The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-06-19

ais polished shoes ana neat clothes,
walked ovsr to the seat where he had
left his valise. He had not the air cf
complacency proper TO n student
whose vacation had just begun after
ten successful months in college.
Chester had seated himself, drawn
his handkerchief twice across his
forehead, and looked at the clock be-
fore ne observed the back of young
man seated reading a paper under one
of the lights. This young man seemed
deeply interested in his paper; but
Chester addressed him without cere-
mony.
'Hullo, there, Wainwright" said he.
Thought you were home long ago.
What are you doing htre?'
Wainwright raised his eyes, turned
his head, dropped his paper, and came
across the floor to his friend.
"Well. I'll be shot!' he exclaimed.
Il didn't think | should meet any Of
you fellows here. did leave early this
morning. but wreck delayed us four
hours. So I'm about as well off as If
had waited for you. Did you just get
in?"
"Oh. no." said Chester, glanclng at
the clock. 81 got here at eighteen, and
it's almost nine now. Didn't see you
around here then"
mo, I took walk up the street.
$50 did |. And thereby hangs a
tale. Haven't you noticed my wild ap-
pearance?"
"Now that you mention it," said
Wainwright, you do look as If some
thing was wrong"
II went out to take stroll" said
Chester, taking off his straw hat and
running his hand through his hair.
"And as l was going up one of those
abounding side streets, was attacked
by footpads-"
What? Footpads in Elmira? How
many?"
Three. Two were perhaps is years
old. and the other 1S or Il"
"Pshaw, boys! What did they
want?"
Very determined boys, can tell
you." said Chester. "They wanted
money. II I didn't happen to have any
they wanted my ticker | happened
to have use for both articles, and so
| had to fight for them. The bigger
fellows were easily knocked out. but
the youngest chung to me, tearing and
cursing and kicking. l wanted TO
bring the business to an end. I threw
him back very forcibly. 1t wasn't un-
til he fell that | saw how really small
and young he was"
$50 you came out ahead?" said
Wainwright. But where were the
police? OF course, though. you didn't
want to be detained here a day or
two as a witness. Could you identify
them?"
81 know they were 'toughs,' but
that's all. heard one of them call
another Garvan."
"Garvan" explained Wainwright.
Hold on minute. Did the smallest
one have short trousers and curly
hair and blue eyes?"
"He certainly had short trousers"
said Chester, "and | think his eyes
were blue, and his hair might have
curled, for all know. But it was all
jammed under a soft cap pulled over
his eyes"
81 Think said Wainwright. that l
know who he was-he was Mrs. Gar
vans Baby"
Mrs. Caravans baby." calculated
Chester. well, I must say he's n
charming infant, But what do you
call him Baby for? He's no baby, |
can assure you"
''He Is to her." Wainwright said.
"And happen to know his whole his
will just have time to give it to you.
My train leaves at g."
''You have 10 minutes" said Ches-
ter. Fire ahead Is he one of your
Corning friends?"
HE belongs in Corning, though I've
never spoken to him. think. Some
years ago | used to see in Corning a
small, curly headed boy, very bright
and well liked by all who knew him
1t was Ms. Caravans Baby. She al
ways called him Baby because ne was
her youngest. His father worked on
the railroad, and they were so poor
that when the boy had gone to school
a few years they let him work one
summer in the factory. He wanted to
go, and they thought 1t would keer
him off the streets.
"But soon the Baby began to grow
tough, and in year he was thor.
oughly bad boy. In the daytime he
worked, and at night he was on tbs
streets. He learned all the bad things
that the streets of town at night
could teach him.
"He smoked. chewed and ever
drank sometimes He began to stay
away from home for weeks at time
But he always came back until tht
day. about year ago, when his IA
ther found him drunk on the streets
and horsewhippsl him severely. TIL,
Baby has never been home since"
Chester whistled softly.
"That isn't the worst part of IT,
Wainwright went on. "The sam.
week that the boy ran away the IA
xvoc billed IN The ro;I,,ol