o
THE IHfiKST. mtr.Y Gl'ARD,
I UMAV. At (.1ST II.
-m.ei Banse-
-nrd gov-
kim II menu
to,ltb wealthy peoy -
.. rfir " sbe
rrbelaJ loo
.b. flinched do
faper, thought be.
, conning - -
LriMisi IniUncuveiy
FT.. .t. .tire that
f u u w
Jmneceuary witnesses
room." -W ud
U 8e that we ore
If- be added to Droom.
t jou a few Bin
, ,J perhaps some very
..j i vnnt All.
r. .... th.m. His eyes
(ace tor an Instant
duel nd n
'mini pin atruallng on
i 'So, wni is "r
possible, please. I'm in
'i. kim t this Juncture
L, woman was not par
LMi Instead, her rath-
VU lUll 01 eustriucoa.
. . u.,.n llffhtllPM in
ru i wuaiu
dut ponied him for the
Bar companion was the
.two and quite as prepoa-
lib
were UBanj
I thoueh they were
Led
I breadwinners. If tbey
It
wu now quite eviueui
, qtnci tninaer wai it
one. In truth,' be was
irk
feel
el ttat aometnmg rais
in the attitude of the
hid
ask how a person has to
adopt a baby," was the
f '"wopemon am to pro-
w uwpi a naoy."
prising remark that came
'So beld the Infant Ban-
aid! letting angry.
is to adopt It?" be asked
hme," sbe answered, so
I lha .
I- '""" mareu. He
; bead to foot critical
TWManul .. .
r irapitDiy. it
P lo dnd that .I,-
Mr Swd looking. Sbe
b" attraitk-at
"nrrted woman?" he de-
lred, with a furtive
wmoanlon mi. i
e Is jou, hu8bad?.,
rather, at his
living there
J"ldjonereagov.
"mm me from hav-
n",B' know."
kith 1 "
took K M -"
over the
- Ob M. -
fc'nlesssup.
kd In your
Im.. He was
""u inaifftr.
I
""'""Pyoa.- The
child. ,lr.
"'let
I Tk. ."'. b"olUn.
i,.. o n
. ""oanil ts 1
Jane Cable
concerned? May I Inquire the reason?
i iiiiiuire the reason?"
Bansemer'natunilly was Interested by
this time.
"If you have time to listen, I'd like
to tell you how It all comes about It
won't tnke long. I want some one to
tell me Just what to do. and I'll pay
for tiie advice, If it Isn't too expensive.
I'm wry poof. Mr- Bansemcr. Per
haps you won't care to help me after
you know that I can't afford to pay
very much."
"We'll see about that later," he said
brusquely. "Go ahead with the story."
The young woman hesitated,' glaneed
nervously at her sister as If for sup
port snit-.flnally faced the expectant
lawyer with a flash of determination In
her dark eyes. As she proceeded Banse
tner silently and somewhat dlsdalnfirily
made a study of the speaker. He con
eluded that she was scarcely of com
won origin and was the possessor of a
superficial education that had been en
larged by coucelteduess. furthermore,
sbe was a person of selfish Instincts,
but without the usual cruel Impulses.
There was little, If any, sign of true re
flneiueut In the features, and yet there
ivas a strange strength of purpose that
puzzled him. As her. story progressed
be solved the puzzle. Sbe had the
strength to carry out a purpose that
might further ber own personal Inter
ests, but not the will to endure sacri
fice for the sake of another. Her sis
ter was larger and possessed a reserve
that might have been mistaken for
deepness. Be felt that she was hardly
In sympathy with the motives of the
younger, more volatile woman.
"My husband Is a rnilroad engineer
and Is ten years older than 1," the nar
rator said In the beginning. "I wasn't
quite nineteen when we were married,
two years ago. For some time we got
along ail right; then we began to quar
rel. He commenced to" ,
"Mr. Bansemer is In a hurry, Fan,"
broke in the older sister sharply, and
then, repeating the lawyer's words.
"Be as brief as possible."
There was a world of repiuach In the
look which greeted the speaker. Evi
dently .it was a grievous disappoint
ment not to be allowed to linger over
the details.
"Well," she continued half pettishly,
"It all ended by his leaving home, Job
and everything. I had told him that I
was going to apply for a divorce. For
three months 1 never beard from him."
