The Washington times., 1906-08-26
O.HENRN

- ANNffN NaA NAAN4lA - WblLdN or. 80
ed as II for the stage, in a short
white. satiny skirt reaching to the
knees. LJnk stockings. and a sort Of
sleeveless bodice bright with reluctant.
armor-like scales Upon her curly.
light hair was perched, az a rolllckfne
angle. a shining stin helmet The cos
tune was 10 be instantly recognized
as one Of those amazing conceptions
70 which competition has harrled The
inventors Of the spectacular ballet.
One Of the officers bore a long cl0a X
upon his arm. which doubtless. had
been intended 10 veil the candid al
fractions OF their ehulgent prisoner.
but. for some reason. # had not been
called into use. 20 the vociferous de-
light Of the tail Of the procession
Compelled by sudden and vigorous
movement OF the woman. the parade
halted before the window by which
T.0ris0n stood. He saw that she was
young. and. AZ the first glance lwas de-
ceived by a sophistical prettiness OF
her face, which waned before a more
judicious scrutiny. Her look was bold
and reckless. and upon her counten-
ance. where yet the contours ~ youth
survived. where the finger marks Of old
ages credentialcd courier. Late Hours
The young woman fixed her un-
shrinking gaze upon Lorison, and call
Cd 10 him In the voice Of the Wronged
heroine in straits
SAY You look Ike a good fellow.
come and put up the bail. won't you2
I've done nothing 20 get pinched for.
It's all a mistake. See how they're
treating me- You won't b. sorry. II
you'll help ne out or this Think or
your sister or your girl being dragged
along the streets this way 7 say,
come along. now. like a good fellow
II may be that Lorison. ~ spite Of
the uneonvincing psthos Of this appeal.
showed sympathetic face for one
Of the officers left the woman's side.
and went over 10 him.
TITS all right. sir" he said. ln
husky. coufd~ntial tone; she's the
right party. We took her after the
first act az the Green Light Theater.
on a wire from rhe chief If police Of
Chicago It's only square or two
70 the station Her rigs pretty bad.
h'lt she refused 80 change cfothes-or.
rather" added the officer. with a
smile. "to put on some. thought I'd
cvnlain matters 20 -oU so Won Wouldn't
think she was befrR imuosed unon-"
What is the c3large7' asked Lori
son.
Grand Iarrenv Diamonds Her
husband is a fe7veIer IN Chicago. She
cleaned his show case % the spark
le-s and skipped with a comic opera
t-orre"
The policeman, ne~Ceiviug that the
interest % the entire group 81 spec
.ators was centered upon himself and
T.or'son-the1r conference being re-
Fa-dnd as a possible new c0murcation
-was f0iu 70 rroIong the s'tua t'oD-
which reelected h's own iunorta0ce-
hv little after piece o. Philosophical
comment.
"a gentleman 1'1e vcu. sir" he went
IN. aTab'v. ''w0uI5 never notice e. but
q comes 'U nv l'-e % observe what
IN Immense amount - trouble e n7de
nv that combination mem the stage,
diamonds. and Ught-headed women
who aren't satisfied with good homes
7 tell vou. SIR man these laws and
NIGHTS wants % know what HIS women
f0'Fs are I'D to-"
This policeman s~1UAd rooE-n'rrt
and returned 20 the side - PIE ~N4-~-.
WHO hal been intontlv watChi0~ Io~f-
sons face duri1g tie converse ton. ua
doubt fer some indication Of his IN
trnrfo7 m render SucCor- Nov. N -re
failure ~ th= sign agd n the move
me0t made n continue the igu0wl7f-
oue n-orre=s. she abandoned rope. and
addressed him thus rolnte6Iy.
"Y0u 7ou1n craIk-face gutter Won
v-ae trirlf0g 81 giving mo a hand hut
Won let TIE con talk YOU out ~ g TIE
fret word. You're a dandy n re N.
Sew. - Won ever get a Girl. she'll have
a picnic Won't she work Won 10 the
Queens faste' Oh, my" She con
Guided with n tauntl1g. shr.E l4u~h
mat raVuad L0ri-In ike n saw. TIE
urged her forward. the de-
lighted train % gaping followers closed
M the rear and the captive Amazon.
accepting her fate. extended the scope
or her Taled'-t'ons so that nore in
hearing might seem 70 he sli~hted
Then there came upon LorisCn an
overwhelming revuIs'on OF HIS per
spective. II may be that he had been
ripe for g. that the abnormal con5i-
t'on 81 mind in which he had for so
long existed was already about 10 re
Vert N its balance. however. 81 is. GER
t0in that the events Of tie last few
minutes had furnished tho channel II
not the impetus. for tie charge.
The initial determin ug influence had
been so small thing as the fact and
manner Of his having been anrroa ~he5
10y The Ohtcer. That agent had. by The
style of his accost. restored the loIterer
10 his former place tn society In an
instant ne had been transformed from
a somewhat rancid nrowler along the
fghy side streets NJ CcnuIty into an
.nnest gentleman. with whom even so
i0rdIy "a guardian # the peace might
agrceab'y exchange the compliments.
This. then. first broke the spell. and
set thrilling in him a resurrected long
iIs for the fellowship Of his kind, and
tNe rewards Of the virtuous To what
end. he vehemertly asked himself was
this fanc:ful seIf-accusati1n. this empty
this moral slue1mish-
ness. through which he had been led
to abandon what was his heritage in
life. and not beyond his desertsf Tech
nIcallv. ne was uucuadewued. his sole
guiItv SPOT WIs in thought rather than
deed and coEi.Izance OF il unshared
ny others. For what good, moral. or
continental. did ne stink. retreatnE
like the hedgehog from his own shad-
ow. 10 and fro iH this musty Bohemia
that lacked even the picturesque?