Evening star., 1923-08-24
CONTINUED From Yesterdays Starr

Continued From Yesterdays starr
"I'll be there" said Greg. You
take him on, and I'll get my cab"
Greg and Hickey doubled back
through the next street and were al
ready at the station house door when
the officer arrived with his prisoner.
Greg had no great difficulty in per-
suading the good-natured officer at
the desk to let the wretched young
man go. The inconsistency of arrest
ing a man Tor trying to kill himself
can not but be apparent to all. 1t is
something that he can not be pre-
vented from doing if he wants to. A
mumbled promise was extracted from
again, and he was handed over to
Greg's care.
Wrapping him in the lap-robe.
Greg bundled him into the flivver and
they drove off amid the plaudits of
the crowd gathered around the sta
tion house steps. The young man
did not come face to face with
faced that the people should think he
was playing the part of the good
Samaritan.
only out of the frying pan into the
fire for him, poor wretch!
AS the cab started the young man
never so much as looked up. He hait
sat, half lay in the corner of the CAP
like an old man in whsm the last
spark of life is almost quenched. his
eyes We're open, yet they saw notn
ing. He seemed to be quite indlHereH
as to where Greg was taking MN;
he seemed not to care whether ne
were in Jail or out again. Greg. VINO
had never seen a human creature so
beaten down; scarcely knew now @ 10
touched by the sight OF such utter
wretchedness. but to offer him SYM
pathy would have been both cruel
and hypocritical. On the other hanu'
l.. 10
was down by letting him see that ms
crime was known For the present
it seemed best merely to try to re-
store him by warmth. food ana sIeep,
until he was better able TO meet MS
fate like man.
The young man himself broke the
silence You would have done bet
ter to let me go.'s he muttered. He
spoke with a slight foreign accent.
Buck up" said Greg Nothing $
so bad but what it might be worse
To Greg while he uttered them the
words sounded hollow. address TO
one in this young mans position, put
he had TO say something.
II suppose 1 ought to thank you,
said the other with weary bitterness:
You needn't trouble about that
said Greg grimly.
IF you want to do me real kind
ness, stop the man and let me out
/ can still walk to the river.
Mustn't talk like that" said Greg.
There's food and warmth waiting for
you. Let that do you for the present
Hickey drove into the Eard, ana
Greg hustled the young man directly
into Bessie's kitchen. Bull Tandy and
Ginger McAfee were sitting there one
on each side of the table, smoking
and enjoying their unwonted evening
OF leisure Bessie. the monumental,
was wiping dishes They had been
discussing the case all evening, ana
still had plenty to talk about when
10! Greg provided them with fresh
sensation. The two men stared at tne
CHASTITY and bedraggled figure with
pipes half way TO their mouths: Bes-
sic held plate and towel in the air.
Good land! who is hep she ex-
claimed.
me get him in bed, and 10 put some
hot food and drink in him. Is Bios
som back?"
He was not.
the situation. You. Bull, go up
stairs to Greg's room. and light the
Oil heater. Ginger, fetch me pail OF
coal from the cellar. Greg, you fill the
Kettle at the sink and go into the store tore
and get a can OF soup. That's the best
for him" Bessie, herself, vigorously
shook the fire and opened the draft.
Poor fellow, you've been in the
river. L see said she The river is
always ominously present in the
this chair close by the stove until
the room upstairs heats up
The object Of this solicitude &C
cepted it alphabetically. He huddled
in the chair that was placed for him
as If his backbone lacked the pith to
hold him straight. He made no effort
to speak While they were busting
about on their various errands he was
left alone in the room for moment.
To get him out of the way, Bessie
had put his chair on the far side of
the stove. This brought him facing
the door into the yard. and when
Hickey. having backed the fivVer
under the shed, came in, the young
mans eyes fell full upon him.
They were brought running from
various directions by the sound Of
choking cry followed by fall. They
found the man lying face downward
on the floor. Hickey was standing
with his hand still on the door, scared
half out of his wits.
''Lord. l clean forgot the sight of
me would be a shock to him, ne
stammered.
1T had to come" said Greg grimly
We couldn't go on making out to
be his friends"
The young man was insensible
They carried him upstairs and put
him in Greg's bed, wrapped in all
the blankets the house afforded. Bes-
sic heated bricks in the oven ana