"Did you apply for a divorce?" asked
the lawyer, stifling a yawn.
-"No. sir. 1 did not, although he did
nothing toward my support." The
woman could not resist a slightly co
quettish attempt to enlist Bansemer's
sympathy. , "1 obtained work at. St.
Luke's Hospital For Foundlings and
after that as a governess. But once a
week I went back to the asylum to
see the little ones. One day they
I urougnt in a beautifully dressed baby-
a girl. She was found on a doorstep,
and In the basket was a note nsklng
; that she be well cared for. With it
j was a hundred dollar bill. The moment
j I saw the little thing I fell In love
l with ber. I made application, and they
gave me the child with the under
standing that I was to adopt it- You
sec, I was lonely. I had been living
alone for nine or ten months. The au
thorities knew nothing of my trouble
with Mr. Cable that's my husband.
David Cable. The child was about a
month old when 1 took her to his
mother, whom 1 hadn't seen in months
I told Mrs. Cable that she was mine
The dear old lady believed me; half
the battle was won." She paused out
of breath, her face full of excitement
"And then?" he asked, once more In
terested. "We both wrote to David asking him
to come home to his wife and baby."
She looked away guiltily. For a full
minute Bansemer did not speak.
"The result?" he demanded.
"He came back last month."
"Does he know the truth?" '
"No. and with God's help he never
'hall! It's my only salvation!" sbe ex
claimed emotionally. "He thinks she
Is his baby and and" The tears
were on her cheeks now. "I worship
nlra, Mr. Bansemer! Oh, how good
and sweet he has been to me since he
came back! Now. don't you see why I
must adopt this child and why he must
never know? If he learned that 1 had
deceived him In this way he would
hate me to my dying day.".
The Infant was awake and staring
at him with wide blue eyes.
"And you want me to handle this
matter so that your husband will be
none the wiser?"
"Oh, Mr. Bnnanmor" ih .Hn1 "It
means everything to me! All depends
I on Jhls hby. I must ajpt her or .Me
I "''"m people won't let me keep her.
; J-n t It be done so quickly that he'll
( never find it out?"
j '!Iow mnny peopU know that tie
; child Is not yours?"
; "My sister and the authorMes at the
TJi,m; nat another soul."
'".is
possible to arrange the ndop-
I- "nhlnr,. Tl". Mrs. C'ship w i A...ni..
ua ., ": win not nna it out. i
' 0;);d spoil er-1 n W" 8how he I" ow.
,( uuw way to avoiu uii-cov
'And that please?'
"leave New York and make your
r""e ,n ome distant city. That's the
N"8 way. jf you remain bere there
2.K
George Barr
McCutcheon
Author of "Beverly
of Crausl&rk," Etc
Is always a chance that he mav'tind
out I see the poltlon you're in und
I'll help you. It can be done quite reg
ularly. and there is only one thins
you'll have to fear-your own tongue"
he concluded pointedly.
"1 hate .New York, Mr. Bansemer
David likes the west, and I'll go any
where on earth If It will keep him from
finding out -Oh. if-tou kn hn, ,
adores her!" she cried, regret and ec
siasy mingling m her volcu. "I'd give
my soul if she were only mine!" Banse
mer's heart was too roughly calloused
to be touched by the wistful longing In
these words.
Before the end of the week the adop
tion of the foundling babe was a mat
ter of record, and the unsuspecting Da
vid Cable was awaiting a reply from
the trainmaster of a big western rail
road to whom, at the earnest, even
eager solicitation of his wife, he hml m.
piled for work. Ellns Droom made a
note or tue .ree in the daybook at the
office, but a.sked no questions. Banse
mer had told him nothing of the trans
action, but be was confident that the
unspeakable Droom knew all about It
even thouch he had not hoen Tionrnr
than the outer office during any of the
consultations..
CHAPTER V.
WENTY long years had
pnssed since David and
Frances Cable took their
hasty departure, virtually
fleeing from New York
city, their migrations
finally ending In that thriving western
city Denver. Then the grime of the
engine was on Cable's hands and deep
beneath his skin; the roar of iron and
steel and the rush of wind were ever In
his ears, the quest of danger In his
eye, but there were love, pride and a
new ambition in his heart Now, In
1S08, David Cable's hands were white
and strong; the grime was gone; tbe
engineer's cap had given way to tbe
silk tile of the magnate, and the shovel
was a memory.
