The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-10-19
p II.

CHAPTER II.
They were surrounded Immediately
by a crowd In which policemen were
q prominent feature. The chauffeur
seemed dazed in the hands Of the Off
GERS.
A little, barefoot, white faced figure
huddled Imply in the midst showed
| Gordon what had happened: also there
were menacing glances towards him
solf and a show Of lifted stones. He
heard boy say You bet he's in
q hurry to cit away. Them kind allus
is. They don't, care who they kills,
A great horror seized him. The cab
had run v e a newsboy and perhaps
| killed him. Yet instantly came h re-
membrance of his commission: Don't
let anything hinder you. Make 1t q
matter of life and death!" Well, 1t
looked as IL this was a matter Of death
that hindered him now.
They bundled the moaning boy into
the taxicab and as Gordon say no es-
cape through the tightly packed crowd,
who eyed him suspiciously, he climbed
in beside the grimy little scrap Of UNI
conscious humanity, and they were off
to the hospital to the tune of Don't
anything hinder you'll" until Cor
don felt that If it did not stop
soon he would go crazy. He
meditated opening h cab door and
making his escape in spite of h speed
they were making, but a vision of
broken legs and q bed in the hospital
for himself held him to his seat. One
Of the policemen had climbed on In
front with the chauffeur, and now and
again he glanced back as If he were
conveying a couple of prisoners to Jail.
1t was ~vexatious beyond anything! And
all on account Of that white dog! Gould
anything be more ridiculous than the
| whole performance?
His annoyance and irritation almost
made him forget that 1t was his prog
ress through the streets that had ST.
fenced this mite beside him. But, just
as he looked at his watch for h fifth
time, the hoy opened his yes and
a striking resemblance to the look In
the eyes Of the dog Of whose presence
he had just rid himself.
Gordon started. In spite Of himself
It seemed as IL the dog were ~reproach-
ing him through the eyes OF the child.
Then suddenly the boy spoke.
Twill yous stay by me till I'm mend
ed2" whispered the weak little voice.
Gordon's heart leaped in horror again
and 1t came to him that he was being
tried out this day 70 see If he had the
right stuff for hard tasks. The appeal
In the little street boys eyes reached
him as no request had e done, and
yet he might not answer it. Duty-.life
and death duty-called him elsewhere.
and he must leave the little fellow
whom he had been the involuntary
cause Of inJuring, to suffer n perhaps
to die. 1t cut him to the quick not to
respond to that urgent appeal.
Was 1t because he was weary that he
was visited just then by a vision Of
T,,lta DA-lAx x.rtfh han hanAAraA Itnu
surled scornfully? Julia Bentley would
not have approved Of his stopping to
carry a boy to the hospital, any more
than to care for a dogs comfort.
Look here, kiddie," he said gently.
leaning owe the child. I'D stay by you
II I could. but I've already made my
self late for an appointment by COM
what duty Isl"
The child nodded sorrowfully.
Don't yous mind me-" he murmured
weakly. Just yous go. I'm game all
right" Then the voiced trailed off into
silence again, and the eyelids fluttered
down upon the little. grimy, uncon-
scious face.
Gordon went into the hospital for a
brief moment to leave some money In
the hands Of the authorities for the
benefit of the boy, and a message that
he would return in q week or two, If
possible; then hurried away.
Back in the cab once more. he felt
as IL he had killed @ man and left
him lying by the roadside while he con-
tinued his answering march toward
the hideous duty which was growing
momently more ~portentous, and to be
relieved of which he would gladly have
surrendered further hope Of his chiefs
favor. He closed his ayes and tried to
think. but all the time the little white
face Of the child came before his vision,
and the hooking eyes Of Julia Bentley
tantalized him, as II she were telling
him that he had spoiled all his chances
and hers-by his foolish soft heart
edness. Though. what else could he
have done than he had done, he asked
himself fiercely.
He looked at his watch. It was at
least 10 minutes ride to the hotel. the
best time they could make. Thanks to
his man. the process of dressing for
evening would not take long, for he
knew that everything would be in place
and he would not be hiudered. He
would make short work Of his toilet.
But there was his suit case. 1t would
not do to leave II at the hotel, neither
must he take IL with him to the house
where he was to be a guest. There
was nothing for X but to go around by
the way Of the station where It would
have to be checked. That meant a
be done.
Arrived at the hotel at last, and in
the act Of signing the unaccustomed
John Burnnam" in the hotel registry,
there came a call to the telephone.
With a hand that trembled from ex-
element he took the receiver. His
breath went from him as though he had
lust run up five flights of stairs. Yes?
Hellol oh, Mrs. Holman. Yes! Burn
ham. I've but Just arrived. ] was de-