Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-01
CHAPTER I. sY s there no hope, doctor?"

CHAPTER I.
 ~y there no hope, doctorw
 Absolutely none--now."
 If she had gone to the-the
 A workhouse inflrmary-would she have livedT
 The doctor paused. The gulp before that hateful word was not lost on him. He tried professional severity and be- st ywed some care on the buttoning of . glove.
 II am surprised" he said, "that an excellent woman like your mother should encourage your feelings of-er- repugnance toward-er- Confound 1t. boy. have you no relatives or friendsr' 'No, sir. We are alone in the world" And hard up, ehY'
 The boy dug a hand into a pocket with the stolid indifference of despair. He produced ? shillings and some pen nies. He picked out the silver. and the man reddened in protest.
 Don't be stupid. Philip. That is your name, is it not? When I want my fee I will ask for it. Your mother needs nurse, wine. chicken broth. You are old enough to realize that Q doctor practicing in neighborhood like this might want such things him. self and whistle for them. But in the --er-infirmary they are provided by the state."
 Would my mother have lived had che consented to be taken there a month agoi'
 Again the man wondered at the stony persistence of the questioner. fear less looking, active boy of fifteen. at- tired in worn clothes too small for him and wearing an old pair of boots sever al sizes too large. The strong, young fnce, pinched with vlgils and privations; the large, earnest eyes, heavy with un- shed tears; the lips, quiyering in their resolute compression over a chin that indicated great strength of character. appealed far more to the doctor than the whimperlng terror with which the children of the poor usually meet the grim vision of death.
 The wrestle with the glove ceased, and a kindly hand rested on Philips shoulder.
 "No," came the quiet answer. May God help you, she would not have lived"
 God does not help anybody" was the amazing retort.
 The doctor was. shocked, visibly so.
 That Is a foolish and wicked state ment," be said sternly. Do not let your mother hear such awful words. She has lived and will die e true Chris. tian. I have never met woman of greater natural charm and real plety. She has suffered so much that she merits the life eternal. It Is a reward, not a punishment. Cast away these terrible thoughts. Go. rather, and kneel by her side in prayer"
 For an instant the great brown eyes biased fercely at him.
 "Am I to pray that nay mother shall bs taken from rnef'
 "zven that if 1t be Gods win"
 rte glesm of passion yielded to utter heipIossness. The boy again brought forth bis tiny seprs of n,onsy.
 aSuroly," he said, T can buy come bmall Gmount of wine. In the shops they sell things in tins that make chick sn broth. don't theyf I have Are and b kettle. Would you mind telling me'-
 There. therel You go to yoar moth CT and endeavor to cheer her up. win see what can do. whatl Would you argue with mel Go at once. in- sist. Listen. She Is calling for you"
 In that poor tenement there were no secrets. A rickety staircase. crudely built against the retaining wall of the only living room on the ground floor, led steeply to an apartment above and cuimInated ln an opening that suggest cd . trapdoor. The walls. roughly pansisd, were well provided with shelves and pegs. The back door was fastened with a latch. c contrivance rarely seen in the London of today. The front window looked out Into q badly paved court girt by tumbledown stables. A smalisr window ct the back revealed ( dlsmsl yard darkened by l0fty wnIla Although little more than . stonss throw removed from the busy Mile End road, the place was singular. fy qnief. It vas already dead and rulr waited the coming of men with ulckaxes and crowbars to sweep AWAY Ehe nzinsL
 The boy beard his name whispered rzfher tan spoken Tbe sound sal ranlsed hlm Into co1sci0usnesA
 ~Docts-.- hs ssit earnestly. -Tou will ccus bsckr
 re. res; within haif a h0ur. Ten ruur mother to sxpef me-
 PkIlp r.1 up ths stzlrs Lons pr.r- tc@ k,f enabled hIn to ncve via c nlnznHu a< rCis& ~ FN p.t,fzl tp