The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-05-01

corning street car lines ana took my
leave. After was well on my way
remembered that l had not learned
Azalea Adair's name. But tomorrow
would do.
That same day started in on the
course Of iniquity that this uneventful
city forced upon me. was in the
town only two days, but in that time
managed to lie shamelessly by tele-
graph and to be an accomplice-after
the fact, if that Is the correct legal
term-tO u murder.
AS rounded the corner nearest my
hotel the Afrite coachman of the poly
chromatic, nonpariel coat seized me.
swung open the dungeony door of his
peripatetic sarcophagus. tlirted his
feather buster and began his ritual:
Step right in, boss. Carriage is clean
jus got back from a funeral. Fifty
cents to any
And then he knew ME and grinned
broadly. "'Scuse me, boss; you is de
gen'lman what rid out with me dis
mawnin'. Thank you kindly. sub"
II am going out to SCI again tomor-
row afternoon at g." said l, and if
you will be here Ill let you drive me
So you know Miss Adair?" conclud
ed, thinking Of my dollar bill.
II belonged to her father. Judge
Adair, subj" he replied.
Il judge that she is pretty poor"
said. ''She hasn't much money to
speak Of, has she?"
For an instant looked again ut the
fierce countenance Of King Cetewuyo.
and then he changed back to an ex-
tortionate old negro hack driver.
"She amt gwine to starve. suh." he
said slowly. "She has reso'ces, sub;
she has reso'ces."
Il shall pay you so cents for the
trip" said l.
Dat is putfeckly correct. sub" he
answered humbly. II jus had to have
dat 81 dis mawnin'. boss"
went to the hotel and lied by cleo
tricity. wired the magazine: "A.
Adair holds out for 8 cents word"
The answer that came back was.
"Give it to her quick. you duffer."
Just before dinner Major Wentworth
Caswell bore down upon me with the
greetings Of long lost friend. have
seen few men whom have so instan-
taneously hated and of whom it was 50
difficult to be rid. was standing Mt
the bar when he invaded me. There
fore l could not wave the white rib
bon In his face. l would have paid
gladly for the drinks. hoping thereby
to escape another. but he was one Of
those despicable. roaring. advertising
bibbers who must have brass bands
and fireworks attend upon every cent
that they waste in their follies.
With an air of producing millions he
drew two one-dollnr bills from II peck
ct and dashed one of them upon the
bar. looked once more at the dollar
bill with the upper right hand corner
missing. torn through the middle. and
patched with u strip Of blue tissue pa
per. 1t was my dollar bill again. 1t
could have been no other.
went up to my room. The drizzle
and the monotony Of dreary. event.
less southern town had made me tired
and listless.
King Cetewayo was ut his post the
next day and ratified my bones over
the stones out to S61. He was to wait
and rattle me back again when I was
ready.
Azalea Adair looked paler and clean
er and frailer than she had looked on
the day before. After she had signed
the contract at 8 cents per word she
grew still paler and began to slip
out Of her chair. Without much trou-
BILE l managed to get her up on the
antedluvian horsehair sofa and then
ran out to the sidewalk and yelled to
the coffee colored pirate to bring a
doctor. With a wisdom that ! had
not suspected in him he abandoned his
team and struck off up the street afoot.
realizing the value of speed. In ten
minutes he returned with grave.
gray haired and capable man of medi-
cine. In a few words (worth much less
than 8 cents e,lch) explained to him
my presence in the hollow house of
mystery. He bowed with stately un-
derstnnding and turned to the old ne.
gro.
"Uncle Caesar" he said calmly, run
up to my house and ask Miss Lucy to
give you a cream pitcher full of fresh
milk and half tumbler Of port wine
And hurry back. Don't drive-run.
want you to get back some time this
week."
The doctor looked me over with
great politeness and rs much careful
calculation until he had decided that
I might do.
1T is only case of insufficient nu.
triton" he said-"in other words, the
result Of poverty, pride and starvation.
Mrs. Caswell has many devoted friends
who would be glad to aid her. but she
will accept nothing except from that
old negro, Uncle Caesar. who was once
owned by her family"
Mrs. Caswell!' said in surprise.
And then looked at the contract and
saw that she had signed it "Azalca
Adair Caswell."
IL thought she was Miss Affair.""
said.
married to drunken. worthless
loafer, sir" said the doctor. ut Is said
that he robs her even Of the small
sums that her old servant contributes
toward her support"