Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1920-06-10

fallen upon evil lodging mouse 11...S-,
which look as though they never were
new. For three dollars week Es-
Their rented basement room, with
light housekeeping privileges, the win
dow of which came level with the
pavement. To reach this room with
greater facility one descended two
crumbling stone steps, passed under
the wooden stairway, and-if one We're
person of average height-stooped
to enter miStit door found there.
AS the sun rose on the morning fol-
lowing Fitzhugh's escape from the
asylum it found Esther standing out
side that misfit door. She had been
there, internationally, since dawn.
Suddenly Fitzhugh turned the cor
ner. His appearance was not prepos-
sessing. His hat was gone. as was
his collar His hair was tousled and
matted, his face covered with a dark
| growth of beard; his shoes and trou-
serS were caked With mud and as he
carried his coat under his arm his
shirt was seen to be little more
than 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
steer could nave stood up under this,
nut fltzhugh 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 a 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.
IAN l on time? l was delayed a
little at the start"
"And you walked all the way!" she
exclaimed pityingly.
mo. l ran part of the way-the
first part" He thought of his empty
pockets. 81 couldn't very we'll ride"
he ended dryly.
''I'm sorry! 1 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
l 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
cupboard, and in a second was back
with 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 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.
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. that 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
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 VAIL
He raised it 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.
I'll get the lay of the roof tonight"
She had apparently forgotten her
depression. tor 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
fnr Nf &c cto T.,