The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-17
CHAPTER I.-contlnued.

if one tried to put them into practice his
mind must be weakening.
such is my Intention persisted Mr.
Mitchell.
81 wish you JOY in your venture" said
the colonel. with his most satirical
sneer.
Before following the colonel from the
room Mr.. Mitchell stopped over and kiss
ed the baby and held her hand in his
for a moment. He had imagined some
thing and wished to confirm or dismiss
the idea. While the baby had been clasp
ing the colonels thumb he had noted
popularity about the coloners hand. The
knuckle of the third finger was abnormal
ly large. and consequently the little finger
seemed quite curved at the end from
lying against the protruding joint next 20
it, IL had also seemed TO him that the'
baby's fingers were similarly fashioned.
He therefore looked at the hand more at
tentively now that he held IL within
his own. and sure enough. he found
the large joint OF the third finger and
the curved end OF the fourth.
And you think this hand proves blue
blood. Mrs. Martini"
Il do" said the matron positively.
''Then we will make her bluebloded
father provide for her" replied Mr..
Mitchell
That's the talk, sir. and luck go with
you.'' said Mrs. Martin. her first opinion
OF Mr.. Mitchell much altered In that gem
tleman's favor.
Take care of the little lady till her faith
er calls for her. added Mr.. Mitchell.
THAT | will. sir. and heaven bless
you for a good man."
Leaving the building Mr.. Mitchell cross
ed over to Third avenue and boarded an
elevated train. going down town far
a m
descended TO the street. One minutes
walk brought him TO tho quaint old
burial ground rising ten feet above the
street level and guarded by brick wall
surmounted by an iron fence with spear
topped pickets As Mr.. Mitchell stood
peering into the place an elevated train
went by with n rumbling noise remind
lfrg him that he was In one OF the city's
most public thoroughfares. Yet this lit
tie graveyard passed by thousands daily
speeding down to their place OF busine,s
and surrounded by tenements crowded 70
suffocation. had been chosen fitting
spot in which to abandon a child and onIy
one OF the many human beings thereabout
had found time To Interfere In behalf OF
the stray waif What an astonlshed COM
mentary upon civilization that such things
could be,
Mr. Mitchell passed on TO the next cI--
ncr and. turning. soon found h h'rsclf IN
front OF the number given to him az the
address OF Gertrude Griffin. He paused
a moment. considering what would be the
best way TO find the woman, and then ac-
costed a young hoodlum OF ten who came
out of the house
"Do you know whether Gertrude GRIT
fin is at homer" he asked.
Nav How sh'd know | Amt her
keeper"
But she lives here. does she not?'
Maybe she do, and maybe she don't.
amt runnin this iodgin house. so I
amt quan.ed with the hull gang what
sleeps here"
do you suppose I couiu go up stairs|'
Sure, There amt nobody holdin you,
is there?"
with laugh the incorrgible young
eter ran off down the street. leaving his
questioner as wise before they had
met A number OF children with pinch
ed faces and inquring eyes. had gather
ed about the well dressed man. who was
something OF curiosity in the neighbor-
hodd. and stood gazing at him expect
antly. Believing that he might succeed
better with one OF the girls, Mr.. Mitchell
accostcd a bright looking child about
and asked her II she knew where Ger
trude Griffin lived, but the little one shook
her head negatively and shyly retreated
behind her companions. Patting her ca
ressingiy on the head. he went into the
house.
The hallway was so narrow that. leav-
ing the sunlight without. he found at
FIRST that he could see nothing at ALL
the darkness by contrast being so great
In a few moments his eyes became ac-
customed TO the gloom. and he made out
that there was narrow passage way on
either side OF which he could see three
doors, but at the opposite end nothing
but inky blackness. Was IL possible that
human beings lived in such structures as
th.s7 A loud scuffle. scream and the
angry voices of man and woman In
drunken brawi. coming from the mys-
terious realms somewhere over his head,
answered his mental query
He Knocked at the door nearest 10 him,
and after a long walt IL was opened
few inches. and black bearded head
with two shining eyes looked out at
him
"vat do you vant?" was the greeting
IN foreign accent.
Does Gertrude Griffin live In this
building7" asked MIR Mitchell
"Iiow In dc world should / knCw?' was
the answer. accompanied by a noisy bang
Of the door as the head disappeared.
shutting out the whlrring sound II sew
ing machines which had givon svidencc
Of life within.
The man evidently thought II pre-
pcsterous proposition that he should
know the names of the other occupants
OF the building In which he had his habi-
tation. and indeed this e. true In much
more fashionable quarters OF the great
metropolis. for up town. where the cnor-
nous tenement houses have ne 1igher
sounding title OF hotel" or apartment
house" the inmates know as little of each
other as they do In the slums
Thus II began to he appar mt 30 MI.
~ tchel that the street and number were
o. inadequate address IN this neghbor-
hood. but he was determined 10 nn1 the
woman. 30 he went 10 the next dooi,
where he received no response 10 con-
tinuai knockings. and thcn 10 the next.
where he found a woman who could
speak only some foreign iargon quite
unfamiliar 10 his ears. and tncn across
the hall. where a drunken brute OF man
reviled him with curses. aud - frum
door TO door and mp one flight after en-
other. for he found an unnghtel stair
way az the back OF the hail until al last
he stood before door uron the sixth
landing. and upon asking the woman
who opened 10 him. Does Gertrude
Griffin live herc7" receive for answer:
Yes Are you the coroner