The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1920-09-03

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 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 !"-more 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.
Am l on time? 1 was delayed .
little at the start" -
"And you walked all the way!" she
exclaimed pityingly.,
"No. ran part Of the way-the
first part" He thought of his empty
pockets. II couldn't very well ride"
he ended dryly.
"Im sorry! 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 l 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 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 second was back
| with a package of smoking tobacco
and book of cigarette papers.
II thought of it last night" she said
simply. II knew you would want to
smoke"
| He rolled and lighted a 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 be
uncomfortable. rs
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, hope. Be-
sides there is a 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 60 to your room now?" Her
voice sounded spiritless. "T'll 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 real
of the top floor. There was but one
window, which gave upon an alley and
commanded 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
"Ill get the lay of the roof tonight
She had apparently forgotten hel
depression, for she was all tenderness
now and. apolOgizing for the barenes.
of his abode, she left the room.
| After locking the door Fitzhugt
stripped to the skin, hung his damp
garments out of the window in tht
hope that a chance ray of sunshine
might discover them and curled up OF
the bed, which was never intended
for a man of his stature. In less thar
three minutes he was slumberinI
sOundly.
1t was dusk when he awoke. Feel
ing greatly refreshed, he put on hi
clothes. which were almost dry, ant
walked downstairs. where he wa
greerad by Esther.
ut must be pretty late" he re
marked.
Its nearly nine."
"Nine! Why, have had ten hours
Sleep"
But you hadn't slept for tw'
nights"
ITS larger dose than I've take
In years. l almost never sleep NOR
than five hours out of the twenty -four
feel as though I'm wasting time If
do. know that's an astonishing state
ment for a tramp to make. but there
so much in life, even for tramp"
"Please don't say that You are no
a tramp, and / don't like to hear 20
say you are"
Don't you want to know who
am?" he asked. suddenly very earnest
She shook her head. "No-at leas
| ,ich 20 toll