The evening world., 1915-02-02

eAcfucieun8 cIcso Ot hNnte iuhsrnO.
He stretched his great limbs In peace
incffAble, fell asleep dreaming OF the
fine flash suits for which they had
been duly measured, and was never
decenuy awake until the evening.
A substantial tea, when he did wake
up. was the least they could provide
after ncElecting TO rouse q man for his
midday meal; but . distinct grievance
on that score was forgot In the appetite
that accrued for dinner. and the In.
finitely tactful choice OF the eventful
viands. Steak and onions was the
strong act OF a romantic drama after
the very heart Of this transpontine
rough. n he had been shown . bill OF
fare Alfred Crouchsr would have
chosen steak and onions, with Welsh
l rarehit to follow: and welsh rareblt
did follow. as 10 by magic. There was
rather less TO he said for the drink; the
, patient could have done with . longer
and q stronger drauEht. But u waa .
drop OF good stuff u Mr.. croucher wes
any Judge; and no decided not TO
create n possibly prejudicial impress
sion by complaints Of quality or
"You done me top -'olc," ne mur-
INJURED, rolling his bulbs Of eyes When
the doctor stood over him once more.
TOP ole. you ave, ana no error.
never struck . nicer bit o. nllet,
saucy glass o. wine that. too. Not
that I was ever much and at the
liquor. but there are times wen u
seems TO do yer good"
"You shall continue to take II.
incidentally" returned Dollar. gravely;
but don't count on the type Of fare
you've had to-day. Three meals In
future. but rather lighter ones. The
first day was different. l tried to put
myself In your place. and am glad I
seem to have succeeded on the whole.
But remember you are here to lis
low, and that doesn't do on fighting
food. Sufficient for the day. Croucherl
Here are soane flowers from the
friend who works by stealth. and these
are the weeds ] promised you this
morning. You might do worse than
Judge the givers by their gifts"
It was perhaps as we'll that Alfred
Croucher did not pause to pussle
out that saying. for the rare blooms
were as pearls before his kindred a
tho sty. but the bog OF cigar: a. 9
without delay: yet II was hardly Q
matter OF hours before the charter
ed sluggord was blissfully asleep
once more, his door locked and boited
on principle. and a red nrs dying IN
tho crate.
1t might have BEEN . falling coal
! that woke him up. Such was the In
nocent Croucher's first impression.
. Hut In that oass II was nothing lsse
than q shower Of Goals. . gentle but
continuous downpour. and thsy fs,l
with u curiously crisp and metallic
. tinkls. Moreover. tho sound was moi
from the fire after all. but appar-
emily from the window on the oppo'
ste side Of the room.
Croucher lay listening until his
quickensd senses could no longer bl
deceived. 4omebody was at his win.
dow. tho dormer windov that any.
body could set At over the leads
that ought TO have bssn securely
barred but wasn't. a. hs suddenly
remsmbsrsd with aEgrieved dismay
protected window ana those con-
!, ducive leads. In one OF his last wax
. ing moments. a. q not impossible
solution of tho whiskey problem.
A sash went up too slowly. limbs
crossed tho sill and felt the floor
with excessive caution. and for q
little lifetime Alfred Crouchsr suf-
fered more exquisite terror than
toward the end In the condemned
cell. A monster was leaning over
him. breathing hotly In his face. oil
Dut tOuCnlnk uib oAHs
'Alfie!" said q blessed voice. N
tiny light struck through the COM
pressed eyelids. "Alfis, It's mel"
And once more Alfred Crouchsr
was a man and liar. '6hoddy!" he
croaked with q sspulchral sob. AN
me asleep an dreamin' like bloom
In babby! Why. wot you dom ere
Shod7"
Come to nee you. old son." said
Shoddy. But It's moro like me
arskin' what you're up to In . 'ouss
like this"
"Avin the time O. me Hfe!" whis.
pered the excited patient. "I.ivin
: like n fightin' cock. on the fat y thS
teemin' land, at some ruddy OLD
!, josser's expenss!"
jacent ear the true fairy tale OF hil
first days freedom, from his intro.
duction to Doctor Dollar In the pre-
r cincts Of that very jail which was tc
have been his place OF execution And
obscure sepulchre.
~ know. I seen you come out With
him." said Shoddy. "sn' drive off Ia
! yer car like hairy lord. wal
there with taxi messlr'-
There to meet mo. Shodr'
That's It. That's 'ow I tracked
, you 10 tulb Gre Oubo L NO SoVsu WV |.
. more fndin': but there's an old pa
o. mine a shower In tho news. II
/. showed me the back o. tho 'ouss. an
, blowed II I didn't spot yer at vel
. winder first go Off"
That must We been early on. Ole
! man? bin In bed all day. Oh. suct
= bed. Shoddy! I'm goin' to sleep mt
: 'ead into u pulp afore ! leave IT,"
q you amt" said Shoddy firmly
you're comm along o me. Alhe
q That's WHY I'm ere"
/. Not me-" replied Alne, with eaua
v hrmness. Il know wen I'm weilpff-
a and it's time l was"
I'm wiv yer there" Shoddy nod
v dcd in adroit sympathy. he had KEEP
his electric lamp burning all the time
a and an extra prominence OF eye ant
cheekbone, a looseness OF lip and
u fiickering glance. were not inarticulat'
v In the chastened countenance OF hii
4 friend. 1T must We been ell. Alne
d real old red-'ot 'ell!"
And all for wot never done" III
n was reminded with some stiffness
q That's It," the other agreed. will
a perfunctory promptitude. But that
q exactly why I'm ere. Alne. You didn'
n think I done n job like this for th'
: sake o. tikin' old o. yer and. didger
r Ms Just because II seems you didn'
J. commit yerself Alfe. that ia got Il
l.-( -