Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-09

posed him to be more or less dead of
malnutrition. She did not express It
thus. She had said.
TN bet them prunes has gone to his
head, m I'll never forgive meself il
somethins happened m" Though
wherein lay her responsibility she her
self could not have told. Murphy WIS
full of maternalism. of wifely instinct
and of supererogation; and she was
strictly elemental-wholly elemental,
excepting that cosmopolis had rounded
off the corners till nobody less analy-
tical by profession than Twelve Twenty
would have recognized her case-and
Twelve~Twenty never thought Of her.
When he had gone on the Putnam dl
vision retreat and had fatuously given
himself up to the lawn mowers for
twelve days the extreme moment Of
raw eggs and kumyss and sleepless
nights had arrived for Murphy
The imagery of her dreams-when
she was able to sleep at all-was con-
centrated in a picture of the Hash
House" entrance, and a tall slight man
mostly forehead, entering thereat. The
reaction upon Number Ten of Murphy's
desperate condition was becoming
painful, even dangerous. The moment
was realized when she could no longer
contemplate the situation
"Murphy-get up-and fight!"
81 can't" Murphy answered, $50 help
my Gawd, Mag, 1 can't! i just don't
care"
You're killin' me- Number Teli
said, suddenly snatching an inconsol-
ate looking corset cover of Murphy's
which adorned the gas jet and tearing
it in two with her very white and mus
cular hands. Get up, 1 tell you'
Murphy shook her head and turned
over. She had been in bed two days
and her panther cat body had lost
much of its sickness and the Irish
eyes looked wan. At this moment she
was but the memory of Murphy. Sud-
denly Number Ten reached over and
slapped the prostrate womans face,
then stood alert. She had remained
awake all night trying to think what
life would be like without Murphy,
and a vivid imagination had enabled
her to perceive what it would be like
and she couldn't stand it.
When Number Ten smote her Muir
ply did not move, save to stink lower
in the bed and more thoroughly efface
herself in the pillows. Number Ten
gave the wall a jab with her right and
looked about the room for further in
spiration. Murphy must be near unto
DEATH
Didn't get me own throw down tn
shell shute? N how did 1 take ut
Didn't l just raise hell? Did l go to
leakin' at me taps like tn washers
was loose?" Murphy sobbed. not OBJ
trusively. I'm not goin' to stan ut,
Number Ten continued, reaching a
very climax of abandon.
When Number Ten threw herself
upon the floor and wept the occasion
attained to the dignity of function;
she wept and the spectator was bound
to feel a profound interest in what she
would do next; but Murphy's perform
ance was killing. Murphy whimpered
quietly. heartbreakingly. Murphy's
grief was not spectacular. AS Murphy
sobbed with her face in the pillows and
only her back hair showing, Number
Ten became momentarily more dis
traught.
"Ye'll get up, Murphy"
IT am up" Murphy trumpeted, fash
ing a glance at Number Ten.
YEN go back to the joint
"An see tn place where he's bin
sittin fur months, an him eatin frum
me hand, an all tn while wit face
like an archangel? One day me head
ached. l forgot to turn the eggs" she
recalled; and Immediately she looked
toward the pillows and showed symp-
toms again. Number Ten felt that to
hesitate was to be lost.
Murphy you must go back. Would
ye have Twelve-Twenty comm back
an find no light in tn window an have
that sntchy breeches OF Black Matt
gettin her chance after all? She amt
got the conscience of a Skye terrier
an would kidnap i'm as soon as draw
one. saw her lookin' at him one day
wi the way she was. 1t was fierce"
Murphy stood weakly up.
'Do you mean us?" she said, with
her eyes narrowed and her nostrils
beginning to twitch. Number Ten
nodded and Murphy began to put on
her clothes.
What are We doin'?" Number Tens
endurance would hardly outlast the
crisis.
I'm goin' to tn hash house, she
said, her hand trembling as she
fumbled with the buttons.
Walt till l get ye somethin' to eat
Murphy you're weak NJ"
rs me plaeket hole shut? I'm wait.
in fur nut'in' Murphy remarked with
calm infection. while trembling the
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