The Holly chieftain., 1902-02-28
CHAPTER XVI.

man one evening In the coming twi-
light; q towering. gaunt skeleton,
whose remarkably long arms and legs
looked little more than skin and bone
The arms were fully exposed to view,
since their owner. though he possessed
and wore . waistcoat. dispensed with
the use of shirt An article, once .
coat, lay ON the hopr. to be donned
at will-if 1t could be got into for
the holes. The man sat ON the hocr
in corner. his head finding resting
place against the wall, and he had
dropped into a light sleep, but II ever
famine was depleted in q face. 1t was
In his. Unwashed. unshaven. with
matted hair and feverish lips: the
cheeks were hollow, the nostrils
white and pinched, and the ska
around the mouth had blue hnge.
Some one tried and shook the door: It
aroused him, and he started up. but
only to cover in a bending attitude
and listen.
81 hear you." cried voice How
are you tonight. Joe? Open the door,"
The voice was not one he knew; not,
one that might be responded to.
'Do you call this politeness. Joe
Nichols? II you don't open the door,
shall take the liberty of opening 1t for
myself. which will put you to the
trouble of mending the fastenings
afterwards"
Who are your" cried Nichols, read
ing determination in the voice. I'm
RoI1
tonight"
Gone to bed at oclock?"
Yes; I'm ILL.,"
Il will give you one minute, and
then l come in. You will open 1t II
you want to save trouble"
Nichols yielded to his fate and
opened the door.
The gentleman-he looked like one
cast his keen eyes around the room
There was not vestige of furniture
In 1t; nothing but the bare, dirty
walls. from which the mortar crum-
bled, and the bare, dirty boards.
What did you mean by saying you
were gone to bed, eh?"
so was. l was asleep there"
pointing to the. corner. and there's
my bed. What do you want?" added
Nichols, peering at the strangers
face in the gloom of the evening, but
seeing N imperfectly, for his hat was
drawn low over 1t.
"A little talk with you. The last
sweepstake you got into"
The man lifted his face and burst
forth with such eagerness that the
stranger could only arrest his own
words and listen.
ut was swindls from beginning to
end. had scraped together the ten
shillings to put in 1t, and drew the
right horse and was shufied out of
the gains and have never had my
dues, not a farthing OF 'em. Since then
have been i'll, and can't get about
to better myself. Are you come, sir,
to make it right?".
"Some"-the stranger coughed--
friends Of mine were in 1t, ALSO" said
he: "and they lost their money"
Everybody lost it; the getters-up
bolted with all they had drawn into
their fingers. Have they been took,
do you know"
"All in good time; they have left
their trail. So you have been Ill, have
your"
I'll! Just take sight of me!
There's an arm for a big man"
He stretched out his naked arm for
inspection: 1t appeared a. II touch
would snap 1t. The stranger laid his
hand jupon its fingers, and his other
hand appeared to be stealing furtively
toward his own pocket
II should say this looks like starva-
tion, joe"
''Some'at nigh akin to It,"
A pause of unsuspiclon and the
handouts were clapped on the aston
ished man. He started up with an
oath. -
mo need to make noise, Nichols"
said the detective with careless air.
II have got two men waiting outside"
II swear l wasn't in the plate rob-
berry," passionatelv uttered the man.
II knew Of 1t. but didn't Join 'em,
and never had the worth Of salt
spoon after 1t was melted down. And
they call mes coward, and they leave
me here to starve and die! / swear
wasn't in It,"
Well, we'll talk about the plate
robbery another time" said the ofacer,
as he raised his hat; you have got
those bracelets on, my man, for an
other sort Of bracelet. A diamond one.