Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-07-30


bet dollar you've put your foot in 1t.
my lady. warned you of that black
guard. There! The mischief's done.
We won't row over it. One moment"
He begged it with wave of his hand,
stood bordering briefly. fumbled for
his watch, found and consulted it.
ITS the barest chance" he muttered.
perhaps we can make it."
what are you going to do?" asked
the woman.
"Give Mr.. Mulready run for his
money. Come along. Kirkwood! We
haven't minute. Mrs. Hallam, per-
nit u.s." She stepped aside, and he
brushed past her to the door. Come,
Kirkwood!'
He seemed to take Kirkwood's COM
pany for granted, and the young man
was not inclined to argue the point.
Meekly enough he fell in with Calen-
dar on the sidewalk. Mrs. Hallam fol-
lowed them out. ''You won't forget?"
she called tentatively.
"I'll phone you If we find out any
thing" Calendar jerked the words
uncermoniously over his shoulder as.
linking arms with Kirkwood, he drew
him swiftly along. They heard her
shut the door. Instantly Calendar
stopped. Look here, did Dorothy
have IA small parcel with herr"
She had a gladstone bag"
"Oh, the devil, the devil!" Calendar
started on again, muttering distracted
ly. AS they reached the corner he
disengaged his arm. We've minute
and half to reach Charing Cross pier.
and think it's the last boat. You set
the pace, will you? But remember I'm
an oldish man nnd-and fat"
They began to run, the one easily,
the other numbering after like an old
fashioned square rugged ship paced by
liner.
The Thames appeared before them,
river of ink on whose FURNISHED sur
face lights swan In long winding
streaks and oily blobs. BY the floating
pier county council steamboat strain.
ed its hawsers, snoring huskily. Bells
were jingling in her engine room as
.. the two gained the head of the slopinG
gangway.
Kirkwood slapped shilling down
on the ticket window ledge. "Where
TOT" he cried back to Calendar.
Cherry Gardens pier" rasped the
winded man. He stumbled after Kirk
wood, grooming with exhaustion. Only
the tolerance of the pier employees
gained them their end. The steamer
was held some seconds for them. Al
Calendar staggered to its deck the
gangway was jerked in. the last haw
ser cast off. The boat sheered wild,
= out on the river, then shot In, arrow
like, to the pier beneath Waterloo
, bridge.
The deck was crowded. and add
stop. In the circumstances converse
. ton, save on the most impersonal top
), les, was impossible.
:. AS the boat snorted beneath Londol
;, bridge Calendars Impotence drov
him from his seat back to the gang
way. Next STOP" he told Kirkwoo
:, CURLY and rested his heavy bull
:, against the paddle box, brooding me
rosely, until, after an uninterrupte
run of more than n mile, the steame
swept in. side wheels backing waite
furiously against the ebblng tide. t
Cherry Gardens landing.
= Sweet name for locality unsavor
beyond credence!
" Kirkwood shuddered, sticking clos
= to Calendars side as they landed
a Life's naked brutalities had thereto
u, o Il 10 lyo IT 10 "a
It heard Of slums, had even ventured t
mouth politely moral platitudes on th
n. subject Of overcrowding in great ceI
tiers Of population. but in the darkes
K flights of Imagination had never PHI
a. tured to himself anything SO unspeal
Of ably foul and hopeless as this. An
r. they were come hither seeking Dor
e. thy Calendar!
Id After some ten minutes steady wall
ut ing Calendar turned aside with mu
il. tered word and dived down covere
Or dark and evil smelling passagewa
m that seemed to lead toward the river
In Mastering his involuntary qualm
Of Kirkwood followed.
m Some ten or twelve PAGES from
IS entrance the passageway swerved at
is right angle, continuing three yards
So so to end in blank wall, wherefro
Pickering, inadequate gas lamp ju
k ted. At this point a stone platfor
2" perhaps four feet square was disco
k cred, from the edge of which fig
:" of worn and Shiny stone steps Il
n down to a permanent boat landin
ab where another gaslight fared gusti
despite the protection of its frame
lie begrimed glass.
n "Good Lord!' exclaimed the your
rs. man. what in heavens name. CT
7e. endar"-
y. "Bermondsey Old Stairs. Come OF
at They descended to the landing stag
Beneath them the pool slept, sheet
'e polished ebony, whispering to itse
at tapping with small, stealthy gurgl
: angles Of masonry and ancient pile
.,h On the farther bank tall warehous
ny reared square old time heads. their u
III compromising, rugged profile reliev
~ here and there by tapering masthead
ah A few scattering, feeble lights we
visible. Nothing moved save the riv
nj and the wind.
ng The landing itself they found gu
na- deserted, something which the adye
lsh turer comprehended with nod whit
yet like its accompanying inarticulate Ell,
ulation, might have been taken to
rk- dictate either satisfaction or disgu
'as He ignored Kirkwood altogether