corner
was a sight that brought back to the man
the hunger that had been almost forgot
ten \ table laid for supper. \ chicken
roasted to perfection, ham cut to the
most tempting proportion, tongue,
bread. butter. cheese. and salad galore:
q cold collation. fit for a prince, much less
a starving teggar. and the chair that was
set for him flanlled by g0ld-foiled bottles.
It was the champagne bottles that
aroused him to activity. and in a second
he had deity knocked OFF the neck or one
with the ornamental brass poker, and
held half a elassfUl to the lips of the gil.
who seemed to now be arousing from her
numbness of exhaustion.
You're very good. SHE said, and as he
her checks and the blueness of the frost
leaving them he realized mat she was
pretty As pretty as a picture. ne told
himself and stiu GaZed at her, until her
color deepened stiu a little more.
IT'S ali right" he said. gently You're
in nv office: the office of the Courier.
You tainted. you know. lust as / saw you
Don't worry. It's all right. Rest awhile
and then wen send you home In cab,
and he took the cloak from her shoulders
and threw IL over a chair.
She only said Thank you, and then a
brilliant idea seemed to strike Charlie
Carroll.
Are YOU hungry?" he jerked. as though
he felt the question was unconventional.
'.StarvinC" she answered simply.
Before he had time to ask himself
whether such an action could be counted
chair and all. dragged the table over 20
her and with knife and fork in hand,
eazed al her enquirinsly-
Chicken and ham?'
Chicken and ham and tongue. please.
she answered. demurely, and started on
roll. ,.-,
You must be hungry" he exclaimed.
I've had nothing to eat for twenty-four
hours she answered, speaking thickly
through a portion OF literally Duttered
roll
"Twentv-four hours. eh?" he answered,
with a lump in his throat, quite forgetting
ne had starved for the same time himself.
Poor little girl-twenty-four hours. and
this is London this IS civilization"
Yes" she answered, looking into his
eyes. this Is London, the greatest. the
wealthest and the cruellest city in the
world Where should | have been tonight
II you had not been the good Samaritan?
Lying where / had fallen
You'd better get on" he said, handing