Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-11
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thought. He thought. Tom Dorgan. lot
of things and a long way ahead.
The peppery old major marched us all OF
to his private Office.
Not much girls. it hadn't come. For sud-
denly the annunciator rang out.
Out Of the corner of his eye Nat
looked at the rs bell-boys ,s bench ta he he
a ball that night, and the bells were golnS
1t over all the place.
Number twenty -one!" shouted the clerk
at the desk.
But Number Twenty-one didn't bulge.
His heart was beating like a hammer. and
the ting-ng-ng of that bell calling MIN
rang in his head like a song.
Oh, he's got devil of a temper has that
clerk. Some day. Tom. when you love me
very much go up to the hotel and break MS
face for me-
neutrality-suspicious. you, can't you
hear?' he shouted.
That time he caught the majors ear-the
one that wasn't deaf. He looked from
Powers black face to the bench and then
to me- And all the time the bell kept ring
ing like mad.
"Git!" he said to the boy. "And come
back in a hurry
Number Twenty-one got-but leisurely. It
wouldn't do for bell boy to hurry. par
ticularly when he had such good cause.
Oh, girls those stone stairs. the servants:
stairs at the st. James! They're herce. l
tell you, Mag. scrubbing the floors at the
Cruelty amt SO bad But this time was
jolly glad bellboys weren't allowed in the
elevator For there were those diamonds
in my pants pocket, and l must get rid of
'em before 1 got down to the office again.
So l climbed those stairs and every step
took my eye was searching for a hiding
place. l could have pitched the little bag
out of window, but Nancy Olden wasn't
throwing diamonds to the birds. any more
than Mag here Is likely to cut off the braids
of red hair We used to play horse with
when we drove her about the Cruelty yard.
One flight.
No chance
Another.
Everything bare as stone and soap could
keep it.
The third fight-my knees began to trem-
BILE. and not with climbing. The call came
from this floor. But up fourth just
on the chance. and there in corner was a
fire Ratchet strapped to the wall. Behind
that ha tchet Mrs Kingdom S diamonds might
lie snug till evening l put the ends of my
fingers first in the little crack to make
sure the little bag wouldn't drop 80 the
floor. and then dived into my pocket and
And there behind me. stealthily coming
w the last turn of the stairs, was Mr..
George Norway!
Don't YOU, hate a soft-walking man. Mag?
That cu:c fellow cutter than the old
major himself. and had followed me every
inch of the way.
There's something loose with this hatch
eli, SIR said. innocently looking down at
him.
"Oh. there is? What an observing little
fellow YOU are! Never mind the Ratchet;
just tell me what number YOU were sent to
answer.
Number" 1 repeated. as though l
couldn't see why ne wanted to know.
''Why-431."
Not much. my boy-331.''
:" 'Scuse me, sir. amt you mistaken"
He looked at me for full minute. l
stared him straight in the eye. A nasty eye
he's got-black and bloodshOt and cold and
full of suspicion. But it wavered bit at
the end. /
II may be-" he said slowly. but not
about the number. Just you turn around
and get down to 3d.
.'All right sir. Thank you very much
1t might have got me in trouble. The la
dies are so particular about having the
bells answered quick
Il guess you'll get in trouble all right.
he said and stood watching-from where he
stood he could watch me every inch OF the
way-till 1 got to 331 at the end Of the
hall. Mrs. Kingdoms door.
that.
My. but Mrs. Kingdom was wrathy when
She saw me!
why did you keep me waiting so long?
I want a chambermaid. I've rung dozen
times. The whole place is crazy about that
old ball tonight. and no one can get de-
cent attention.
Cant L do what you want. ma amF'
just yearned to get inside that door.
No" she snapped. II don't want boy
to faSten my uFeSS III the
I'VE often do, ma am. l said softly.
you do? Well
"Yes'm." l breathed again.
.Well-it's Indecent Go down and seno
me a maid"
She was Just closing the door in my
face-and NORWAY waiting for me to
watch me down again.
Mrs Kingdom
We'll. what do you want?
Il want to tell you that when l get
down to the office they'll search me-"
She looked at me amazed.
"And-and there's something in my
pocket I-you wouldn't like them to find.
What In the world-rny diamonds! You
did take them, you little wretch?
She caught hold of my coat But Lordy!
l didn't want to get away little bit l
let her pull me in. and then backed up
against the door and shut It,
Diamonds! Oh, no, ma am. l hope I'm
not thief. But-but 1t was something
you dropped-this."
l fshed MOriway'S letter out OF my
pocket and handed it to her.
The poor old lady! Being bell-boy,
you know just how old ladies really are.
This one at evening, after her face had
been ma ssaged for an hour and the mani
cure girl and the hair-dresser had gone,
wasn't SO bad. But today. with the marks
of the mornings tears on her agttated
face wAn the blood pounding up to her
temples where the hair was thin and
gray-Tom Dorgan, If I'm vain old fool
like that when I'm three times as old as
1 just tie a stone around my neck
and take me down and drop me into the
nearest water. won't you?
You abominable little wretch she
sobbed. Il suppose you've told everybody
in the Office"
How could l. ma ann?
How could your" She looked up, the
tears on her fiabby. flushed cheek.
Il didn't know myself. 1 can't read
writing"
1t was thin. but she wanted to believe
1t.
She could have taken me in her arms,
she was so happy.
There! there" she patted my shoulder
and gave me dollar bill. Il was a bit
hasty Nat. It's only "a little business
matter that Mr.. Moriway's attending to
for me. We-we'n finish 1t up this after
noon. l shouldn't like Miss Kingdom to
know Of it, because-because never
like to worry her about business, you
know So don't mention 1t when she
comes tomorrow"
Nom. Shall fasten your dress?" 1
simply had to stay in that room till l
could get rid Of those diamonds
With faded old blush-the incest thing
about her I'd ever seen-she turned her
back.
IT'S dark today. ma'am." coaxed
Would you mind coming nearer the win