Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-09
CHAPTER TX.
What Pearl Told.

What Pearl Told.
where u my father ? ;" the girl
asked. looking slowly from one to the
other.
Her voice was low but broken, as
though her throat was tired. Adam
arose from his chair, the others
slowly, following his example.
= am 50 glad YOU. are better" aid
cool a night for an invalid t be
standing in draughts."
The girl looked him over .c%uriously,
scanning him from head to foot, ap-
parently finding it hard to connect his
voice with his rough garments.
"A SWELL" she said at length. Eyes,
e w Swell tn though us you're not dolled up
Come over to the fire and sit
down." Adam pleaded, "and we will
explain!"
with the docile obedience Of COM
plete surprise, she allowed him to
lead her to the place from which she
had just risen.
Where is my father? ?" she asked
Old Mr.. Kipp made answer in his
thin, high voice.
He's gone away, PEARL" said he.
"But you mustn't mind, cause WI is
here!!"
"Mr. Kipp!" cried the girl. "You!
How glad I am. But what do you
mean, fathers gone away? You don't
do you?"
Dead? No. no. Not jerry" Mr..
He's just off on a business trip"
The girl lay back in her chair with
a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes
for a moment. Then she seemed to
get back some of her habitual forced
se~lf-control, and looked from Adam
to Woolcraft and back to- her old
friend.
And who all are these she whis-
pered.
Kipp took Adam by the sleeve.
This gent" said he. lis the Teller
that bought out % pa. Sort OF ex-
changed occupations with him, as 1t
were, him taking over the junk bust
ness, which are now a f1orist-supply
instead, and a good thing too, me be-
ing just taken in as a partner. And
(who nae been unable to take his eyes
from Pearl and now scraped an awk-
ward bow. "are the other partner
here-Woolcraft by name"
"And father?"
Hes got a hand-organ now"
"a hand-organ!" said Pearl. "An'
gone off with it to lands end, I sup
pose. Amt that my luck! God! I
never have any luck!"
and began to cry softly. steadily, APP
parently ceaselessly, like MINDLESS
rain. The three men looked at each
other helplessly for a moment. Then
Kipp touched her. gently on the
shoulder.
Come, comet" said he. "This won't
do, Pearlie! Whatcha crying for?
Come, come, now!"
l.. She raised her tear-stained face, and
looked at him half angrily, half hope
lessly, wholly sincerely.
What do you mean, crying for?"
she said. II guess I've got cause!
This is the only place I got. I'm sick.
I'm down and out. I coughed so, even
| old lady Orleans turned me off. Said
the customers didn't like my style of
laughing. An my friend that I worked
Nobody wants a siekewenan. Though
you:eaafsbe dead insidesefs you for all
they care, you got to be alive on the
outside, and the T. B. takes your
wind so....." She caught her breath
painfully. and fell to sobbing.
And so you come home. and right;
too" said Kipp soothingly. And
YOU lC d.6ol 2 oIoy = $AAAA =
she. ADAM"
IF she will" Adam replied gently:
Pearl looked up at him, distrust and
gratitude struggling in her eyes
"You won't send me to the hospital
on the Island?" she whispered. Say
you won't"
"I promise" said Adam. you
shall stay here until we a inc your
father. and don't be afraid Of us,
please"
THANK God I don't need to go to
the Islapd!" said Pearl in a low tone.
II was there once. The judge made
me &c, though the charge weren't
proven. Said l needed h rest.
Christ! I can see that ward now, with
| the white walls and the little windows
high up. And the women making
little mounds under the covers of the
beds. Like grave-mounds. They were
all very sick. Everyone will keep out
of being sent to the Island hospital
I unless they are very sick. l guess
that's why the ward looks so terrible.
Like the women in the morgue with
a power given them to stir. Their was
old Betsy Doodle. across from me-
only older. 1t scared me. They cut
off the girls hair because Of lice, but
mine was clean. Oh! 1 got we'll over
there. and ate the smelly food. and
slept a lot, in spite of the girl next
crying and calling on the Virgin such
a lot. But it did something terrible
to my thinker, and I've never took to
the life since, like I used"
She fell back in the chair again.
and closed her Eyes.
"There. there!" said Kipp. You
amt going near the place. Don't you
worry. and don't talk il it upsets We.
I'm going to get you a bite and sup.
1T eases me to talk" said Pearl.
i've been scared so long, now, I Xix
to TALK
"scared?" said NAdam. well, you
need not be frightened n more. We
are going to look after you. But has
there beer anything recently that has
| alarmed you-have you beenlmixed up
in something? Is 1t the policeS you
are afraid Of? I only ask" he added
quickly, because I want to help you.
| What is it that has frightened you?"
women. Don't you understand? The
old women on the streets. The ones
that sit on the steps of closed houses.
fumbling in their rags, and mumblng
to themselves. And sleep in the area
ways, in the black places under n
steps, or on the benches in the squarea
where the cars go flashing .by all night:
The women with the strange and
filthy clothes. and battered hats all out
of style. The women like old BETSY
Doodle, whose face looks like mine"
IT understand" said Adam.
She looked at him for . long time
without speaking. a sort OF wonder
growing on her face:
II believe you do" me said Al
though you are a man, / believe you
honest-to-God do!"h
There was a moment Of penetrating
silence, and then old Mr.. Kipp hustled