Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-09-24
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND FRIDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER "a 1909

Auert 10 no puEIlcuuE eAcltomeuC
when one of the numbering fruit boats
OF the Yellow Star line comes into
port. There was no particular stir
along the water front that biting, fog
gy morning in December when the
Admiral Dart came wheeling up tho
harbor, swung Sinto her berth at the
Yellow Star docks with the aid Of a
! couple of tugs--for the tide was run
ming strongly-shot out her gangplank
and disembarl1ed the four passengers
she carried
She also disembarked Bobby Shack
lett. But Bobby Shacklett did not
come to the wharf by way of the
gangplank. While the fussy little
donkey engines In the sheds were
putting vallantly and swinging briskly
out of the Admiral Darts hold tho
many punches of green bananas Bob
by Shacklett, very thin, very pale and
very much unwashed. came up from
the stoke room, took long breath Of
the misty air, shivered bit--for his
clothes were painfully thin and shah
by-and then climbed over the rail
and dropped unostentatiously to the
wharf.
A couple of Irriages bearing the
steamers late passengers whisked
past him. Three rumbllng drays went
humping past, one of the drivers
shouting impolitely to Bobby to get to
somewhere out of the way.
Bobby grinned. 1t was not pleas
ant grin. He was thinking of his
homecoming as he had planned 1t and
as 1t had actually turned out, and
comparisons, which are always odious
things were particularly so In this
case.
He thrust his hand into the pocket
of his ragged trousers, drew out few
pieces Of silver, grinned once more,
shivcred again and made his way to
the street
solitary hanson was drawn up to
the curb, waiting for a chance fare.
Bobby stepped over to 1t. The cabby
surveyed him scowlingly, but Bobby,
quite obllvlous apparently to the dubi-
Gus glances cast I'm his direction, climb
ed calmly in.
He gave an address on u certain con
sentative street uptown. The driver
stared at him. Bobby smiled.
'Don't blame me, old chap" he said
noting the others hesitation. "But
want to go there, strange as 1t may
seem and Incompatible as 1t may be
with my present appearance. What's
| the row? Afraid l won't be good for
the fare2 Here you CO."
He passed up the handful of silver
through the trap. "Now then. drive
on" he commanded.
The whiplnslL sang through the air;
the stumbling horse lurched into n
trot the hanson rocked, and away
they went through the dIngy, noisy
streets.
They drew up finally before an I'm
posing house on the conservative up
town street Bobby climbed from the
hansom and while the latter turned
and went Gathering away he shut his
teeth grimly and mounted the brown
stone steps with light Of determine
ton in his eyes.
In response to his vigorous tug at
the bell the door was opened by a
statuesque butler, whose dignity stood
out obtruslveIy all over him. He look
ed at the figure on the stoop and closed
tho door halfway.
"Well" he said, and the manner In
which he said 1t plainly babe the Wis
itor begone.
as Miss Wadsworth IMP said Bob
by quietly.
"Hi think not, sir. In fact, HI am
very sure she isn't" the butler replied.
A look came into Bobby's gray eyes
"a look that had made better men
than the butler quail many times be-
fore now.
II rather think you are mistaken"
said he. "Fm sure she is home, and,
what Is more, ! am sure she Will be
glad to receive me. IL you don't be-
lleve It, Just tell her. If you Will, that
the general manager of the Colona In
tercoast railway would like word
with her ia advise you to do as
say"
The butler hesitated but second
longer. The man on the stoop was
looking at him with most disconcert-
ing determination in his bearing. The
butler, unwilling, It is true, opened the
door.
"Step In, SIR" said he. Hi will see"
A FIRE cracked cheerfully In a big
fireplace at one end Of the warm, dark
hall Bobby drew a chair close to 1t
and sitting down held out his stiff