WEST SHORE.
.107
strangors, that hollow echoes accompany footsteps
along the marble floors, as though jealously guarding
all that is left, the associations of the past.
Just opposite to where Harbor street has its junc
tion with Water street stands a building in which once
were stored silks and ivories and fruits, in such quan
tities that signs of its early over-loading aro apparent
in its bulging sides and ends, its slumping roof and
crooked ridge-pole.
In that end of the building which faces Linn is a
door; over this door is a sign, with letters well nigh
obliterated. On a close inspection, however,
the name of John Pattern can be traced.
It. wns on the same day that Old Tom came
m
from the Goldthurst house for it was day, be
ing 1:00 o'clock in the morning when that
traveler was walking out of Summit avenue.
The rain beat so powerfully on the dingy shin
gles of the old building on Water street, that
little clouds of reddish dust sifted out from
under the eaves. Near tho door was a win
dow, but a view, of tho interior was obstruct
ed hy a curtain which hung closo to the tiny
panes. Within the building, at about 2:00
o'clock on this afternoon, Little John Pattern
nut in a rocker, his slippered feet toasting at a
glowing salamander. Little John's face lucked
that irritable annoyance which characterized
it in the drawing room on St. Timothy's hill,
yet the little man was troubled, for his brow
was wrinkled in perplexity, and ho turned his
head at short intervals toward the window
that looked out on tho harbor.
By this window Mario was sitting ; her
head rested on her arms and she was sobbing.
There was many a cobweb woven N't ween
the rafters ; coils of rope ami rusty chains
were stored away in corners of the room ; ImhU
hooks and oars blackened with age hung over
the doors and windows. It was a cosy room
for the time, however, and the salamander
was doing its heartiest toward getting up
pleasing contrast to the outside gloom.
" t'omo over hero to me. Marie," Little
John said, in his low, husky voice, " you cry
more when you're lookin' on the water."
Marie placed her chair beside his.
" Now let me see," said Little John, taking one
miiuII hand from before her eyes and holding it tender
ly iH-twwn his own, " now let me think what we'd M
t. r do."
He looked so long and so steadily at the suhuimn-d-r
that she thought he had fallen ash-cp. but turning
her head she saw his brow wrinkled in study.
" You should have let me go." rie aid, sadly.
" No, no, don't say that," smoothing her hand,
" we'll be all right when I think." Then, after a pause,
" Where was you goin' ?" The question was asked ea
gerly, as though a new idea had entered his head, an
idea worth working out. As the girl made no answer,
he continued: " Was you g' n' to your folks?"
" No," she answered, a 1 iver passing through her
slight frame.
John looked blank. "Yauso I thought if you
was," he soliloquized, I'd come to seo you, an' we'd
mi . miiiw vth
" ' HOW I.KT Ml Mill t.lTTI.8 JOHN, TAIIIHII M MAM. HAHII
rROM HiroHl UK IYM AHII llol.lHHO IT TKHIIMI V."
I,, right happy." Then with another bright Uk,
" Where was you a-goln' then T"
I don't know," faintly, her breath coming fast.
" Don't know ?" aHtotindedly. " Urdy I what did
you run away for ? What would you Is- a-doln' of in
this siurin rain T"
" I don't know," again bursting into sobs.
The little man p.earcd utterly unable to coji
with the situation. " Don't know, don't know." he t