But his case was not unique In that
day and age of pluck and luck. Many
another man had gone from the bottom
to the top with tbe speed and security
of the elevator car in the lofty sky
scrapers. In tbe heartless revolution
of a few years he became the suc
cessor of his western benefactor. The
turn that had been kind to him was
unkind to his friend und predecessor.
The path that led upward for David
Cable ran the other way for the train
master, who years afterward died in
his greasy overalls and the close fit
ting cap of au engineer. One night
Cable, rend the news of the wreck
with all the Joy gone from his heart.
From the cheap, squalid section of
town known as "llallroad End" Cable's
rising Influence carried him to tbe well
earned luxury. The lines of care and
toll mellowed in the face of bis pretty
wife as the years rolled by. Her come
ly figure shell the cheap raiment of
"hard old days" and took on the plum
age of prosperity. Trouble, resent
ment and worry disappeared na if by
magic, smoothed out by the satiny
touch of comfort's lingers. She went
upward much faster than her husband,
for her ambitions were less exacting.
She longed to shine socially. He loathed
tbe thought of it But Cable was
proud of his wife. He enjoyed the
transition that lifted her up with
steady strength to the plane which
fitted her best as he regarded It. She
had stuck by him nobly and uncom
plainingly through the vli-lssltudes; it
delighted him to give her the pleas
urea. Frances Cable was proud, but she
had not been too proud to stand beside
the man with the greasy overalls and
to bend her fine young strength to
work In unison with his. Together,
facing the task, cheerfully they had
battled and won.
There were days when It was hard to
smile, but the next day always brought
with It a fresh sign of bo;. Tbe
rough, bard days la the far west cul
minated In his elevation to the office
of-general manager of the great mil
road system, whose headquarters and
home were In tbe city of Chicago. At
taining this high place two years prior
to tbe opening of this narrative, be
was regarded now as one of the brain
iest railroad men aud slated to be pres
ident of the road t the next meeting.
Barely past fifty years of age. David
Cable was In the prime of life and uw
Wness. Age and prosperity h.id l:u
nrv.t hi in rrcatlv. The Iron gray "f
his bnlr, the
Keen irii:ntiM-
face, the erect aniLfoldierly carnage or
of
his person, made ln a striking ngure.
nis wife, ten years his Junior, "as "lie
of the most attractive women In Chi
cago. Her girlish beauty bad r. lined
zr.der the blasts of adversity. ear
U.1.1 UOt H.VU ;., . r ,
-lie wus tue iea.,,.r or ., .,-.aiu set. 1m
Uejj social anil.itl.ms were not content
I here was a higher altitude i f.lsh.
luu's realm. Money. Influence and per
severance were her allie, so.-lul des
potism her only adversary.
The tall, beautiful and accomplished :
j daughter of the Cables was worshiped
by her father with all the warmth aud
ardor of his soul. Times then
hen he looked in woml-r ., .i.i
arbiter of not a few
and for his life could not help asking
mseir now the Creator had given ,
m such a being for a ehll.l -.,.,.,. !
"'s on tue tact mat she bore resem-
oiance to neither parent
For Years Mrs rnhiu n . i
- "i.-u 111 no
little terror of some day being found
out. as we child grew to womanhood
the fears gradually diminished, and a
sense of security that would not be dls
turbed replaced them. Then Just as
she was reaching out for the chief
prizes of her amliltlrm sho , ....
to face with a man whose visage sbe
never naa rorgotten Ellas Droom!
And Frances Cable looke.t mh in
the old aud terrifying shadows.
it was late In tbe afternoon, and sbe
was crosslne the sidewalk
riage. waiting near Field's, when a man
urusnea against her. She was con
scious of a strange oppressiveness. Be
fore she turned to look at him she
knew that a pair of staring eyes were
upon ner race. Something seemed to
have closed relentlessly upon her heart
One glance was sufficient The tall,
angular form stood almost over ber;
the two wide blue eves Innkiul rintt-n
In feigned surprise; the never to be
rorgotten voice greeted her hoarsely:
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Cablol And
how Is the baby?"
