The Washington herald., 1914-05-28

me. guess. since you got to be chummy
with the swell gent. Say, kid, q five
spot would come in handy"
She wriggled from his grasp and hi!
withering breath. The intrusion of tn
unkempt. reeky figure had banished he
dreams and frozen the smile on he
lips.
Please, Bob. Can't you see-can't you
understand-that I am trying to do bet!
ter. to work and-and make something
Of myself. and I've given you all the
money have. You spend 1t all for drink,
Why don't yon leave me alone. Bob, and
give me a chance? I wanted to forget
the past-thats why came here. I hoped
you wouldn't find me-"
Bob simpered knowingly. ''Your old
friend Blind Tom tipped ne on. He
wasn't very anxious to tell me where
you was till choked ii ont of him with
my mitts, You'd ought % have seen the
old gents face turn black and blue"
How could you. Bob7' she cried.
Poor old Tom was good 10 me-the only
friend had until"
It'll the other gent got stuck on that
baby face Of yourn,'' sneered the man.
He slipped You that sparkler, didn't
hep He pointed to the ring on the girls
finger.
''Mr. Lame and are engaged" cried
Ethel. blushing angrily.
That's what they all say. But Amt
blamin' you. You ought to divvy UP,
though. Your fne young gent Is good
for 1t. amt he?"
With a strong effort Ethel restrained
her indignation. please go. Bob" she
pleaded. '.And don't drink any more
Why don't you make a man OF yourself! !
I have given you all I can afford. You
will never get another penny from me- -
Bob's eyes cleaned evilly as he seized
her roughly. Thought you'd run away
from me with that gentleman friend OF
yourn and let me starve, eh? Ill show
you-you-
He raised his arm to strike. She strug.
gled with the agility and grace of a
maddened mountain cat. Suddenly a
knock was heard at the door Her face
turned pale and she raised begging eyes
to Bob's face You mustn't be seen
here! she cried. please. Bob. please
Here. She pushed him behind a curtain
and went to open the door. Mitchell
Laine entered.
Stupid of me. dear" he murmured.
II forgot that book you asked me to
read. Here 1t is He took a volume
from the table and slipped IL into his
pocket. As he turned to her again he
saw the startled expression In her face.
What Is 1t, my little Miss Nobody
From Nowhere? Too much excitement?
oh. WELL you'll Tet hardened to it." He
stopped and kissed her, and as he did
SO a slight noise emanated from a cor
ner Of the room.
What's that?" he cried. "Are you sure
there are no burglars in the house?" He
stepped toward the curtain. but Ethel
drew him back, a little anguished cry
slipping from her lips.
'Don't-you mustn't. It's nothing
only my-my brother" But II was too
late. Bob had parted the curtains and
stepped into the room, and now he stood
regarding the two with q sinister leer.
"Brother-eh?' he sneered. Strong on
the brother stun, amt you. This young
swell might as well get it straight. She
amt my sister, she's my"
A swift blow dealt by LANES fist sent
him sprawiing to the floor. Fuming with
the anger of beaten beast he strove to
rise. but Lame picked him up in his
strong arms and flung him from the room.
When he returned the lines in his face
were drawn srimly, and he looked at
Ethel with an expression that showed
that all that was vital and strong and
sacred had been wrung from him. He
moved his lips to speak, but no words
issued from his mouth. The denial that
on Ethers lips was choked back
by throbbing emotions. He seized her
hand, then dropped 1t abruptly.
Ethel flung herself on the couch and
sobbed out her grief in long. heart-bruis-
ing sobs- Thus she lay through the
night, a palpitant, shivering creature for
whom life's lights had faded. Her hap
piness, her love, her triumph had been
as brief as 1t had been swift, and there
was but an echo left, trembling, falter-
Ing echo that was like the bitter sigh of
q doomed soul. Dawn was creeping into
the room when she rose and looked out
upon life an6 the world with staring.
eyes There was nothing left
but the old loveless life. with its heart
aches and soul-hunser. Slowly, with
grief and questioning in her misty eyes,
she packed her belongings and ned.
She strove to forget the little mirage
that had flushed the horizon of her life.
but the effort was bitter and soaring. She
sought friends: there was Blind Tom.
the organ grinder. who had been loyal
and kind to her. and Ethel sought to
show her gratitude by engaging a spe-
cialist to treat the old mans eyes. The
operation was successful. and little Miss
Nobody from Nowhere was tubiIant, for
he dumb, faltering happiness of the old
H--a