The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-05-23
BY Will M. Harbsr,
P Xy.-CoST1SUEp.
copyright. 1900, byA. N. Kellogg Newspaper Co.

CHAPTER XV.-CoNTINUED.
From a good position, hidden by a
truck loaded with luggage, he saw
Blanche alight from the train and sig
nal to a hanson. Then, while her back
was turned towards him, he called an
other, and after he had taken his seat
lie pointed to Blanche's hanson which
was turning into the street.
u want to keep that lady in sight"
he told the cabman; "do you under
stand p"
Perfectly. sir" with a broad, pleased
grin. Detective, sir?"
mo; do as I tell YOU"
al right, sir; pardon, SIR
The two cabs preserved a mean dis
lance of half a block between each
other. It was a cloudy day, as warm
as spring. The asphalt payements
were wet and slick and the horses
often slipped to the ground. Blanche's
hanson turned into Fourth avenue
and headed down town. Below Coop
,er Union it ran into the Bowery. And
along this thoroughfare, with the
double tracks of the elevated railway
overhead, the two vehicles forged
ahead as rapidly as the perpetual
stream of cars, wagons and cabs
would permit. They passed the City
Hall park and then ran into Beekman
street. Goddard saw Blanche's cab
man scanning the doors in search of
a number, and knew she was near her
destination.
The major raped on the top of the
cab, and the driver looked in at him
through the hole in the roof.
swell, sir?" he said.
eff the lady should get out keep
your eye on the house and put me
down near there" ordered the major,
Fright you are, sir"
In the most disreputable part of
tine lower end of Beekman street the
foremost hanson came to a halt be-
fore a red brick fve-story building.
the major saw the face of his ward
for a single moment as she stood on
the ground and held up her fare to
the cabman, his own driver having
refined in behind a wagon loaded with
bales of hay.
Goddard felt like a spy, but he told
himself he had the right to follow her,
fearing that she was being led into
danger.
ST shall get down here,'' he said, hur-
riedly, when Blanche had gone into
the house. The cabman took his
double fee reluctantly.
Had 1 better wait about here, STRIP
he asked, evidently the prey of curl
osity. r
mo, 7 shall not need you," and the
major was off. When he reached the
building Blanche had entered he saw
nothing of her. The entrance was
very unclean. A barrel of rags stood
at the foot Of the stairway and three
tattered boys were tossing pennies in
the doorway.
"a lady came in here just now" he
said to the first smutty visage that
turned towards him.
went upstairs" said the owner of
the face.
"Do you know which foor?" asked
Goddard.
The boy did not, and shook his head.
"She asked for the Simpsons" said
another urchin. .They are top floor
back"
"Who are the Simpsons?" asked the
major.
81 don't know, sir" said the first
boy who had spoken. "You can't
misa it; it's as high as you ca1 go"
1t then occurred to Goddard that he
was unarmed, and as he did O doubt
that Blanche had been beguiled into
some sort of trap he felt his inability
to defend her in an emergency, and
yet he almost ran up the five flights
of narrow, unswept stairs. Reaching
the Top, and seeing a door at the side
OF which stood a bedstead which had
been taken apart and a mattress and
ragged bed coverings, he bent his ear
to Listen. For a moment he heard
nothirs. and then suddenly from the
room came TIE sound of weeping and
Che wailing of 8 woman's voice. This
startled kim, and hs triad the door
latch. It turned. Inc door opened
;uto d cherries Dor Around the
walls sat a, dozen old men and women
as still and silent as Quakers at a
meeting. A door in this room opened
into another chamber, and there he
saw, q throng of women and children,
and thence issued the sounds of sobs
and cries of grief. B~ewildered, he
went to the door and looked for
Blnnche. His eyes fell on the corpse
Il . woman covered to her wrinkled
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