"The baby!" she faltered. Struggle
against It as she would, n Rnrt nf fiiaM.
nntion drew her gaze toward the re
markable face of tbe old clerk. "Why
whv she's verv well thnnk rnn
she Anally stammered. Her face was
as wnite as a ghost with a shudder
she started to pass him. Droom
blocked the way.
"She was such a pretty little thing,
I remember." and then Insinuatingly,
"Where Is her father novr?"
"He Mr. Cable," answered Sirs. Ca
ble, feeling very much as a bird feels
when it is charmed by a snake, "why,
he's at home, of course."
"Indeed!" was all that Ellas Droom
said, for she had fled to escape the
grin that writhed In and out among
the wrinkles of bis face.
As her carriage struggled through
Washington street an Irresistible some
thing compelled Frances Cable to
glnnce back. Droom stood on the
curb, his eyes following her almost
hungrily. - Half an hour later when
sbe reached home she was In a state
of collapse. Although there was no
physical proof of the fuct, she was
positive that Ellas Droom bad followed
her to the very doorstep.
In suspense and dread she waited
for days before there was a second
manifestation of Droom. There wus
rarely a day when Bhe did not expect
her husband to stand before her and
ask ber to explain the story that had
been carried to blm by a demon In the
form of man.
But Droom did not go to David Ca
ble. He went to James Bansemcr with
tbe news.
James Bansemer's law and loan of
fices were not far from the river and,
It Is sufficient to say, not much far
ther from State street. He who knows
Chicago well cannot miss the location
more than three blocks cither way If
he takes city hall as n focal point.
The office building In which they were
located is not a pretentious structure,
but Its tenants were then and st 11 are
regarded as desirable, it may be well
to announce that Bansemcr on rencn
lng Chicago was clever enough to turn
over a new leaf and begin work on a
clear white page, but it is scarcely nec
essary to add that the black, besmirch
ed lines on the opposite side of the
sheet could be traced through every
entry that went down on the fresh
white surface. Bansemer was Just ns
nefarious In bis transactions, but he
was a thousandfold more cautious.
Droom sarcastically reminded hlra that
be had a reputation to protect In his
new field, and, besides, as his son was
"going in society" through the Influ
ence of a coterie of Yale men. It would
be worse than criminal to deteriorate.
Bansemer loathed Droom, but he also
feared blm. He wus the only living
creature that Inspired fear In the heart
of this bold schemer. It Is true that
he feared the effect an exposure might
bare on the mind of his stulwart son.
the boy with his mother's eyes, but he
had succeeded sn well lu blinding the
youth In the years gone by that tbe
prospects of discovery now Bccmed too
remote for concern. The erstwhile
New York shark was now an eel. wily
and elusive, but he was an eel with a
shark's teeth and a shnrk's voracious
ness. He bad grown old In the study
of this particular branch of natural
history. Bansemcr was fifty-five years
old In tbls year of I.sum. He was thin
ner than In the old New York days,
but tnt bull-like vltroi imJ given v.j
to the wiry strength of the leopard.
Tbe once black hair was almost white
and grew low and thick on his fore
head. Immaculately dressed, ever
straight and aggressive in carriage, he
I soon become a figure of whom all eyes
I took notice even In the most crowded
I of CJilcngo thoroughfares,
j Graydmi Bansemer. on leaving Yale
with a diploma and some of the honors
j of his class, urged his father to take
blm Into his office and ultimately to
make blm a partner In tbe business.
James Bansemer never forgot the ma
licious grin that crossed the face of
' Klins Droom "lien the young fellow
made the proposition not more than
' fortnight before the Bansemer estab
lishment picked Itself up and hastily
I deserted New York, 'i bat grin spoke
plainer than all the words In langaa .- ,
Take him into the otlice? Make tl..s
honest, gray eyed hoy a panner'; It
was no wonder that (I room g:-!:uied. !
and it is no wonder that he forgot to I
i-mer ins muutii with his huge hand,
as was his custom.
The proposition, while sincere and
earnest, was too Impossible for words.
For once lu his life James Bansemer
was at a loss for subterfuge. He
stammered, flushed and writhed In the
effort to show the young man that the
step would be unprofitable, and he was
sorely conscious that he bad uot con
vinced the eager applicant. He even
urged him to abandon the thought of
becoming a lawyer aud was ably sec
onded by Ellas Droom. whose opinion
of the law, as be had come to know It,
was far from flattering.
