The evening world., 1915-02-02
handful Of the curious already col
lectinY on the pavAmAnt

handful Of the curious already col
Letting on the pavement.
' Breakfast at Dollars Welbeck
Street house removed any OF Crouch
er's lingering misgivings. but might
have created them In more sophisti-
Gated mind. II was an English break
fast fit for a foreign potentate; there
were soles. kidneys, eggs and bacon.
hot rolls and lashings Of such coffee
as made Mr.. Croucher forget n pre-
vious craving for alcohol. A subse-
quent cigar was up to the visitors
highest standard. and the subject OF
a more articulats appreciation than
all that had gone before.
"You shall smoke the box II you
care to stay with me-" said DR.. Dollar.
with a warmer smile.
''Stay with you!" exclaimed Crouch
er. suffering a return Of his worst
suspicious. why should stay with
you? ?"
Because there are worse places.
Croucher. and one Of them has left
you q bit Of q wreck"
"A bit Of one!" cried the other. In a
sudden snarling whine. They've
just about done me in. doctor. II you
want to know. Two munfs' ard. that
! was never ordered. on top of one In
the condemned cell for what I never
done! That's 'ow they've tret me-
somefink crool-wuss than wot you'd
treat a dawg wot give you 'ydropho-
bia. And wot 'ad done? 'Elped me-
self when the stun was under my
nose, an me starvin'. an the tooler's
winder ready broke for q cove by
them as never 'ad his temptitions. l
don't say 1t was right. mind you: but
that much l did do. and not what
they said l 'ad an couldn't prove.
They couldn't prove II. because I
never done II; they couldn't 'ang me.
because they didn't dare; but they
made me sweat an SILVER lust the
same. They took ten years of of me
life: they give me such a time as l
shant forget till my dying day. And
as II that wasn't thick enough. they
give me two munfs' ard on their
own--no Judge or jury for that little
lot-an' turn me out wot you calls a
bit OF wreck. but ] calls a creepin'
corpse!"
forehead wet already with the throeS
OF deglutition. and eyes that were
not wet at all. before applying q
nickering light to his neglected
cigar.
what you say Is perfectly fair"
observed the doctor. In a sadly unim-
passioned tone; but II is also fair to
remember that others have been say
ing II for you for some time past.
and that you are free this morning as
tha result. As to your mental and
bodily sufferings, can zee some OF
the effects for myself. and those at
least I could undo. That was the
idea in meeting you, and perhaps !
ought TO say at once that II was not
my idea. II was that OF the unknown
friend OF whom l have already spok-
en-; but am prepared To carry II out.
] run kind OF nursing homo, here
In my house. and there's a bed ready
for you II you care to occupy H."
"a nursing 'ome!" said Croucher
shrinking from vision OF lint and
ligatures. There's nuffunk so much
the matter with me that ] want to 60
into an 'ome.",
Nothing that rest could not cure
rest and diet-I agree" said the doc
tor, with an eye on the empty dishes
But won't il cost a LOTT" in
quired Croucher. thinking Of the kid
neys especially. I'm stony broke
you see," he explained with increased
bitterness.
Our friend insists on paying the
BILL" said the doctor, grimly.
And who IL our wonderful friend
doctor. when o or she's at 'omef"
Doctor Dollar laughed as he pushed
back his chair. That's the one
thing you mustn't ask me; but CONS
up and see the room before you make
up your mind against it,"
II was at the top and back OF the
house. less lofty than those intc
which the Home Secretary hat
peeped on a previous occasion. buI
similarly appointed, and more at
tractive In the morning light ant
that OF q fre already cracking II
the CRATE. by the nres!de stood =
: white wicker chair and q glass table
} AtraBn with the nswaat apA ushtas