The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-12-20

| eyes open.
What you want?" asked the pa
tient
lime to take your medicine" Clio
ria answered unblushingly. This was
only a subterfuge. and it hurt her to
receive the profuse thanks which it
evoked
| How are We going to begin to make
Things right down here9" Gloria asked
when Little Ella had sunk back upon
her pillow.
Begin" The girl did not under
stand
Yes, you and I. Things can't go
on as they are"
why, begin with the boss. of
course
Gloria could not have been stabbed
by more cruel reply.
An, yes" she sighed. but how?"
That's up to you and yer pa
Little Ella recognized that the boss
was out of her sphere of influence.
Yes, yes. | know Tell me-does-
David Kerr" she spoke the name with
an effort, overcome down here?"
Him? Nav We never see nothin'
o him His daughter gave a sigh of
relief We don't know nothin' bout
him much. We don't see him, but we
feel him He lives alone, out in the
country"
Then can he really know"
Hes man. amt he?" demanded
the woman of the streets fiercely He
knows, but what does he care? wisht
he had a daughter"
whats that?" Gloria asked The
manner in which Little Ella had
spoken made her catch her breath
with a feeling that was akin to dread.
| II wlsht he had a daughter, an that
shed have to suffer what we down
here suffer"
Gloria held up her hand. bidding her
cease from even thinking such thing
No no, no. not that"
| why not?" the other went on dog
gedly Gould she be any better'n |
was ouceto I tell you, I'd like to have
q daughter of his here. and watch her
struggle to keep the breath in her
body"
Have YOU no mercy" begged Clio
ria
What mercy hev | had shown me
by Noonan-cept fer his own profit?
What mercy from David Kerr?
Wouldn't he laugh to see daughter O.
his in this hell-hole?" Gloria convul-
sively covered her eyes with her hands
as if to shut out even the thought of
such sight Little Ella went on
harshly What joke it would be!
But I'd laugh. I'd watch her the little
darling, to see that she paid the price
as I've done"
Gloria could stand 1t no longer.
stop. you senseless girl. You make
mockery of pity and compassion. It's
absurd to vent your rage upon some
thing that doesn't exist. David Kerr
has no daughter"
1 Little Ella accepted this answer
without question unmindful that a
short while before her visitor had de-
med all knowledge of the man.
Il wisht he had" she said regret
fully.
A door slammed suddenly overhead
Aren't you afraid here alone?" Clio
ria asked
Nav. amt scared in the daytime.
an at night I'm out most O. the time" !"
The sound OF scuffie on the floor
above brought both women to atten-
ton There came a sudden, smothered
cry for help which made Gloria's blood
run cold Then there was heavy
thud as if some one had been felled by
blow.
What's it all about?" she cried.
springing to her feet in terror
"Nothin' Stay where you are.
We're safe as long as We don open
that door"
The sounds OF the affray grew
louder Again came the cry for help.
What's going on? | must know.
Some ones in trouble. Didn't you hear
some one CALI"
They're maybe just foolin'.' Ella
was listening intently. Don't you
butt in"
But | cant stand here doing moth
ing. | must see what's the matter"
One could never accuse Gloria Of
lack of courage. She had never seen
the horse she was afraid of, and a sail
boat in heavy sea made her laugh
the more the louder the wind whistled
through the rigging. Her feeling OF
personal power. inherited from her IA
ther, had been strongly developed. She
had by this time overcome her first
| fear. and now she intended to know
what the trouble was all about. Some
one was in distress and to do what she
could was her one thought as she
started toward the door.
Better not open that door, Little
Ella pleaded.
Even as she spoke, they heard
door slam at the head of the stairs
above. Some one lurched heavily to
the stairway, and then to their hor-
ror-they knew it by the sound just