Just at this time Bansemer was en-
gaged in the most daring as well us
the most prodigious "deal" of his long
career. With luck It was bound to en
rich him to the extent of $50,000. The
plans bad been so well prcpured nnd
the execution had been so faultless that
there seemed to le no possibility of
failure. To take Ills fair minded son,
with the mother's eyes. Into tbe game
would be suicidal. Tbe young fellow
would turn from him forever. Banse
mer never went so far as to wonder
whence cume the honest blool In the
"Good afternoon, Mrt. Cable! And how
is the babyt"
boy's reins nor to speculate on the" ori
gin of the unquestioned Integrity. He
had but to recall the woman who bore
him, tho woman whose love wns the
only good thlug be ever knew, the
wife he had worshiped while be sinned.
For years und years lie hud plied bis
unwholesome trade lu reputations,
sometimes evading exposure by the
narrowest of margins, nnd he hud
come to believe that be was secure for
all time to come. But It was the "big
Job" that brought disaster. Just when
It looked as though success was assur
ed the crash came. He barely had
time to cover his tracks, throw the fig
urative pepper Into the eyes of his
enemies and get away from the scene
of danger. But he bad been clever
and resourceful enough to avoid the
penalty that looked Inevitable and
came off with colors trailing, but un
captured. Perhaps no other man could have es
caped. But James Bansemer was clev
erest when in a corner. He bncked
away, beld them at bay until he could
recover bis breath and then defied them
to their teeth. Despite their proof he
battled them, aud virtue was not Its
own reward at least In this Instance.
In leaving New York be hoped that
Ellas Droom, who knew too much,
might refuse lo go Into the new terri
tory with him, but the gaunt old clerk
took all unnatural nnd malevolent de
light In clinging to his employer, lie
declined to give up his place lu the of
fice, anil although he. hated James l'.an
semer, be came like an accusing
shadow Into the new offices near the
Chicago liver, and there he tolled,
grinned and scowled with the samo old
faithfulness.
CHAPTER VI.
T first It was hard for
James Bansemer to
lieve that his henchman
had net been mistaken.
Droom's description of
the holy eertnlnly did not corroaponu
to what his memory recalled. Investi
gation, however, assured blm that the
Cables In the mansion near the lako
were tbe people ho hud known In New
York. Bansemer took no one Into his
confidence, not even Droom. Once con
vinced that the erstwhile fireman was
now the rich and powerful magnate, he
set to work upon tbe machinery which
was to extract personal gain from the
secret In bis possession. He soon
learned that the child was a young wo
man of considerable standing In socie
ty, but there was no way for blm to
ascertain whether Frances Cable bad
told tbe truth to her husband In those
dreary far west days. O
Bansemer was rich enough, but
avarice hud leeome a habit. The flight
from New York hail deprived him of
but little in worldly goods. Ills III got
ten gains came with blm, nnd Invest
ments were Just as easy ami Just as
safe In Chicago as In New York. Now
be saw a chance to wring a biindsomii
sum from the rich woman whose only
possession bail Is'en love wb"ii he first
knew her. If the secret O'f June's
Mm
origin still remained l,v-l.e,l t:;t i:f
heart the effort would U an easy
lie learned enough of I'nid V
however, to know that if le- siurc.l ll:c
sti-ret the plan would be ir.ei:,es :i;id
dangerous.
It was this uncertainty thai kept him
from calling at the t'alile homo; like
wise from writing a note which might
prove a most disastrous folly. Time
and circumstance could be his only
friends, and he was nivusto-ued to the
whims of iKith. lie read of the dinners
and entertainments given by the Ca
bles and smiled grimly. Time had
worked wonders for them. Scandal,
he knew, could undo all that ambition
and pride had wrought. He could well
afford to wait.
