Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24

leave Cayenne would prefer to rob
Judson going home from the c!uo
drunk. Equal risk and reward in
| finitely greater.
liam Pitt by telling him I believed
that he himself had been the Intruder
within my premises. l offered him a
half crown to confess, and l am sure
he thought seriously of consentlng.
When he finally decided against this
should. came face to face with the
IWallababy. The Wallababy was thin
ner and dirtier and more gutterish
than ever and he began the old whine
Of his trade. l stopped him.
What do you want with me-? de-
What do you want?'
He shivered and licked his dry lips
and looked about him furtively. But
the constables were all taking notes
and saluting somewhere else:
,o ~Sould IN =, n.n he hesitated-"c0uid
He asked It as people ask you on
railway trains.
What paper"
THE one you had on your knees
The one with the pictures" He
named it. He knew New York we'll
!even when it was upside down.
| You're not French" I questioned.
There was not a trace Of accent in his
faltering speech. And he had told
Judson ne did not speak the language.
NO. not French-I got away
Could I look at the paper"
Come along" I said. I was minded
ito administer further shock to Will
liam Pitt. Come along to my private
free reading room and look at the
news" And led him into the Tower
Hotel. William Pitt fairly gasped. 1
fhipl he rec00nizeA tho viaif0r
The man huddled in his rags in my
'siesta chair and seemed trying to hide
ihis bare feet underneath. / switched
on the light, mixed a drink and
pushed it over to him. He bowed
when he took it and as he raised it
luck" They do not say Here's good
luck" in Demerara. They don't say it
in Cayenne. Deported convicts of
France don't say it anywhere. 1
Hooked at him sharply. He didn't see
me. He was staring into the glass. l
laround his twisted mouth. I passed
the cigars. He lit one and inhaled
the rank smoke deeply. I gave him
another drink. The rum seemed to
bring life into his withered body.
Here's good luck" he said again.
you've been in New York" I told
him.
LIE looked up at me wonderingly
Yes. I've been in New York" he
said. II live in New York. I'm go
ing to New York" He brought few
copper coins from somewhere inside
his rags. I'm going to New York
when l get more of these-enough to
go to New York. I'm Eddie FELTON,"
II never heard Of Eddie Felton," 7
said kindly enough. but it does
sound like home. And maybe i can
help Eddie FELTON, little. He seems
out of fortune down here"
Yes" he went on. I'm Eddie Eel
ton-soft Eddie FELTON,; the Eddie
FELTON, that wasn't healthy enough and
strong enough to do regular work in
the city and now" He shuddered.
"Im Eddie FELTON, that went crooked
and then went straight and then went
crooked again because he had to
and came here"
You'd better tell me-" / suggested.
you're criminal. You tried to rob
me. But I'm not sure any man is
crook enough to deserve this coast.
Perhaps I'll help"
Il can't talk very we'll" he croaked.
There hasn't been much to talk to-;
no, not very very much to talk to-
I'm Eddie FELTON,. was the man that
did the signatures and all the pen
stuff when 1t was showing checks.
The other men did the rough work.
was the man that sat in the office
and did the swell jollying when we
were selling things to the suckers ]
wasn't strong enough for the hustle.
was the quiet man. Big money we
made; big money. And only the
rough ones were ever caught. Din
ners up town every night there were
and the track and JOY rides and TAX
ing fiier at backing shows New
York was wide open for US those
days" He sighed for an ancient
grandeur gone.
And then she came" he whispered
l-"came from the country or the west
somewhere never asked her where
and / went straight
He twisted his fingers foolishly.
you've seen her and you know.
But nobody had seen her then. She
was only trying to get started and
l,,I~z 81. 4 Il