The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-30
CHAPTER XI,
Continued.


81 know a man." said Dittmer, "who
will lend ME five, or even ten shillings
on Monday. My friend will also pay
me back two shillings. out Of my loan
on the same day. Perhaps u land
lady would take you into the house,
but she makes rules and will admit no
ladies at all to her lodgings. But 1t is
impossible, Katharine-you cannot pass
the whole night upon q bench. 1t is
impossible"
1--WE must" said Lily. eff you have
not any money, there is no help for it.
If that were all, what matter?'
I'm that case" said Dittmer, Il shall
pass the night upon the bench with
you. Himmel! Could l go home and
leave you hereby yourselves? He
turned and walked with them toward
st. James's Park.
ooh. Katharine!" said Lily, what a
Iifference-what a difference it makes
to have a man with us! I feel some
how as if we should pull through our
troubles. I don't know how it is to be
done, OF why we should think so. But
he inspires confidence. Courage, dear.
we have a man with us. Oh! why don't
they keep a man at Harley House, only
in order to inspire confidence"
They began their night at about half
past seven, when the place was full OF
people walking through, but the girls
were tired. They tied their handker-
chiefs round their necks and sat close
together, Lily on the outside and kath-
y arine between her and Dittmer. by
which means she was a little protect
ed from the cold.
4 night in the open air in the month
of October may be enjoyable under GER
tain conditions. which must take the
form of thick blankets to begin with.
But it cannot by any stretch of imag-
ination be considered warm. The re-
vulsion of feeling. however, with the
two girls at meeting with a protector,
the change from despair to confidence
which Dittmer inspired, made them
suddenly gay. They laughed and pratt
tied; they made little silly jokes which
pleased them all three; they seemed
to passersby like a party Of young peo-
pie perfectly happy and without a
care; just as if their limbs were not
aching all over, and their feet were
not getting as cold as a stone, and as
if they were not desperately hungry.
at is nine O'clock" said Lily. thine
for supper. Herr Dittmer, will you
Join us? We have a beautiful supper,
made altogether Of the finest wheaton
meal, exquisitely prepared and most
delicately baked till it is a beautiful
rich brown. 1t consists partly of crust
and partly of crumb. Pray which por-
ton do you prefer, or shall I assist you
ito a little of both-without the stuff
ing?' and then these foolish girls
laughed. . They were safe. Dittmer
had them in his charge. They were
quite safe now.
Dittmer refused to share in their sup
per, because, he said, mendaciously. he
had already made a copious meal OF
bread and sausage, which would serve
him till the morning. Then the girls
eat half the bread between them, and
wrapped up the rest for their break
fast.
At about ten the number of passen-
gers greatly diminished. About the
same time it grew much colder; a little
wind sprung up, rafting among the
sparse leaves of the trees. Katharine
kept dropping off to sleep and waking
again with a start. Lily seemed Sleep
ing soundly, and Dittmer was smok-
ing a cigar stolidly. At last Katharine
dropped her head and fell into a sleep
from which she did not awake till mid
night, when she started into wakeful-
ness. Dittmer Book still sat with a
cigar between his lips, patiently, as if
nothing was the matter.
"You are cold" he said. "Take my
hand and run a little, or jump, joost
jomp.' Katharine tried just to jump,
but she was too tired either to run or
TO jump. She was desperately cold.
Lily, for her part, seemed to mind
nothing. Also, Katharine longed with
an intense yearning to lie down and
stretch herself out.
Then Dittmer showed the ingenuity
of man.
He made her lie along the bench, her
head in Lily's lap. He wrapped her
skirts tightly round her feet. He found
a pair of gloves in his pocket-he wore
twelves. I think-and put them on
Katharine's hands, over her own. SC
that she had a double pair. And then
he produced his own handkerchief
large colored silk handkerchief of a
patriarchal character-and tied il
round her neck and over her head
Lastly, he sat down at her feet and laid
the skirts of his great overcoat over
them, so that she might be still more
protected from the cold.
"Now," he said. "schlafen sic wohl
Katchen."
He lighted another cigar-remem'
Der that they were cigars of Hamburg
not of Havana-and Katharine dropped
off to sleep again.
She did not wake up till five o'clock
The young German still sat patient ant
resolute. his hands in his pockets; HI
was nearly frozen with the cold; hi
had turned up the collar Of his coat
and he had not slept for n single
moment during the whole night.
"Dittmer," said the girl.
"Ja; I am awake. Sleep on, Hatcher
It is only five o'clock"
"No; I have slept long enough. Ant
the se;.t is very hard" She got up ant
looked about her. 1t was still night