The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-12

All things are for sale In Fort SAID,
said madame. eff my husband comes
It will be so much more. Eth, 'ow you
call-'alf q sovereign"
The money was paid, and the mad
dance came off that night in the walled
courtyard at the back Of Nine. Binat's
house The lady herself in faded
mauve silk always about to slide from
her yellow shoulders, played the piano,
and to the tinpot music of a western
waltz the Zanzibar girls danced furi-
ously by the light of kerosene lamps.
Binat sat upon a chair and stared
with eyes that saw nothing till the
whirl of the dance and the clang of the
rafting piano stole into the drink that
took the place of blood in his veins, and
his face glistened. Dick took him by
the chin brutally and turned that face
to the light. Nine. Binat looked over
her shoulder and smiled with many
teeth. Dick leaned against the wall
and sketched for an hour, till the kero-
sene lamps began to smell and the girls
threw themselves painting on the hard
beaten ground.
Then he shut his book with a snap
and moved away, Binat plucking fee
bly, at his elbow. "Show me-" he whim-
pered. 81, too, was once an artist, even
Ir' Dick showed him the rough sketch.
"Am I that?" he screamed. ''Will you
take that away with you and show all
the world that it is l, Binat?" He
moaned and wept.
Monsieur has paid for ALL" said
madame. "To the pleasure of seeing
monsieur again."
The courtyard gate shut, and Dick
nearest gambling hell, where he was
well known. eff the luck holds, it's
an omen; if l lose, l must stay here"
He placed his money picturesquely
about the board, hardly daring to look
at what he did. The luck held. Three
turns Of the wheel left him richer by
ego, and he went down to the shipping
to make friends with the captain of a
decayed cargo steamer, who landed
him In London with fewer pounds in
his pocket than he cared to think
about.
A thin gray fog hung over the city,
and the streets were very cold, for
summer was in England.
"Its a cherries wilderness, and 1t
hasn't the knack of altering much"
Dick thought as he tramped from the
docks westward. "Now. what must
do?"
The packed houses gave no answer.
Dick looked down the long, lightless
streets and at the appalling rush Of
traffic. "Oh, you rabbit hutches" said
he, addressing row of highly respect
able. semidetached residences. do you
know what you've got to do later
on7 You have to supply me with mem
servants and maidservants" i here he
smacked his lips land the peculiar
treasure of kings. Meantime I'll get
clothes and boots, and presently I will
return and trample on you" He step
ped forward theoretically; he saw that
one Of his shoes was burst at the side.
AS he stopped to make investigation
q man jostled him into the gutter. Cali
right" he said. That's another nick
In the score. I'll jostle you later on"
Good clothes and boots are not cheap,
and Dick left his last shop with the
certainty that he would be respectfully
arrayed for time, but with only so
shilhngs in his pocket. He returned to
streets by the docks and lodged him
soyF ;p opa roop, 1uhoro tho cboatS On
the bed were almost audibly marked in
case of theft and where nobody seemed
to 60 to bed at all. When his clothes
arrived, he sought the Central South
ern syndicate for Torpenhow's address
and got it, with the intimation that
there was still some money owing to
him
How much?" said Dick as one who
habitually dealt in millions.
Between ESQ and f40 If it would
be any convenience to you, of course
we could let you have it at once, but
we usually settle accounts monthly"
"If show that want anything now,
I'm lost" he said to himself. "All l
need I'll take later on" Then aloud:
"It's hardly worth while, and I'm 60
ing into the country for month too.
Wait till 1 come back, and I'll see about
it."
But we trust, Mr.. Heldar, that you
do not intend to sever your connection
with us?"
Dicks business in life was the study
Of faces, and he watched the speaker
keenly. "That man means something"
he said. 'I'll do no business till I've
seen Torpenhow. There's big deal
coming" So he departed, making no
promises, to his one little room by the
docks And that day was the It'll Of
the month, and that month, he reck-
oned with awful distinctness, had thir
ty-one days in it!
It is not easy for man of catholic
tastes and healthy appetite to exist for
twenty -four days on 80 shillings, nor is
II cheering to begin the experiment
alone in all the loneliness of London.
Dick paid shillings week for his
lodging, which left him rather less
than a shilling a day for food and
drink. Naturally his first purchase
was Of the materials of his craft. He
had been without them too long.
Half days investigation and COM
parison brought him to the conclusion
that sausages and mashed potatoes.
twopence plate, were the best food.
Now, sausages once or twice a week
for breakfast are not unpleasant; as
lunch. even, NJ mashed potatoes.
they become nlonotonous; as dinner
they are impertinent At the end Of
three days Dick ioathed sausages, and,
going forth, pawned his watch to revel