The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-04-22
I'm sorryi should have given

you"
His smile vanished. NO. you
shouldn't" he interrupted
You must be ready to drop. Your
breakfast has been waiting for an
hour. for I expected you earlier, and
know you're starving"
In her basement room - which,
though cheapIy furnished. was spot
Iessly clean-she bade him sit down
while she warmed over his breakfast
on the cOal-oiI stove. When he had
finished the meal to the last drop and
crumb he sat back in his straight-back
chair and felt through his coat pock-
cts. His quest finished, he stared
ruefully at the moist lump OF tobacco
In his palm. She sprang up, ran To a
cupboard. and in a second was back
with a package of smoking tobacco
and book of cigarette papers.
81 thought of it last night" she said
simply II knew you would want to
smoke"
He rolled and lighted a cigarette.
took a heavy inhalation and sent the
smoke swirling ceilingward. Then,
lowering his head, ne looked steadily
from beneath his thick, jet-black brows
at the starry-eyed woman sitting OPP
posite him. He felt no love for her.
but a gratitude too deep for words
| tugged at his. heart. He began to be
uncomfortable.
She walked to the sink with the
stack OF dishes, deposited them and
returned to where he was standing.
IL told the landlady," she fall
tered without looking at him, shat +
that you were my brother"
mo great harm in that, 1 hope. Be
sides there is a sort of family resem-
blance. And I certainly have most
commendable brotherly love for you"
She became silent. Her dark
skinned hands relaxed; her shoulders
dropped. After a few dumb moments
she turned away and opened door
! leading into q dark hall. would you
like to go to your room nowF Her
| voice sounded spiritless. sri show
you the way"
He followed her down the sUbter-
ranean passage to a narrow stairway
at the rear, up which they climbed
four flights. His room was at the rear
of the top floor. There was but one
window, which gave upon an alley and
commanded fine view of brick wall.
He raised it and leaning out found
the cornice of the house was less than
six feet above the sill.
81 may need that some time" he
remarked, turning back to Esther.
I'll get the lay of the roof tonight.
She had apparently forgotten her
depression, for she was all tenderness
now and, apolOgizing for the baroness
Of his abode, she left the room.
After locking the door Fftzhugh
stripped TO the skin, hung his damp
garments out of the window in the
hope that a chance ray of sunshine
might discover them and curled up on
the bed, which was never intended
for a man of his stature. In less than
three minutes he was slumbering
soundly.
It was dusk when he awoke- Feel
ing greatly refreshed, he put on his
clothes, which were almost dry, and
walked downstairs, where he was
greeted by Esther.
cit must be pretty late" he re
marked.
Its nearly nine.''
mine! Why. I have had ten hours
sfeepI"
But you hadn't slept for two
nights
Its a larger dose than I've taken
in years. 1 almost never sleep more
than five hours out of the twenty-fOur
1 feel as though I'm wasting time if
do. I know that's an astonishing state
ment for a tramp to make, but there's
| so much in life. even for a tramp"
please don't say that. You are no.
a tramp. and don't like to hear yOU
say you are"
Don't you want to know who
am?'' he asked, suddenly very earnest
She shook her head. "NO-at leas
not until you wish to tell me. L
doesn't matter to me what you are, Of
what you have been. Look at it the
other way about; how much do yoJ
know of me? You know I am a radical
you have probably surmised am o.
foreign parentage. and that is all.
think I shall tell you something abou
myself. for I can see you want tt
know"