Evening star., 1909-06-08
CHAPTER VIII-Continued.

CHAPTER vIII-Continued
It's why Scrioner's Magazine" ex-
planned the boy in dire misery. Il got $50
for it,. he added with a pitiful clutch Of
his vanishing self-respect.
Calebs eye frightened. He looked at
Hawarden with new interest.
Eighty dollars?" he re.eated. How
long'd IL take you to write it OUT"
about three days. 1 think" answered
the boy, puzzled at the question.
HIM, Not so bad Hundred an sixty
dollars week: with Sunday off. Why
don't YOU stick to that instead of mess
in around with the law?''
1T was the tenth story I'd sent them,"
confessed Hawarden. heroically. "And 1t
was the first one they took. That's the
trouble with literature. It"
so. things stand now" pursued
Caleb, you've no real money. No sure
prospects. An you want to marry Dey
Shevlin. You want her to share your
nothin'-a-year. Or" he grated, maybe
you think i'd be nice to live on her
CASH."
Il think nothing of the sort." nared
Hawarden, scarlet with anger. "1ll not
stand that sort of talk even from her
guardian. I wouldn't touch a penny Of
any woman's money if I were starving.
That sounds kind of like a book. too."
commented Caleb. But you mean it.
I'm glad you do. I think I kind of like
you. So instead of throwin' you down.
star ;, I'm gofn' to waste whole min
ute talkin' TO you. You're a nice kid.
You come here bristlin' with book learnin'
an idees OF honor an you make your
little speech to the stony-hearted guardi-
an an stand ready to say, God bless
YOU. sir for them kind words. or You've
busted two young hearts. No, you needn't
those remarks off the slate Neither of
emil be needed. You've got the good
sense to fall in love with the dandiest
girl that ever happened. But what have
You got TO offer her? Besides your valu-
able self. / mean? You're askin for the
greatest thing in all this world. Do you
give anything in exchange? Not you.
You want her-her with her pretty ways.
an clever brain an gorgeous little face.
An you can't even support her You
can't even say, I've got ten dollars
week of my own. I'll give 1t all to her
You've no money-no prospects. An you
want her to exchange herself for that.
wanted to-.
"Tm-Im willing that the engagement
should be long one.' 'hesitated the boy
battling futilely against the vulgar truth
of Calebs words. Il wouldn't ask her
to marry me till / was able to support
her-to support her WE'LL
An in the meantime" urged Conover
with merciless logic. In the meantime,
she's TO have the pleasure of sittin by.
eatln her heart out, waitin'-waitin'-
CROWN Older ev'ry year-losin' good
chances-bein sidetracked al parties an
% on, because she's engaged an no long
er in the marriage market-waitin' year
after year-maybe till all her prettiness
an her youths gone-just on the chance
that you'll some day be able to support a
wife? You don't mean to be crooked
You're only just foolish. But look the
thing in the eyes an tell me- Is it square
Is 1t an honest bargain you offer? Aren't
you cheatin' the girl in the world
you ought to do most for?'
But with such an incentive pleaded
the boy, I'D surely make my way quick
ly. In a year at most! I'd work-I'd
work so hard for herr
Caleb leaned TO one side and threw
open the window by his desk. With the
warm, soft air OF spring rushed in the
steam sibilance and clangor Of the rail-
way yards.
Look down there ordered conover
pointing out. "Moren a hundred men In
that yard. amt there? Dirty-faced men
Not one OF 'em that's got family re-
semblance 10 Romeo. What are they
doin'? Workin', Every mothers son OF
EN- workin harder than you or any of
your family ever worked or ever could
work. How'd their faces get dirty an
stoopid an their shoulders bent over?
BY workin. An who are they workin
for? For themselves? Not them Each
An most OF EN- for bunch Of measly
kids as well Workin all day an ev'ry
day, till they drop dead or wear out an
go 10 the poorhouse. An the women
they work for are workin too Workin
at washboard or scrub brush TO exc out
the men-folks' an brats' Twin Work,
Work. Work, All their lives But
don't see any OF 'em gatherin in front of
the footlights an singin' chorus about
how happy they are. or how their hard
work has made their wives rich an law
Are you any better'n they areo Can YOU
work any harder for Desree than thew
are workin for the slatternly slab sided
down-at-heel women at home? Don't YOU
sppse every one OF those men once
planned TO make his wife a lady an to
'cons'crate his toll 10 her? Think II
over, son. an get. better argument than
the silly fact that you're willin' TO do
your dooty by workin' for Desree Hell's
full Of workers"
1t all seems so horrible-so gross-so
MATERIAL muttered the boy ''Rut-but
you're right. sir. | can see it now
Still"
He stretched his hands out before him
in an impulsive gesture of despair,
still" finished Caleb. lit hadn't ought
10 be hey? Most things hadn't But
wasted a lot OF time an a lot OF bad
tastin' truths over you. l don't know
why / did il. except that | always like
10 jaw after I've had big fight on. II
kind of lets off steam. Here's the answer
in a nutshell I'm Miss Shevlins guard
ian. What Miss Shevlin wants. she s
goih to have. If l have TO buy the White
House for her. II she wants you che can
have you II she don't want you--all the
consent I could give wouldn't amount to
a boot in Hades Personally. think
-"','H hAttsr wait till you grow I'D an get