Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-13
III tE. :. :. !.
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CHAPTER l.
pAtp AND INTEREST.

~ t.sr5nE-hOuse Hi wv
.ti sauare--one of those grim shell
~. vefure OF Transatlantic curiosity
j p,,,lsb penury. The girl-she rep
~ the former race-was leaning
..,..t the frall palisadlng, with gloomy
s .,..lou and eyes set as though in
eontemplaton OF the uninspiring
,,sn,a The young man-unmistak-
q. ,mcompromlslngly Engllsh-stood
IN Ms back to the chimney n few feet
. watching his companion. The
....s hetween them was as yet un-
,,st.n had lasted, indeed. since she had
.,.l.o away from the shabby drawing
~, hslow, where horid lady with a
.s,ous voice had been shouting a music
an dItty. Close upon her heels, but
.,lhoit speech OF any sort, he had fol-
h.sa They were almost strangers ex-
..ns for the occasional word or two of
ssslIns which the etiquette Of the estab-
nanent demanded. Yet she had ac-
,.b,ed his espionage without any protest
a word or look. He had followed her
fhh a very definite object. Had she
istmIsed IL, he wondered? She had not
lpfned her head or vouchsafed even a
sInrle question or remark to him since
ht had pushed his way through the trap
door almost at fier heels and stepped out
su 10 the leads Yet II seemed to him
tkst she must guess.
Below them, what seemed to be the
Of housetops, of smoke-wreathed spires
and chimneys, stretched away to a
murky, blood-red horizon. Even as they
stood there, a deeper color stained the
The piled UP masses of thick, vaporous
clouds. The girl watched with an air
Of sullen yet absorbed interest. Her
companlon's eyes were still fixed wholly
be wondered7 Why had she left her own
country to come to city where she
seemed to have no friends, no manner of
lnterestr In that caravansary of the
almost unnotlced figure, silent, indis-
posed for conversation, not in any OBJ
Yious manner attractive. Her clothes,
notwithstanding their air of having come
shabby and out OF fashion, their extreme
neatness In itself pathetic. She was thin,
yet not without a certain buoyant light
ness OF movement always at variance
With her tired eyes, her ceaseless air OF
detection. And withal she was a rebel.
II was written in her attitude, 1t was
svdsnt In her lowering militant express
rlon, the smouldering fire in her eyes pro-
claimed It, Her long, rather narrow face
vas srlpped between fler hands; her ell
bows rested upon the brick parapet She |
gased at that world of blood-red mlsts,
ci unshapely,r grotesque buildings, of |
strange, tawdry colors; she listened to |
ne medley of sounds-crude, shrill, in |
ditsnt, something like the groaning of |
world stripped naked-and she had all
ne time the air of one who hates the
hing she looks upon.
Tavernake, whose curiosity concerning
MS companion remained unappeased, de-
slded that the moment for speech had
arrived. He took a step forward upon
The soft, pulpy leads. Even then
ne hestated before he finally committed
nmsen. About his appearance little was
iemarkaole save the general air of de-
'efmlnation which gave character to his
anastnguished features. He was some
lalns above the medium height, broad
~ and with rather more thick black
naT than ne knew how to arrange ad-
'AAaaseously. lie wore q shirt which
VA somewhat frayed. and an Indifferent
W MS boots We're heavy and clumsy;
" wore also suit of ready-made clothes
IIh the air Of one who knew that tney
sue ready-made and was satisfied with
4'sn' Feople OF nervous or sensitive
,i.poslton would, without doubt, have
ssnu ,s. nm irritating but for a certain
'Ameiess glft-an almost Napoleonic con-
snuaton upon the things of the passing
loment which was In itself impressive
~ which somehow disarmed criticism
ABOUT that bracelet" he said at last.
'ne moved her head and looked at him,
souhs man OF less assurance would
lye turned and fed. Not so Tavernake.
nce sure of his ground he was i'm
\, ,y'spie' There was murder in her eyes
W y, ne was not even disturbed.
. "a" you take 1t from the little table
Z. Ne piano, you know" he continued
I. vas rather a rash thing to do. Mrs.
sslald was looking for 1t before
.,snea the stairs. / expect she has
.sea the police in by now"
,S'ewly her hand stole into tine depths
asr pocket and emerged. Something
s-Asu ~ lor moment high over her head.
~ young man caught her wrist Just in
as' caught 1t in a Veritable grip OF
". ~ ihen, indeed, the evil fires flashed
~ ner eyes. her teeth cleaned white.
\ pVsom rose and fell I'm a storm of
SesH unmuttered sobs. She was dry
~ ~ ana still speechless, but for all
NJ ss sne was a tigress. A strangely-eut
s,,s4.Nue they formed there upon the
n .sp' with a background of empty
~ Y, their feet sinking In the warm Leads.
let 60" ~" "e Saiu'
i ~ 3, hnsers yielded the bracelet-a taw-
80 s'Tusslsned AFFAIR OF rubies and dia-
,,sr, ~ lie looked at 1t disapprovingly.
i, an ugly thing to go to prison
ne remarked, slipping II into his
.sa II was q stupid thing to do,
!. .tAew, you know, You couldn't have
sti,,,-~ win lt-unless," he added,
ss r,st over the parapet as though
n With sudden idea, unless you
y confederate below"
= neafd the rush OF her skirts and he
u I, only lust in time, Nothing, in fact,
lss considerable amount OF presence OF
~ NJ ana the full exercise of a strength
- was continually providing sur
49, ior his acquaintances, was suf-
! 70 save her. Their struggles upon /
q edge Of the roof dislodged a !
sIjs. lFom S the palisadipg. which went