Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-04-24
CHAPTER XVII
Briekbat Alley.


to find big things always cut out for
them. Jack Warhope was such man
"a singular mixture of romantic Inn
pulsiveness and calm, cogent reason:
dreamer; thinker; q man Of hard
deeds, whose heart sometimes ran
away with his head; Sir Gaiahad
strayed out into the Nineteenth CEN
fury thousand years behind his day.
The afternoon was half spent, and
Graylock was foul with dust and sweat,
when he rode across the long covered
bridge over the Wabash and into the
city.
Brickbat alley had a reputation all
It's own. He had heard that it was in
the south part of town near the river,
though its exact location he did not
know. Riding down into that end of
the city, he stopped to inquire of an
old woman who happened to be stand
ing in the narrow yard in front of
shabby ramshackle house with a fur
nished rooms sign in the window.
At the name-Doll Baker-the old
woman bent upon him look out of
her bleared eyes that was both deep
and searching
"Ther' amt many men runnin'
around loose, like you pear t. be, bul
what knows wllar Doll Baker lives.
But, come t look at y'u clos't, you're
someway differ'nt. F'om the country.
hain't y'u"
"Yes, maam."
II lowed y'u wls-y'u look diff
fer'nt stripe fom the likes O. them that
hunts Doll Baker"
She paused and seemed to be weigh
ing some thought before letting it fall.
"And this Doll Baker lives-?' he
questioned, hardly able to hold the spur
from Graylock
"Brickbat alley-that's next alley
down-fourth door on y'ur right.
BE keerful lad" she called, hopping
like some crippled old bird out to the
fence and hating him, for he was al
ready riding away, "5e keerful | dis
like t. see any harm fall on y'u-
them's bad people"
1t seemed to him that Graylock had
never stepped so slowly. Hitching him
in front of small grocery on the
street, he looked at all the other hitch
racks in sight for Brownie-but
Brownie was not to be seen. Button
ing his hunting blouse about him so as
to hide the six-gun, he walked into the
alley. @
: The fourth door down on the right
ia ho e,+o al
ly-shuttered wooden structure standing
almost flush with the narrow side
street known as Brickbat alley. There
was another building on the same lot,
a business edifice of brick, fronting on
the street proper and apparently occu-
pied by saloon, and the two were
connected by sort of covered porch.
All these facts the woodsman noted In
the second or two of his approach.
He knocked at the weather-stained,
implanted door. Such a long time went
by that he was just on the point Of
knocking again, when there was shut
fling insiG and approaching. steps. A
key ratified in the lock, the bolt clicked
back, the knob turned, woman ap-
peared at the very narrow slit the door
was allowed to open and looked out at
him. She was large woman, in good
flesh, and not bad-looking.
us this where Doll Baker livesY
Yes; won't We come inT'
He entered. She closed the door,
turned the key in the lock-a fact that
he teoN due note of--and lee the way
into an't or room slightly better light
ed. lii 'uticed that both rooms were
rather >aowily and extensively fur
nished
He TOOK the chair pointed out to him.
The woman. seating herself by a small
table few feet away, eyed him COW
ertly.
"And you are" he questioned, as
if continuing the inquiry begun at the
door. e-.~ h. A.-.
Miss Baker-Dof Baker," We
well. Miss Baker," he had to watch
his voice to keep 1t orderly and even,
I've got friend--that il, q lady
friend-that come Il the city t'day
from the country. I come In tday NJ
self. and I'd kinda like T. hunt 'etsup
and ride home with 'er. Twas toll she's
here" n x X, 1e.{r.. ssp
Regarding the obvious blind ofsxhe
sick brother, he said nothing, knowing
i wss hut trick OF the very resource
ful Hopkins. The terrible letter esAe
had Frustrated the old banker seven
days before was In Ken Collins own
hand and absolutely genuine. There
was no sick hrothRr a,e45f ,$ax
The woman sat for near a minute,
studying him out of the barring alfts
81 her eyes-cletltingr; hands; fA6e:
feet-in way she did not think he
saw. ~ al ut ~
What kind Of "a looking girl vas
your friend?"' she questioned at lastes
medium size. fair. brown j mir,
brown eyes-with smiles in 'emanA
remarkably small and purity hands and
feet"
We'll, she isn't here"