The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-24

her presence there, which indeed was
the very same emotion he had felt at
seeing the Little Pal come into the
prison. When on top of this feeling,
after her first outburst of grief, the
woman began to question Watson for
details Of the Little Pairs last days,
turning upon him a pair of great blue
eyes. that while swimming with tears
searched his soul hungriy to the very
bottom, Dick found his own eyes mist
ing over and experienced a choking
sensation, SO that he wondered at him
self.
When he had answered all her ques-
tons and stood gazing at the woman
more and more deeply impressed by the
disharmony of her SURROUNDINGS he
suddenly blurted:
Look here. girl this amt no life
for you-why don't you cut III"
Watson was greatly surprised al him
self the mOmcnt the words were out
Of his mouth and questioned vaguely
II he was getting dippy or turning
preacher or just what was the matter
with him. But he was UNNECESSARILY
more surprised by the woman's reply as
she gripped both Of his hands in hers
and exclaimed .mpulsively:
You are right. It is no life for me.
| am sick and tired of it-only yester-
day | was talking with a minister
was going over to New York to some
friends to start right and stay right
but and with another break in her
voice. as she held up the letter. IL
was going 10 stay right for him.-And
now Her voice Choked up again.
The upshot of the matter was that
Watson, who had come to the house
merely as a matter of devotion 10 dead
pal, sat down and spent a half hour try
ing to persuade this woman whose
name was Helen, to abandon her way Of
living and helping her plan a new start.
when he had succeeded the woman sud
denly turned upon him and began to
urge him to live straight for the sake
of the Little Pal
Watson was quickly on the defensive,
but the woman used in succession every
one of the arguments he had just en-
ployed against her. Already half deslr-
ing to live straight. but lacking the
resolution to attempt II, Watson
presently gave the same promise he
had eXaCted from the woman.
The whole story seems so improbable
that one might be tempted TO discredit
it utterly but for what grew out of it
and cannot be explained very well
otherwise In parting IL appears the
two pledged themselves to the new life
with handClasp, calling each other by
their first names, Dick and Helen; but
II was years before they met again. and
then under circumstances that claim a
significant place in this narrative, for
each kept track Of the other in general
way.
The woman acted with rare resolu-
ton That very day she left the house
and went straight To New York city,
where she secured a position as house.
keeper, but having had training as a
milliner, she presently turned to that
and possessing energy and small
capital she soon owned a store Of her
own. Her venture was very successful.
Eventually she had a place on Fifth
avenue and sold hats TO the bOn-ton OF
New York. She joined a church and
took a keen interest I'm religious work.
man whom she met in business
way, but who had religious sympathies
like herself, offered his hand Helen
loved him, but refused him. He pressed
her for reason. With very white
face she told the story of her life.
He swayed for a moment as IL hit
with club, but the next day proposed
again anu i'IeH accepted NM Tnelr
welded life was happy while il lasted,
hut the husband died before long, leav-
ing Helen "A Chlldless widow with a
comfortable estate.
But during the half dozen years re-
CURED for these events to happen in
| the life OF Helen, Watson had not been
| succeeding 50 well. lie did have force
enough to abandon criminal life but
not enough to put anything in the
| place of il. He continued to be the
associate of fclons and of women of
the half world, He made his living by
| playing ,hc races and other forms of
| Continued on Sixteenth Page.