Evening star., 1911-08-20

Dorers taxicab touts, boys, ragamufns of every de-
scripton camoring to handle their baggage. For
quarter, dime, nickel even score of vagabonds
were eager carry the suitcase that Dick Prentice took
from his fathers hand as he met him. but Dick would
not reinquish it. and with frank opinions of him they
sought other trade dropping away one by one until
only the gaunt, one-arned panhander remained, the
more insistent that he had the field to himself.
"Carrv the bag SIR he whined for the fifth time,
Looping alongside Dick, plotting his father with
touch the sleeve, shouldered way to the street
"Taxi, Sir? Only dime to carry the bag, Boss Right
this wav Mister, he kept demanding and directing,
the while endeavoring get possession Of the suitcase
with his sinewy hand. "Only dime, Boss Crpes!
If it amt Faro Jack, alive and kicking"
In the midst of his patter he had caught sight OF the
elder Prentces face, had stopped his whine tor an IN
sant and then given vent to astonshment in falsetto
that drew attention from the hurrying crowd sud
denly giving up all idea Of the bag, he darted from
Dicks side to that of Prentice his empty sleeve flap
ping his great hand outsretched and his weather
beaten face leer Of familiarity.
Don't vuh know me, Jack3" he cried III the same
falseto tone "Cripes! but yuh must struck 1t rch
old pard! I'm shy my dealing hand, Jack; but yuh
look close and yuh see Tex Bennett your old pard
at Rawhide Cripes but I'm some surprised to see yuh!
If Denver Jim had riz out o the Limping River, yuh
couldn't a give of shock!'
They the sidewalk amid the bawl1ng cab
drivers, and people stopping to listen and stare
Dick beckoned, and taxcab plunged up to the curb
Hurry, Dad!7 said the young man, graspng his
fathers arm He threw the suitcase into the vehicle
and hustled the older man within. Straight ahead,
he called the driver, and stepping in banged the
door.
it. clinging to the window. "Yuh amt going to leave
me like this, Jack!" he shouted in his piping voice
"Gmme grlbstake, Jack! Yuh forget Denver i'm!
Yuh forget what pards we was, rigging the deal to-
gether in Thirstys place? Blast yuh Jack, gimme"
Dicks fist descended like triphammer on the back
of his hand, and with howl he dropped of.
"That's panhandle game, said Dick, rubbing
his gloved knuckles.
aTex Bennett-rnv God7 said his father, with
gasp 7Ehs ,o,ra man wbred round and stared Lolnp
weakly in the of the cab his hat down over his
eyes, his hands twitchng on his knees the elder Prem
tice presented an ugly caricature OF himself HIS face
was grav and he seemed suddenly old in the afternoon
sunlight.
@Dad!7 cried his son. startled at his appearance.
@What's the matter? You're ILL We must get to
doctor once" He sprang forward to shout to the
chauffeur but stopped at sound OF his fathers voice
@No. no. my boy" quavered the other 1T will pass
I've had shock, that's all
aThat brute of beggar!7 cried Dick 4He frightened
you with his talk. l should have had him arrested
Did he really know you!"
The old man groaned. "4es-l knew h1m-long ago
before you were born.
THE cab had reached the avenue. and Dick called to
the driver to proceed down that thoroughfare As
they swung into the of vehicles he stared out of
the window, wondering about the strange effect on his
father Of this chance encounter The fellow accent and
picturesque talk of the West but, far as he
knew his fathers life had been spent in New York in
Europe, in South America. Limpng River-it stuck in
his head as being somewhere in California. Rawhide-
that large town. mining camp OF the Bret
Harte type Faro Jacka name out OF that raconteurs
works What had Clifford Prentice to do with these?
ats just the it always was Dick, said his
father suddenly, breaking in upon his thoughts.
"What?' he asked, before realizing the obvious.
The old man waved hand. @The avenue, the crowd
the carriages" he said with sort of fervor, though
making the of timeworn subject. "You can't
appreciate it my boy until you've been away two years
Every time see it make up my mind to go away
again It's the Look there, Dick. What beauty
She bowed to you. Who is she?"
With leapng Of the pulses that always surprised
him. Dick recognized the team of gravs abreast of which
fhoyy half hy haad
tied by the apparton OF the smiling girl in the landau
he took off his hat with abrupt cumsiness and coored
4