Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1907-08-02
CHAPTER |.

AilAl La i.
" the year 1881 and Oh warm.
Fl moist April morning there knock
r. ed at Il modest lodging house III
Rolls buildings, Fettcr lane, d re-
cent lndger who could no longer afford
even the attic's tritiing rent. So now
he made his bed in the parks OF the
metropolis or in the damp green fields
outside. And for all he rrofessed to
care. the damp was welcome 10 kill
him II only it would kill outright.
The man was very fair and spare,
but Of a medium height. His hands
and feet were notably small. the wrists
and arms Il little deceptive. These
looked lean. but were made of muscle
and quickcned with hot. keen blood.
lie was very young: but, though as a
fact not five and twenty, the thin, sar-
donic, reckless face looked half as old
again. An abiding bitterness had curl
ed the full nostrils. deepening the lines
thence to the sensitive red lips and
drawing the latter too habitually apart
upon set teeth or a sheer. Nor was the
bitterness Of the kind sown in proud
hearts 10y capriciouS circumstance and
crushing but not dishonorable defeat.
1t was rather the Dead sea fruit Of
willful riot and n cOntemptible, impen-
itent rem0rse And yet In the full
brown eye and lifted chin, Us In the
III clad. we'll carried figure; there was
n lingering something that was gallant
and fine and debonair.
TO this lost youth the door in Rolls
buildings was opened by q gray haired
woman, who nodded knowingly in re-
Spouse to IN inquiry for letters and
handed one over with an invitation to
enter and read 1t within. But. the
kindly words fell on inattentive ears.
Looking fondly and yet fearfully at
the superscription-to Thomas Erich
sen. ESD. and rhe rest-the needy own
er Of that name suddenly pocketed his
letter with unbroken seals. lie was
turning as abruptly away when the
him to pause moment.
mo, bless you, no! It's not from
him." said Erickson grimly. This is
from friend l met yesterday, who
would insist on having my address.
What was I to do? l thought you
wouldn't mind, SO 1 gave my last"
mind! It is your address and might
be your 'ome II you wasn't that Ugh
and 'aughty. Dear, dear, dear! So
you've not heard from that villain
yet"
mot line"
"Nor Of himT'
mot a word. Give me time. II I
don't root him out by this day month
we'll, then he's fled the Countrywide a
sensible man."
"But what If you dO?" demanded tho
landlady. who was herself directly In.
terested In the event.
"What II do. Mrs. Adcock7 Well, I
shall probable half murder him, to be.
gin with. He has wholly ruined me
Yes, It will be my money-and your
inOney-Or his life. He knows 1t, too
II he's got my letters. Feel the weight
Of thatw
And he put in her hands heavy al.
stick. green and sinewy. with the knob
still creamy from the knife.
Lord save us!" cried the woman
lis this the rod In pickle for him?"
That's the rod In pickle. Nice and
heavy, isn't itr'
"TOO 'eavy, Mr.. Erichsen. Too 'eavy
BY 'alf. Id show no mercy to thieves
and swindlers, but I should he very
careful what did with that.
wouldn't take the law into my own
hands II were YOU"
You wouldn't?" cried he. mot II
you'd been cleaned out as have by as
blackguardly a dodge? BY the Lord
that made him, I'd break every bone
In his Internal body and will, too, If
find him and he won't pay up. I'll pay
him! grant you 1t was my OWL
cursed fault in the beginning. But
what about that last f35? Who got
that? Why am rotting and starving
here? Who threw me on the mercy OF
kind, good folks like you-yes, and
made sponge Of ME in my turn
Whose doing is 1t that I've got to pawn
the clothes OF my back or beg my
meals. to tramp the streets all day, t.
lie oil night In the fields
Your ownw exclaimed the woman
coming hastily down from the steI
upon which she had been standing al
this time. TITS your own fault, Is that
however. You know well 1t isn't mine
Our attic has been empty ever sinc'
you went. You're welcome to 1t unit
it's wanted again II only you'll com
back. Nay, sir, I do assure you L
rather have You for nothing than mos
Of them that pays. Come back tonigt
or I'm sure sha'n't sleep a wink fC
thinking Of you. Come in now, an
Ill get you some nice 'ot breakfast"
Erickson held out his hand.
mo. no." said he Il owe you quit
enough already. Mrs. Adcock. Beside
I'm as strong rs a horse aud dom
much better than you think. But til
world Is full Of kindness after all, an
God bless you for yours
And his dark eyes, that but now ha
flashed and burned with bitter fires.
that We're far more striking always IL
a shock OF almost haxen hair-stoO
full of tears. He could say no NOR
but only wiring the dry, chapped han
In his. Then he was gone and mIpf
have been seen little later hurryIp
with bent head toward Temple Bar &
later yet spread Mt full length In tha
green asylum Of his homeless DAYS. tb
southwest corner Of st. James park.
And here he read the letter from n,
friend. 1t began Oh one side of tn
large white paper and ended on til
next. The girlish handwriting wa
pitifully tremulous. but yet instine
with self reliance then uncommon 1
young English ladies. The letter ran