Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-19
CHAPTER I.

CdAfIEh J..
There was nothing particularly inviting
about the dark. stone-fagged passage,
nothing which could possibly suggest
happy hunting ground for the itinerant
seeker after charity. Yet the couple
passing YEARLY along the Strand well
coined it as at least a temporary refuge
from the constant admonitions of a very
vigilant police. A word and a glance
were all that passed between the girl
and the atom of deformity who wheeled
the small piano. They crossed the side
walk and made their way down the in
notwithstanding passage. 1t led by "a
somewhat devious route to the Embark
ment. but at the present moment passers-
by were few. On the left-hand side We're
couple of shops. dirty, ill-cared for. i'm
provident. On the right a blank wall;
in front a small section Of great hotel.
About halfway down was a gas lamp,
burning with dim. uncertain luster.
feebly reflected through the dirt-incruSted
glass. The place had an unattractive
and deserted air. Nevertheless the man
who had been wheeling the piano brought
it to standstill there, with little gasp
of relief. The girl stood by his side. and
for moment buried her face upon her
folded arms, leaning upon the top of the
instrument. With prodigious yawn a
basket awoke and shook himself. He
looked around with an air of plaintive
disgust and would have settled himself
down to sleep again but for pat from
his master.
sit up, Chicot," the man ordered ut S
q poor place, but God knows where one
may rest in this city. What do you say,
Christine? Is it worth while?"
The girl looked up and down the dark
passage. Two boys passed. whistling.
without glance at them. beggar
woman selling matches was the only
other person in sight. Nevertheless she
produced a roll of music and glanced
through it.
Il will sing she said Il must. Some
fool may pass this way. Who can tell?"
The man at the piano. deformed, with
the long, worn face OF a man and the
misshapen body of a youth. drew in a
little breath which sounded like hiss.
as his fingers wandered over the keys.
Who can tell?' he muttered. in a voice
which sounded singularly deep for such
small creature. who can tell, after
all? 1t may be even here that the great
adventure should come.
She turned her back a little upon him.
and as he struck the notes she began to
sing a familiar ballad. She sang to the
bare walls. to the deserted shops, to the
rain-soaked fagstones. Chance seemed
suddenly to have diverted into other
thoroughfares even the insignificant
stream of people that sometimes filtered
through the little passage. Only the
monkey listened, listened with his head
little on one side. and an air of intense.
plaintive interest. When she had finished
there was dead silence. Not a soul was
in sight.
No remark passed between the two
The woman pushed her hat little
farther back as she bent once more over
the music. and one saw something Of her
face by the light Of that Unlocking gas
lamp. She was dark. and whatever good
looks might have been hers under nor
mai conditions were temporarily, at any
rate, unacceptable, owing to the ILL
Kept hair. which came low over her fore
head, and the bitter, sullen lines OF her
mouth. She drew another song from the
Shabby portfolio, and once more she sang
A messenger boy. passing through. lin
gered for a moment A woman with a
basket Of apples propped it up against
the wall and gave herself a seconds rest
hurrying on. though, when she saw the
monkey lingering the little tray that hung
from cord round his neck. Once more
the girl finished her song, and as it's
echoes died away she swept the passage
from end to end with her sullen. angry
eyes. There was no one in sight She
leaned back against the wall
Up on the fifth floor of the great hotel
a narrow section OF which fronted the
passage. a man suddenly pushed open a
window and looked down. He saw the
rain-soaked pavements and turned back
" ehO SoiCl, WIZ was putting OUT MS
clothes.
It's wet night, Fred" he remarked.
I'll have my thicker patent shoes and
my opera hat
He was on the point of leaving the
upon the little group below. He eyed
them at first carelessly enough, and then,
as he continued to look. startling
change took place in his face. He leaned
forward out Of the wide-opened window.
His Inns n9rfQd h}a oil Iic
tended. He was like a man who looks
upon some impossible vision. a man who
is driven to doubt even the evidence of
his senses. Intensely. with a rapt air of
fectly rigid. gazing at that little group.
He looked at the man, sitting before the
crazy instrument, his head bowed, the
rain beating upon his threadbare coat.
He looked at the girl. leaning back
against the wall. motionless as a statue.
and yet with that touch of hopelessness
about her face which was written large
In the features of her companion. He
looked at the monkey, who stood with
pitiful air Of his own. shaking in his
down the empty passago He looked at
them all fiercely, incredulously and then
an exclamation broke from his lips
THE girl. the hunchback and the mon
key!'' he exclaimed, softly. I'm London
of all places!'
He turned abruptly back into the room.
and without a word of explanation to the
valet hurried out into the corridor and
rang the bell for the elevator. In mo-
ment or two he was in the passage, and
with a whispered breath OF relief he saw
that the little company was still there
He had caught up a hat as he left the
room, and to give himself more the APP
pearance of a casual passer-by he lit a
cigarette with trembling fingers and
strolled along the passage. AS he came
the monkey, the man and the girl turned
their heads. The girl, with something
like a despairing shrug of the shoulders,
began another song. The man com
menced to play. Even the monkey
seemed to eye the newcomer hungriy
He walked steadily on. but as he was
in the act of passing he paused. as though
aware for the first time of the girl and
her song. He went on a few PAGES and
paused again. Finally, he took up a 20
sition few yards away and established
himself as an audience. His coming
seemed to bring better fortune to the
little group. Several other passers- by
formed broken semi-circle. The girl
sang to them in a hard, unsympathetic
voice, f1awless as to her notes. but with
Indifferent intonation. as though the
words were flung from her lips against
her will. When she had finished the
monkey was on his hind legs before the
little gathering of listeners. A few pen
MES ratified in his tin tray. He paused
IS