The mirror., 1923-08-02

way. AS she reached the second. floor,
she tapped upon door and the woman
occupant at once appeared. Mrs. Wal
ker, who lived there, was washer
woman who had seen more prosperous
days, and as she opened the door Justice
saw at glance that the woman was vexed
and out-of-sorts.
"Come in Miss True" said Mrs. Walker,
wiping her eyes with a corner of her apron
and trying to stifle sob.
"My dear woman" said Justice, as she
entered and placed an arm about the
woman's waist. "What is it? Please tell
me all about it, and I will surely try to
help you if I can."
The women sat down, and Mrs. Walker
pointed towards the walls and ceiling
which had recently been papered with at
least twenty different kinds of wallpaper.
This sight in itself might have been
amusing to one other than Justice, but she
realized all too we'll the sacrifice of
slender funds and weary hours of toll
after supper that this effort to brighten her
home had cost the poor widow. And the
tragedy of it all was-for it was a real
tragedy to Mrs. Walker-that it had all
come to naught. There were streaks of
dirty water marks streaming down the
walls, and splotches of color which had
run and spread everywhere. The ceiling
was splotched in even worse manner.
while several pieces of the ch-prized
new paper hung in strips and triangles.
"What shame!" cried Justice. "Who
lives above you, Mrs. Walker?"
"Iver Void, an old drunken house
mover" answered the distracted woman.
"Well, never mind Mrs Walker; Tm
going up to see him." said Justice in de-
termined voice as she arose to go.
"No! Mol Please don't! He'll kill you
maybe! He's drunk, and he is awful
when he is that way! He threatened me
with revolver, and said he'd throw me
down stairs, when I went up to talk to
him!" said the woman, trembling with
fear for Miss True's safety
"Oh-indeed!" retorted Justice with
now flashing eyes. "Well,-we, will see
about that!"
"Oh,-I beg of you,-don't go up there
-Please!" Mrs. Walker pleaded, while
her face gave evidence of horror at what
might happen.
"All right then," assured Justice. CPL
just run down stairs and get policeman"
and away she went, leaving Mrs. Walker
wringing her hands in an agony of sus-
pense.
Once upon the sidewalk, Justice looked
hastily up and down the street. Just then
a well known voice addressed her from
the door of the cobbler shop. Mike Finch
had moment before taken a pair of his
shoes in to be mended, and seeing Justice
standing without, and apparently uneasy
he strobe to the door and called-"Miss
True,-what is it? Can be of any as
sistance to you?"
Turning her anxious but determined
face toward Mike, she said-"Oh yes;
but wait until explain to you." Where
upon,she narrated the scene which had
occurred upstairs.
"Huh! A gun, eh!" snorted Finch
and his lips curled in sneer, while he
raised his eyes and cast a contemptuous
glance up toward the third floor windows
"Must be brave old threatening
women with gun! Well,-Ill see about
him, double quick" and his eyes flashed
with fire as he started for the stairs.
"No! Mol" cried Justice, pulling him
back. "Go and get policeman" she COM
manded quite sternly.
A faint grin played upon his features
for brief moment, as he replied GAIL
right will-but it's not usual for the
likes of me to call policeman" and he
gave a suggestive wink.