Show f BLINDFOLDED 1 r Q D I 11 BY EARLE R ASHLEY WALCOTT Copyright 1906 by toy The Bobbs Merrill Company CHAPTER 1 Oi oui tha e t have little cause hat you ou ha have done Is much You YOU difficulties in her calm eyes and my soul elto etto the surface wish you might be proud of me I 1 i. i I liSI Ilam m proud of such a fr x nd ex- ex x- x r Sh She hesitated an art except I said half haIr bit bit- wals wal's I OU have promised to to tell me meome meome me- me ome day As soon as I may Un- Un Influence I should have her flIer then had she urged me And until I was once more outside the I recall how impossible it was l ever tell h her hr r. r 1 shall I do What shall I do Ithe refrain that ran through my as the battle between I and swelled And i rand duty rose rand sorely tempted to tell the unknown in the el memory ee of for rr m my assistance dear J i n friend legda and and to feud with Doddridge Knapp in a a. com com- grave leres lere's some one to see you rou sir said I reached the walk and Joined guards I had left to watt walt for me The I had ceased but the wind which had the day was freshening Imore ilmore from the south Lessor es sor youre you're wanted at Mother BorIn Borin Borin Bor- Bor in a hurry said another voice and stepped forward Theres There a thee the mn fd ifo payi e the one one eyed eyed man who had aim Ime the service ser that enabled me to topa pe pa from Livermore t is i's matter h Broderick e what's the get no po orders sor so I don dont don't t there was the s own dy in the height of progression when ft ft And Mother Borton says I was ome hotfoot for you and tell you to your men If It ye valued your sie In danger reckon the thought was heavy on her 1 for her face was white with the thee Jr at it e hastened forward but at the next era eria passing hack stood ready for engers and v we e rolled down the street horses' horses hoofs outstripped by my land and apprehensions lelot the men was sent to bring cut tt l of t. t my force as had bad returned and I I the two others hurried on to Bor- Bor s. s of ot riot I lere was was' none of the sounds expected to hear as we drew up beThe belli be be- lit The lantern blinked outside with invitation to manifold cheer within through the window and half haIr opened door and quiet and order ned I stepped to the walk I found the of ot the change in the person i policeman who stood at the door loly fit Peter the cops is on whis- whis failed to share his trepidation In the ence of ot the representative of ot law and stepped up to the policeman there las there been trouble here officer ted ced hit Is you sor said Corsons Corson's I was wondering about Well kWell there has been a bit of a row theres there's a power of ot broken heads beads to be ded Theres There's wan man cut to pieces I good riddance for its it's Black Dick thinking its it's the morgue e fJ they'll eth 1 be I t Tt rio gr to though gh It was for the r reng re- re i ing ng hospital they started with himas him as a dandy row and it was we made Is Mother Borton 1 he she she-divil's done for this time a. a Whist I forgot she was lend of ot yours sor Is she she she-at at the receiving hospi- hospi What is the matter with her isy alsy aisy sor It may be nothing stairs A bit of ot a cut they say look out for this door take ye up sor the creaking stairs in the tot the smoky lamp that stood on bracket and Corson opened a door me flickering candle played fantastic the furniture sent shadows the dingy walls and gave a to the two figures thai that bent Ithe the bed in the corner The figures up at our entrance and I Iw w them hem for the doctor and his assist assist- friend of ot the lady sor whispered ion lont octor looked at me In some sur- sur ut merely bowed s she badly hurt I asked vel seen worse he answered In a voice but but buta a and fid d he completed the ence by shrugging his shoulders as he he had bad small hopes for his pa- pa other Borton turned h her r head on the thew w and her gaunt face lighted up at sight of me Her IIer eyes shone with a ange ange ange light of their own like the eyes L night bird and there was a fierce In her look I knew you would come come i cried 10 doctor octor pushed his way to the bed- bed must st insist that the patient be bet t t. t he said with authority quiet cried Mother Borton Is Jr r the likes of ot you that Id I'd be quiet whitewashed tombstone raiser you your r snatcher do you think youre you're t the te tet e eto t to tell me to hold my tongue when ant to talk to a gentleman lush I said soothingly He He means you fou must lie quiet or Ill I'll not be re- re sible ible for the consequences said the tort firmly these well well meant meant words Mother I Borton raised herself on her elbow and directed a stream of ot profanity in the di direction direction di- di of ot the doctor that sent chills chill chasing each other down my spine and seemed for a minute to dim the candle that gave ga its flickering g groom om to the tho room Ill ta talk as I please c cried e Mother i B Borton Its my l last eta wish wish lh and I Ill I'll fo have It You tell me Ill I'll live an hour or two longer if It Im I'm quiet but Ill I'll die as Ive I've lived a doin as I please have my sa say as long as Ive I've got breath to tall talk g Go put out ut now flow all all of you but this man Go Mother Borton Dorton had bach raised herself upon one elbow her face tace flushed and framed In her Ira gray and d tangled hair was working I with anger and anti her eyes ees were almost lurid as she sent fierce glances at one I after another of the men about her She pointed a a skinny finger at the door and each man as as' as she cast her look upon him went out without a word To Be Be Continued |