The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-05-20
- sorryl I should have given

His smile vanished. mo, you
shouldn't" he interrupted
"You must be ready to drop. Your
breakfast has been waiting for al,
hour for expected you earlier, and
know you're starving"
In her basement room - which.
though cheaply furnished, was spot
lessly clean-she babe him sit down
while she warmed over his breakfas
on the cOal-oil stove. When he had
finished the meal to the last drop and
crunb he sat back in his straight-back
chair and felt through his coat peck
cts. His quest finished, he stared
ruefully at the moist lump of tobacco
in his palm. She sprang up, ran to
cupboard, and in second was back
with package of smoking tobacco
and book Of cigarette papers.
Il thought of it last night" she said
simply. Y knew you would want to
smoke"
He rolled and lighted cigarette
took heavy inhalation and sent the
smoke swirling ceilingward. Then,
| lowering his head, he 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 De
uncomfortable.
She walked to the sink with the
stack of dishes, deposited them and
returned to where he was standing.
81 told the landlady," she fai-
tered without looking at him, that +
that you were my brother"
mo great harm in that, i hope. Be-
sides there is sort of family resem-
blance. And 1 certainly have most
commendable brotnerly 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 dark hall. 'Would you
like to go to your room now?" Her
| voice sounded spiritless. "Tll show
you the way"
ranean passage to 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 a 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
"Pll 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 Fitzhugh
stripped to the skin, hung his damp
garments out of the window in the
hope that chance ray of sunshine
might discover them and curled up on
the bed, which was never intended
for man of his stature. In less than
three minutes he was slumbering
soundly.
1t 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.
'It must be pretty late" he re-
marked.
"It's nearly nine"
'sNine! Why, have had ten hours
sleep!"
"But you hadn't slept for two
nights"
"It's larger dose than I've taken
in years. I almost never sleep more
than five hours out of the twenty-four.
| I feel as though I'm wasting time if |
do. I know that's an astonishing state
ment for tramp to make, but there's
so much in life, even for tramp"
ssPleasc don't say that. You are not
tramp, and I don't like to hear you
say you are"
Don't you want to know who i
amp he asked, suddenly very earnest
She shook her head "No-at least
not until you wish to tell me. II
| doesn't matter to me what you are, or
what you have been. Look at it the
other way about; how much do you
know of me? You know am a radicals
you have probably surmised I am of
| foreign parentage, and that is all. !
| think shall tell you something about
myself, for / can see you want to
know"