The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-10-18
THE PRINCE OF
THE GOLDEN HAND ;
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might carry your bag. sir?'
Dick had been standing with his hands
thrust in his pockets. staring modify at
the seaside village station. He turned
quickly at the sound of the voice beside
him. He saw in the dim light Of the
place a lad apparently about fourteen or
fifteen, slim and delicate locking. and
with a white. pathetic face. Before he
could answer the voice Of Captain Boxer
chimed in:
"Nice lad; sharp: probably bolt with
bag; probably drop it and smash some
thing. Nice lad"
"My bags rather heavy. don't know
whether you can manage it." said Dick
kindly. "And I'm sure don't know
where I'm going"
Indeed. I'm quite strong. SIR" broke
in the boy eagerly, moving toward the
bag.
Now, Dick could quite easily have car
ried the bag himself. but he was a good
natured fellow. and he felt that quarter
probably would mean a great deal to this
boy and would mean absolutely nothing
10 himself. Therefore he let the lad car.
~ it. and Captain Boxer carried his own.
Moreover. il was found, when the two
friends got outside that the captain knew
0I q certain hOttI uOl VI
had heard Of 1t somewhere or from
some one-and thither they went.
But outside the station they stopped
and looked about them. for neither boy
nor bng was to be seen. Dick looked some
what blankly at the captain, and the cap
tain nodded sagaciously.
Certain of It," said the captain jcrkily;
"knew boy would bolt; saw it in his eye"
otr han o1oin and incf inside
the station came upon the boy and the
bag But the boy was not carrying IL.
Instead he had simply tainted beside it
and was lying crouchcd against the wall
with his hand still firmly clutching it. A
porter was trying to ronse him. hut vain
ly.
Dick Lyddon was q man Of resource.
Almost before the porter knew what had
happened he was scudding away into
waiting room in search OF water, and
Dick had a strong arm round the lad and
had got him to his feet.
"What brute | am to have let this
chap carry that bag" he muttercd to the
captain, who had returned hurriedly.
Just look at him. He's as slim as a girl.
and a pretty girl too. That's 1t, young
ster Pull yourself together. All right
now?"
Slowly the heavy eyes opened and turn
ed in Dicks direction. With startled
look the boy endeavored to break away
from Dicks encircling arm. But In less
time than il takes to write this Dick and
the captain between them had supported
the lad rapidly and firmly across the road
and In the direction of the hotel. Within
few minutes Dick presented himself in
the hall OF the place. quite calmly. and
demanded brandy. But By the time it
had arrived the boy-whether from fright
or not it is impossible to say-had quite
recovered and refused obstinately to take
it.
Indeed, am quite well. There is
nothing the matter" be whispered. glunc.
ing nervously toward the door. III you
will let me go now, shall be quite we'll"
well. here's your quarter. at any
rate" said Dick.
The boy looked at II wistfully. but slow
ly shook his head. "No, thank you.
didn't earn it." he said. And then. before
the astonished Dick could stop him, he
turned quickly and ran out Of the hotel.
"Order dinner, captain" cried Dick.
making for the door also. 81 can't let
him go like that. III be back directly"
He dashed off out of the place In pursuit
of the boy.
He had some distance to go and under
ordinary circumstances might have turned
back, laughing at himself for his QuiXotic
folly. But the pathetic face of the boy
haunted him. He seemed to be looking
again into those brown eyes. So he went
on hurriedly, keeping the figure before
him In sight, until he came into the mar
rover streets of the little town. far away
IL A. h. Nho hnx
to earth.
Right at the TOP Of one Of the smallest
houses the boy, still unconscious that no
was being watched, thrust open n door
and disappeared into a room. Motives Of
delicacy prevented Dick from going far
theF, and yet he wanted TO help the lad il
he could. Hesitatingly he waited about
on the staircase half inclined to blame
himself for taking 80 much trouble over
matter which did not, after all. really
concern him. half inclined to push the
matter further and follow the lad into the
room.
He must have waited quite ten minutes
on that staircase. forgctful Of Captain
Boxer and the dinner and everything,
At last, however. he knocked NJ the door
softly. getting no response, opened 1t and
went into the room.
II was poor place, poorly furnished
yet exquisitely neat and clean. AS a mat
ter Of fact, Dick had no eyes for the room
or anything about II. He stood still, just
within the door. watching the bowed fig
ure Of q young girl, whose arms were
spread out on the table and whose head
was buried bet ween her arms. AT tia
moment that Dick entered she was sob
bling quietly and despairingly, In q man
ner heartbreaking to hear.
Now, Dick was. before all things. ten.
der hearted. On the impulse Of the mo-
ment he moved forward in his impetuous
boyish fashion and touched the girl gently
on the shoulder.
"Here. say. don't give way. You
know
he stopped In amazement. The girl
started to her feet and faced him. end he
drew back. staring at her blankly. for
here was the mort. curly brown hair, the
deep. pathetic brown eyes and the deli
cate white face of the boy who had tried
TO carry his bag. Yet her dress now was
what Il ought to have been-plain and
neat and rather shabby. but quite woman
q. The girl, for her part, recognized
Dick and, with q cry, covered her face
with her hands and shrank away from
him.
Don't do that" said Dick hastily.
"You don't know me at all IL you do that.
l thought there was something strange
about you. l want to help you-if you'll
let me-"
There was something 80 winning about
the boyish. good humored face and in the
frank young voice that she began to re-
| gain confidence and told him hurriedly
aud In as few words as possible something
Of her story-of how she had been left al
most pennilcss with younger brother to
support; of how she had come with this
younger brother to this quiet place in
search OF health for the boy: Of the death
| Of the boy and Of finding herself friend
less and pcnniless in d strange place. In
moment of despair she had donned her
dead brothers clothes and gone out in
the hope of earning quarter in some
fashion that should find her food. While
she talked Dick had sudden inspiration
and acted upon il:
Look here" he said. what is your
name?
"Tamlyn-Bertha Tamlyn," replied the
girl.
Most extraordinary" exclaimed Dick,
inventing a story on the spot. My ia
Their knew your father - great friends
they were-nnd he left sort Of injunc-
ton upon me to look after you, to be