Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-09-03
growth Of beard ; his shoes and trou-

carried his coat under his arm his
shirt was seen to be little more
than a rag which chung to him damply.
For two days and nights he had
not known sleep, and In the past five
hours he had tramped three times as
many miles. Only a constitution of
steel could have stood up under this.
but Fitzhugh had one. AS he turned
the corner and swung down the street
with vigorous strides he seemed far
from exhaustion.
The moment the woman saw him
all the love and pity and tenderness
of her emotional nature welled up
in her bosom, and with little low
cry of "My boy ignore maternal
than amOrous-she ran to meet him.
He took her outstretched hands. and
holding them wide apart smiled at the
anxiety in her face.
cam l on time? l was delayed a
little at the start"
"And you walked all the way!" she
exclaimed pityingly.
mo. | ran part of the way-the
first part" He thought of his empty
pockets. II couldn't very we'll ride"
he ended dryly.
I'm sorry I should have given
you"
His smile vanished. mo. 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 cheaply furnished, was spot
lessly clean-she babe him sit down
while she warmed over his breakfast
on the cOal-oil stove. When he had
finished the meal to the last drop and
crumb he sat back In his straght-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 package of smoking tobacco
and book of cigarette papers.
Il thought of it last night she said
simply. II 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 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 L
that you were my brother"
mo great harm in that, ! hope. Be
sides there is sort of family resem-
blance. And / certainly have a most
commendable brotherly love for you"
She became silent. Her dark
skinned hands relaxed; her shoulders
dropped. After 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 spirltless. "I'l show
you the way"
He followed her down the suhter-
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 a fine view Of brick wall
He raised 1t and leaning out found
the cornice of the house was less than
six feet above the sill.
II 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 curtea up en-
the bed which VAS never intended
for 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
9reerpd by Esther.
III must be pretty late" he re-
marked.
ITS nearly nine"
"Nine Why, l have had ten hours
sleep!"
But you hadn't slept for two
nights"
ITS larger dose than I've taken
in years. | almost never sleep more
than five hours out of the twenty-four.
| feel as though Pm wasting time if
do. | know that's an astonishing state
ment for a tramp to make, but there's
so much in life, even for tramp"
"Please don't say that. You are not
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 aNo--at Iea Of