The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1907-05-24
CHAPTER I,

III ~ tue year 1901 anu Oh "dlh.
moist April morning there knock
ed at a modest lodging house in
Rolls buildings, Fetter lane, re-
cent-lodger who could no longer afford
even the attic's trifiing rent. So now
he made his bed in the parks of the
metropolis or in the damp green fields
outside. And for all he professed TO
care, the damp was welcome to kill
him If only 1t 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 a little deceptive. These
looked lean, but were made Of muscle
and quickened with hot, keen blood.
He was very young: but. though as q
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 sneer. Nor was the
bitterness of the kind sown In proud
hearts by capriciOus circumstance and
crushing but not dishOnorable defeat
II was rather the Dead sea fruit Of
willful riot and contemplate, impen-
itent remorse. And yet in the full
brown eye and lifted chin, as in the
Ill clad, we'll carried figure. there was
a lingering something that was gallant
and fine and debOnair.
To this lost youth the door in Rolls
buildings was opened by a gray haired
woman. who nodded knowingly In re-
Spouse to an inquiry for letters and
handed one over with an invitation to
enter and read 1t within. But the
kindly words fell on inattentiye ears.
Looking f0ndly and yet fearfully at
the superscriptiOn-to Thomas Erich
sen. ESD, and the rest-the needy own
er of that name suddenly pOcketed his
letter with unbrOken seals. He was
turning as abruptly away when the
blank face of his former landlady led
him TO pause a moment.
"So, bless you, mol It's not from
him." said Erickson grimly. This IS
from a friend / met yesterday, who
would insist on having my address.
What was | to do? thought you
wouldn't mind, so gave my last"
"sflnd! II is your address and might
be your 'one II you wasn't that Ugh
and 'aughty. Dear, dear. dear! So
you've not heard from that villain
yetY"
"Not a line"
"Nor Of hImf'
"Sot a word. Give me time. IL
don't root him out by this day month
well. then he's fed the Countrywide a
sensible man."
"But what II you do?" demanded the
iandlady. who was herself directly In.
terested In the event.
"What II I do, Mrs. Adcock? Well.
shall probable half murder him, to be.
gin with. lie has wholly ruined me
Yes, Il will be my money-and your
money-or his life. He knows II, too
II he's got my letters. Feel the weight
Of that"
And be put in her hands a heavy ash
stick. green and sinewy. with the knot
still creamy from the knife.
"Lord save u.s. cried the woman
us this the rod In pickle for himT'
That's the rod in pickle. Nice and
heavy. Isn't itT'
''Too 'eavy, Mr.. Erichsen. Too 'eavy
By 'alf. I'D show no mercy 10 thieves
aud gwindlers. but shouId lie yery
careful what I did with that.
wouldn't take the law into my owl
hands II we're you"
"Y0u w0uldn'tT" cried he. mot n
you'd been cleaned out as ! have by al
bIackguardly a dodgef I,y the LORI
that made him. I'd break every bon,
In his Internal body and will. too, II
find him and he won't ray up I'll pa,
him! grant you II was my owl
cursed fault In the beginning Bu
what about that last l3J: Who 90
that7 Why ain rotting and starvin,
here7 who threw me on the mercy d
kind, good folks like you~yes. nm,
made a sponge Of me In my turn
Whose doing Is II that I've got 10 paw
the clothes on my back or beg m,
meals. TO tramp the streets all day, b
lie all night 10 the flelds"-
"Your own" exclaimed the woman
coming hastily down from the steI
upon which she had been standing nj
this time. ats your own fault. Is thai
husuuvsF yuu kfuysy ts.ott 10 ts.,gt .s,f..s