However, he did uot have loug to
wait, for his opportunity came one
night in Hooley's theater, tirnydon
and he occupied seats In the orchestra
near the stage aud not far from the j
lower right hand boxes, it was during
the busy Christmas holidays, but the I
'star" was of sufficient eoiisetpieneo to
pack the house. The audience was no
end of a fashionable one. Time and
again some strange Influence drew his
gazo to the gay party In one of the I
lower boxes. . The face of .lr woman
nearest to him was not visible, but tbe
two girls who sut forward turned oc
casionally to look over the audience,
and bo saw Unit tbey were pretty, ouo
excvptlouaily so. One of the' then wan
gray haired nnd strong featured: tho
others were quite too insignificant to
be of Interest to him. The womau
whoso buck he could see did not look
out over the audience. Her Indiffer
ence was so marked that It seemed de
liberate.
At lust he felt that her eyes wei
upon him. He turned quickly. Tru
enough, for with lips slightly parted,
her whole attitude suggestive of In
tense restraint Mrs. Cable was staring
helplessly into tile eyes of the man
who could destroy her with a word.
The one thing that flashed through
Bansemer's brain was tbe realization
that she wns fur more beautiful than
he had expected hor to bo. There was
a truly aristocratic loveliness In tho
rather piquant face, and she undenia
bly possessed "manner." Muturlty bad
Improved her vastly, he confessed,
with strange exultation; age bad been
kinder than youth. He forgot tho pley,
seldom taking his eyes from the back
which again had been turned to blm.
Calculating, ha reached the concluslqu
that she was not more than forty years
of age. More than once ho made some
remark to his sou, only to surprlso that
young man glancing surreptitiously at
the face of the more beautiful of tho
two girls. Even In this early stage
James Bansemcr began to gloat ovor
the beauty of this new found old ac
quaintance. In tho lobb." of tho thenter as they
were leaving he deliberately doffed Ills
hat and extended a pleasant hand to
the wife of David Cable. She turned
deathly pale, und there was a startled,
piteous look lu ber eyes that convinced
him beyond all shadow of a doubt.
There was nothing for her to do but
introduce htin to her husband. Two
minutes later Graydon Bansemer and
Jane Cable, strangers until then, were
asking each other how they liked tho
play, and Fate was at work.
A few weeks after this scene at tho
theater young Mr. Bansemer dashed
across tho ball from the elevator and
entered his father's office Just as Ellas
Droom wns closing up.
"Where's the governor, Mr. Droom?"
he asked, deliberately brushing pust
the old clerk In tho outer office.
"Left some time ago," replied Droom
somewhat ungraciously, his blue eyes
staring past tho young man with a
steadiness that suggested reproach be
cause lie was out of the direct line of
vision. "It is nearly d o'clock. He's
never here after f."
"1 know that be I asked you If you
knew of his whereabouts. Do you or
not?" Tho self confident, athletic
youth did not stand In physical nwe of
the clerk.
"No," wus the slmplo and sufficient
answer.
"Well, then, I'm off," said Graydon
a trifle less airily.
Droom's overcoat was on and button
ed up to his chin. His loug feet were
encased In rubbers of enormous size
and uncertain age. There must havo
been no blood In the veins of this grim
old man, for the weather was for from
cold, aud the Btrcets were surprisingly
dry for Chicago.
"I ain closing the office for tho day,"
said Droom. For no apparent reason
a smile spread over the lower part of
his fuee, und Graydon, bold as he was,
turned his eyes away.
"I thought I'd stop In and pick up
tho governor for a ride borne In my
motor," suld be, turning to tbe door.
"Yours Is one of the first out hero, I
suppose," came from tbe thin lips of
the old clerk.
Graydon laughed.
"Possibly. The company charges a
nickel a ride, half a dime. Going
down, sir?" Graydon had rung for
tbe elevator and was waiting In front
of tbe grating.
A look contnlnlng a curious com
pound of affectlonute reproach and a
certain senile gratification at being
made the object of the boy's conde
scending raillery crossed Droom's coun
tenance. Without, however, answering
his question he slowly and carefully
closed the door, tried It vigorously and
Joined Biiuseuier at tho shaft. With
Droom words were unnecessary when
actions could speak for themselves.
"SliJ living over In Wells streirf, Mr.
DriM.iri?" wiiit on Oraydon. thorough
ly at I''e with the man whom he had
feared and despised by singes from
childhood up.
"It's good enough for me." said
Droom shortly. "'Tlsn't Michigan
I nvenue. the Drive or
Lincoln Park
as swell as 1
iiilevurd.Miiit It's Just
rq or i'ver boiie to be."
