The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-07


 older, maybe he understands her--which everyone don't"
 mented with every heart that offered I might, too. But who's that moving upstairs"
 Captain Prady.@ And go up, Jackie, like good boy, and say a civil word to him. If you and him had some fan' out, don't lay that ag'in him now, the poor He's that forlorn about Chick. It's hauntn this old place he is since far back they said you and Lappen was lost The poor man, go up and say civil word to him, Jackie-boy."
 So Jack went upstairs and said How are you?" to Prady, whereat the older mans face lit up immeas- urably; and they set to chatting of thing other, of everything but Chick when suddenly, unac countably to Jack, Prady's eyes gowed She's com ing, he said Jack then heard the carriage stopping below, and presently the opening and closing of the street door, and then the nervous quick stepping of feet below stairs. By and by-he knew the steps now-she heard ascending the stairs
 Jack how slender she had become The old blazing color, too, gone. Without warning she turned on him. "What about Lappen?"
 'He went down with his vessel when it shelled by the Japs. We'd been hunting seals illegally, off the east coast of sakhaln Island. And he wouldn't have been lost, but he trying to save his money chest He wanted it for you"
 "For me? And came near to bringing death and disgrace to youY
 "Me into disgrace? Me? Was I of child's age or what? And what had he to do with me? Twas for you. He went to his death for you, and you say that. God, but you've grown to be terrible woman, Chick"
 Perhaps so. Perhaps so But I've tried not to be. Jack. But come here, Jack Let's forget all that. See," and she indicated the neglected garden. "Do you remember the little girl Jack who used to look across from her window mornings to you in your window, and you in your little nightgown leaning out to point to your Chinese John what flowers to cut for your mommers breakfast table? Do you, Jackie? The compelling voice drew him across the room. The to her set his heart to humping terribly Were Prady not there he would have gathered her close. Pledged to Macron, it would not have mattered !
 And now it's a gambling house!" he said.
 "Only to think-a gambling house!" she repeated, and with that out of the room and down stairs another moment if for brief word to her grand mother and Jack heard the street door close behind her.
 Prady exclaimed, "I'n bet she's gone around the corner to Charlie Wings-to the silk store. There's ladies' game there you know. Lades" he repeated, and stepped the room, and looked gloomy out of the window.
 Thirsting to of her smallest dong Jack forced another question. Docs she go there often?"
 soTwice before this week. silk store," he sneered but she never brings home any silk You ought to tell her to cut it out"
 "de tell her? Me?"
 'sYes you" He whist1ed irreevantly, then stopped suddenly "So long," Soon the street door closed behind him.
 Jack remained gazing out of the rear window on the back area no other than that she had been doing so just before him.
 The report pistol brought him jumping out of his reverie. He knew it for bigbored revolver shot. There was open window, lace curtain across it. No longer puzzng reflection but down the back stairs In two strides, across Grannies backyard in three more. The door to Charlie Wings he found bolted on the inside, but the wall easily scaled. He had not forgotten the layout of this his old home, and straight up the back stairs he rushed and straight for that back room-he knew that room, too-of the open window and lace curtain.
 Another shot, and almost at the same instant the door swung open before him. It was Charlie Wing backing out. The revolver still in his hand. Jack looked beyond Charlie and there he saw Chick her head resting table if she were weary. On the floor Prady his legs stretched out before him and his back against the wall, Blood was on his white shirt front and knife in his hand. Like coming death he looked Charlie said something in Chinese and turned. quick man, but not quick enough. Jack caught his lifted wrist and the bullet went on by him. He wrenched the wrist; he could feel the bones cracking under his grip and Wing grow clear white with the agony Before the weapon had hit the floor Jack had him by the throat.
 But Wing did not die by his hand. Over Wings shoulder he Chick lift her head, and he saw too, that she knew him. And he had more time for Wing. He heaved him off, and back the floor Wing fell, to Prady. who Jack had thought all gone but who reached and drove his knife deep into Wings neck.
 Jack took Chick up Once she would have been quite weight but not He could feel her breath at his ear. "Oh-h-Tm so glad that it's you that came to take away" she said
 He said to Prady, eff anybody comes, let it be Charlie and you and me alone"
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