The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-09-15

greatness. He won't do that again
in hurry"
Mary Alice looked up into . face de-
signed for good humor. but just now
devoted to the scarlet purpose OF
! wrath. The blue eyes flashed the mixed
light Of indignation and complacence.
The red hair seemed to bristle with
turbulence and pride.
Mary Alice went on soberly picking
up her scattered load. Vaguely the
possibilities Of this pugnacity stirred in
her mind. Maybe the boy would FIX"
her. too. But all at once he grinned
Let me help you" he said. Are
they all dirty? It's too bad. What are
you gofn' to do with 'emT'
Take 'em home again." replied
Mary Alice. "Mother'n have to wash
'em all over"
The red-headed boy picked up the
last dust-smutted napkin and watched
Mary Alice pack the big mIsshnpen
load into place. She swung the little
wagon away from the fence and III
silence started down the hill.
Where you goin'?' demanded the
boy.
Home"
where's that?"
calvert street."
"Oh." said the boy. He knew all
about Calvert street by reputation. 1t
ran through the neighborhood known
as 1.-The Devils Truck Patch"
II guess III 60 long with you" he
decided. Maybe those fellows might
bother you some more; they won't II
I'm along, though"
Mary Alice neither accepted nor re-
jected this proposal. She went silently
down the hill. leaning back to check
the pace of her loaded wagon.
whats your name?" demanded the
boy.
MARY Alice Brown"
"Mine's Willett. Francis Willett," he
Informed her. quite gratuitously. I'm
Galahad Knight"
Mary Alice Brown showed no curl
osity concerning the complexion or du-
ties of a Galahad Knight.
ITS club" Francis explained. 1--WE
have ten members and we're all
pledged to puttect the weak against
the strong. That's why licked Lutey
Travers. I got up the club myself
read all about the idea in a book. A
knight is fellow that swears that
whenever he sees beauty"
The knight paused and scrutinized
Mary Alice's thin face as they passed
under an electric light; for the golden
gate at the street head had now faded.
US all symbols are prone to do. He
went on:
"Er-beauty-or anything-in dis
tress. OF course you aren't-that is.
you were in distress, so came to your
rescue-see?'
He steadied the topping wagon as
Mary Alice eased it across a curbstone
The little girl heard his complacent
chatter all too indlstinctly. She was 60
ing home empty-handed and-they
needed the money so bitterly.
Mary Alice shuddered. Francis WILL
lett, finding in his own virtue a re-
ward heightened by rehearsal, babbled
cheerfully Of Galahad knights and ex-
planned in detail how they differed
from Boy Scouts. Mary Alice wished
he would 60 away.
At last they came to Calvert street.
threading the Devils Truck Patch. 1t
was full Of people; men and women
lounged upon front stoops, children in
droves played on the pavement. Both
sidewalks were bordered with the win
dow lights of stores. largely saloons.
1t was a tough neighborhood. Francis
Willett had never seen that street be-
fore. Some raucous-voiced urchins
swarmed by, jostling and boisterous.
They were very dirty and very happy.
The boy from Clipper Hill lost little
Of his assurance. A drunken man
lunged past, swaying and lettering.
and as he went he mumbled thick bias
phemies.
my graciousw said the boy, a little
appalled,. "Do you have to live here"
"'Course I do" answered Mary Al
ice. 1t was almost the first time she
had spoken. MY folks live here.
got to stay with them, amt ~
IL suppose so. Which is your
house?"
Mary Alice turned up an alley, mar
row and dimly lighted and crowded.
Before a tenement house she stopped.
Here's where live" she said. She
did not invite her escort in; she did
not thank him for his knightly conduct:
she looked at him and wished he would
go away. He was very SNUG, in his
neat clothes, with his round, good
humored. complacent face. He had
never known a trouble in the world.
'Oh, yes" he said, craning his neck
to view the spider web of fire escapes
that decorated the front Of the build
ing. "Well, I guess 1 won't stay. My
father doesn't like for me to Say,
here's a present for you. The Gala
had Knights are all pledged to"
He held out something In his hand,
something which he drew from a
pocket where it jingled against others
of its kind 1t was particularly