"There's nothing against Wells
street, lint It got ashamed of Itself
0 hen it crowed the river."
"TheOcail it l'lfth avenue." sneered
liroom. "but It Nut the avenue. Is It?"
ltanseiie r was surprised lo lio:e :l tone
j n" afioctio-.iato pride lu the iiuestfoil.
) "No ludeisi:"
"Oh. there's only one, Mr. llraydou,"
said the old clerk quite warmly: "our
own Fifth avenue!"
i "1 bad no Idea you cared so much
j for swagger things. Mr. Droom." ob
, served the other, genuinely sui'irlsed.
"Even Bnuuhvay Is heaven lo me,"
1 said Droom, some of the rusp gone
! from his voice. "Ooodby. I got this
I way," ho said when tbey reached the
sidewalk a little later. The young man
watched bis gaunt figure as It slouched
away In the semidurkness.
"By lloorge, the old chap is actually
homesick!" muttered he. "I didn't
think it was In him."
Droom had rooms over a millinery
shop In Wells street There was a
bedroom at the back and a "living
room" In front, overlooking tbe Btreet
from the third Btnry of tho building.
Of the bedchamber there la but little
5roDoifl
There inu a itorflcd, piteous look In her
eye
to say, except that It contnlned a bed,
a wnshstiind, a mirror, two straight
hacked chairs and a clotliespresn.
Droom went out for bis bath every
buturday night. Tho "living room,"
however, was queer lu more ways than
one. lu one corner on a chest of draw
era ntood Ills oil stove, while In tho op
posite corner a big sheet Iron heater
made Itself conspicuous. Firewood
was piled behind the stove winter and
summer, Droom lamenting (hat olio
could not safely discriminate between
the seasons in Chicago, Tho chest of
jrawers contained his stock of pro
visions, his cooking and tablo utensils,
his medicine and a small assortment of
carpenter's tools, lie had no use for
mi icebox.
A bookcase, old enough to warm the
heart of tho most anient antiquarian,
held his small and unusual collection
of books. Standing side by side on
(he same shelf were French romances
and tbe Holy Bible, much bethunilml
and penciled. There were scboolbookN
alongside of sentimental love tales,
Greek lexicons und quaint old fairy
slorles, low books and works on crim
inology; books ou botany, geology,
anatomy and physics. In all perhaps
I hero were 1100 volumes. A. life of Nn
poleou revealed signs of aliuosl con
stunt usage. There were three por
traits of the Corsicau on the dingy
green walls.
The strange character of tbe man
was best shown by the pictures that
ailorucd or rather disfigured tin walls.
Vulgar photographs ami prims were to
be seen on nil shies. Mingled with
these cheap creations were excellent
copies of famous Madonnas, quaint
Scriptural drawings, engraving of the
.Saviour and nn allegorical colored
print which emphasized tho Joys of
benven. There was ulso u badly drawn
but Idealized portrait of Droom. done
in crayon lit the ago of twenty. This)
portrait was one of bis prized posses
sions. He loved It best because It was
a bust and did not expose his longitu
dinal defects. If Droom ever hud en
tertained a feminine visitor lu hla
npartuieuts. -there is no record of the
fuct. Hut few men had seen the Inlo
rlor of his home, and they had gono
nwuy with distressed, perplexed sensi
bilities. He cooked Ills own men Is on the oil
slove and, alone, ale them from tho Hi
de table that stood near tho heater.
Occasionally he went, out to n nearby
eating house for a lonely feast, ills)
rooms usually reeked with the odor of
liolled coffee, burned cabbage and
grease, pungent chemicals and long
suffering lied linen. Of Ills "front"
loom It may lie said that It was kitch
en, dining room, parlor, library, work
ahop, laboratory and conservatory.
Four flowerpots, In which as many
geraniums existed with difficulty de
spite Droom's constant and unwaver
ing rare, occupied a conspicuous place
on the window sills overlooking the
street He watched over them with
all the tender solicitude of a lover, sur
prising as It may appear when one
pauses to consider the vicious exterior
of tbe man.
(Continued Next Friday.)
HI IIH( IIIHK FOIt TIIK Gl'AItl).
CASTOR I A
Tor Infants and Children. O
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Bears the
Blgnaturb ot
a :