The Washington herald., 1910-08-01
CHAPTER I.


The 9TH Of May was my fathers birth
day I always planned some little sur
prise for him besides his present. and this
morning had got up very early. before
any one else was stirring, TO slip down TO
the Washington street market for some
fine. fresh mushrooms. He was extrava-
gantly fond OF them. but we seldom had
them, because Abby was getting too old
70 be up for early marketing. and father
always said that mushrooms should come
in with the dew to be good.
I had bought a little straw basket.
green and red, and lined it with leaves,
and now I put on my white fiounced
gown and my fat green hat. so that when
should come in with my basket as they
sat at breakfast It would seem like lit
tie fete Then I went a-tiptoe down the
stairs that would creak. for could hear
Lee. the China boy. stirring in the
kitchen. and It would have spoiled every
thing to be caught going out with my
empty basket When I had let myself
into the street I felt very naughty and
festive in my furbelows at such an hour
OF the morning. The city seemed so dim
and stIll and empty that the rustic OF my
petticoats sounded loud as 1 walked along
The Washington street market was
fully six blocks away and they seemed
the longer for being so quiet. When I
got there the men were still taking the
crates Off the carts. and the stalls were
not set out yet. 1t took me long time
-, ND nh. 49, I
Qame out the wagons were Gathering on
gomery street. and in one or two
Us the shutters were already down.
That made me hurry. for was afraid of
being late. I few along with my basket
in one hand and my hounces IN the other
The sunlight had caught the gilt ball on
the Flagstaff OF the Alta California build
ing. and the sky that had been misty
was now broad blue above the gray
housetops. In my furry 1 found myself
on Dupont street before 1 knew Il; but
after all II was the shortest way and
everything was quiet. not blind turned.
The houses on either hand were locked
and silent. and nothing moved in the
steep little street but the top OF the green
leafed tree halfway up the block.
street and drawing near the corner I
was opposite Mr.. Rood's gambling house.
which was shattered tight. and looked as
blank as the rest. with only the SLATED
half doors OF the bar and the dark spaces
above and below them to suggest that it
had an inside l was Just thinking I
heard people talking there, when sudden
~ a sharp splitting noise seemed to ring
inside my head, the Slated doors few
open, and a man fell out backward He
fell in a heap on the sidewalk, and over
him, almost upon him, ieaped another
man, with such a rush, such a face. and
such a wild look, that he filled the street
with terror.
stood there. staring stupidity. too
stunned TO realize what had happened.
He saw me- and for an instant he stood.
with the pistol smoking in his hand, the
handsomest man ever saw in my life.
and the most terrible. Then he flung the
pistol into the street and ran.
He ran down Dupont. and disappeared
into Washington. and all the while stood
there listening TO the terrible loud clat-
ter OF his feet made In the distance 1
looked across the street and blue smoke
was drifting out Of the Slated door over
the man who lay still Then there
seemed to come over me at once the
meaning Of the horrible thing that had
happened. and ran.
I heard a shutter flung open in the
street behind me. I saw a glitter near
the curb. the flash Of steel, a shine OF
mother-of- pearl, and that was the pistol
H. h.A Il F.fe lin
and my feet seemed weighted with lead
as II ] were running in a dream. And,
strange enough, what filed me with the
widest terror was not the sight OF the
thing that lay still on the pavement un-
der the drifting smoke, but the sound OF
those furiously running feet, dying away
and away in 70 the sleepy city. I felt as
il I myself were a criminal pursued, as
II the house was the one refuge that
would save me, and. with a thousand
horrors at my heels, 1 burst in upon
father just sitting down with Mr.. Ding
ley in the quiet. sunny dining-room.
At sight OF me both jumped UP.
What's the matter, child?" father
said
looked around and realized I was
stu clutching my basket. though all the
mushrooms had fallen out, and my foot
was through a torn hounce, and my hat
hanging on my neck. Ny mouth was
dry For moment I couldn't get word
of my tongue; and then. He fell, he
fell,'' 1 said, and, He is gomez
Where was it," The words seemed 70
be in Mr.. Dingley's voice, yet came as
Il from FAR of.
Mr.. RoOds gambling hOusev' I gasped
and felt the top OF my head getting cold
and the floor beginning 10 move under
me. ] had a dim impression OF Mr..
Dingley rushing out Of the room with
his napkin still in his hand, then found
myself sitting on the sofa, with a sting
ing taste of brandy on my tongue. and
heard fathers voice saying. Cant you
tell me. chlld2"
"Oh," 1 said; he's dead!" And then 1
poured all the story out In a breath. I
saw fathers face grow more and more
keen and grave and could feel his fin
gers gently around my arm as II he
feared my turning faint again. Indeed
the room around me seemed unreal. but
what had happened in the street was
still fearfully clear. It was cut into nv
mind as II Il were still before my eyes.
the topping lurch OF the falling body,
the silk hat rolling into the gutter, and
then that fine, terrible gentleman that
had sprung out after. The moment had
stamped him as clear in my memory as
years could have done 1 could tell how
very tall he was. how dark. how his
brows made one black bar across his
forehead. how his eyes were set deeply