| Show NUMBER THREE buim HU and SIX he saved the child and lost his own worthless life BY EUNICE UNDERWOOD itie was very pleasant but so far all the be tuorn ings had been pleas ant at this delightful out of the way resort airs bradford drew a long breath as its she descended tha the hotel steps her iler physician had certainly been right when he recommend id d a change of climate already she began to feel the fill lut luence of the mild air and the long ion days spent out of doors As she sti reached I 1 the he sidewalk she paused with a questioning smile where to mildred Ildred NI she asked the little girl who was as skipping along by hir side looked up brightly the pl plinn ian of course ninni mamma tua I 1 ou oil can an read and I 1 will play ahls A his afternoon on well go down on the beach bench the street ins lery ery quiet an occasional cas ional lonal dray with its load of trunks and baggage and hero here und and there a group of plea toire seekers on their way to the plaza or the beach betich overhead a fow few buzzards circled about and from the direction of the plaza came a slight breeze which waa was laden with nith perfume of orange blossoms and the saltiness of the bay hleb which glistened beyond the trees As they reached the corner a keen newsboy darted across the street and bis his shrewd afaf face p broadened into a grin when bis his customer smilingly refused the change ha offered through the openings in the trees they could sec see lit the white sails of pleas uro ure boats on tho the lay bay and beyond these the green shore of promontory point near the extreme end of the point roso ros the tall white bile buildings of the stall penitentiary mrs airs bradford shivered a little as she slip saw them the prim grim buildings see ined out of place in this quiet winter resort it was ung not far to the but when ben they reached it they found th hit thit it most of the settee 4 were already occupied they walked down town ono on of the lie side aide paths and came b bick ach by the fountain As chev did so ro mildred Nill dred turned suddenly there it seat bats most all empty she whispered eagerly it was it little off the path and half bidden hidden by the low branches of a live aa As they approached mrs sirs bradford noticed that its only occupant was a tall young man whisp hoat face looked strangely white and eager lie ile Nat watched ched them curiously as they sat down don and bis his lips parted in a friendly smile then as bough though conscious of impropriety he got up and began to walk back ball and forth uneasily vor for a time mrs bradford scarcely noticed him then something peculiar about his tits step caused her to raise her eyes from front it e took book she was reading the young man seemed to have forgotten their presence and was walking back and forth with bowed bead bond every few seconds he hp wheeled heeled 1 sharply and retraced hi bla sapps mrs bradford noticed with curious wonder that be he always wheeled at exactly the same points I 1 etien beti she saw tint thit bis his left foot dragged behind the other ai hough though it carried a heavy henry weight at glrst she thought be he was lame but even ertil while she was corn com blin him be raised bis tits bead with a quick startled movement and for it time the lameness disappeared disappear Ld and the walk was extended to bo the end of or tho the path theu then his bead once more sank saul upon his breast tho the short turns were resumed and the left foot again beg begin in its weary dragging motion A apparently apar na tie was conscious of bis his weakness for several times she saw him recover himself impatiently and glance sharply around overhead the mocking birds were calling to 0 o each other and some something thing lu its their notes seemed to arouse him from his reverie presently hu he stopped beneito the tree nod glanced up with a rapt expression oa his face at mrs bradford paw saw it and find her eyes softened you like the birds she said pt plean aas antly aused I to be tie replied hesitatingly then noticing tho the surprise surp riso in ber her face be added apologetically 1 I seen auy tiny before for most ten years ibey seem sort of or strange ue stood still tor for a moment with the color ning on his tits sallow cheeks then ho be slouched forward and thre threw himself on the grass at tho foot of the trw tree mrs sim bradford gazed at him curl curt bously tor for a moment and men inea returned to tier boot book out in the pith mildred was playing with ith lir lit r ball at length it struck limb nt d 1 bounded toward the young it 11 i i lit plinked it up tip eagerly and halt bait r 0 so e to tu ills fett but seeing the fright ned look on her face fale he tossed it back ai nut d re milid his hn slouching position on allf t fit r m bile the bill again rolled to ill ahli 4 rel 1 1 ahta tits time be he did not offer too ti it turn it if ts s mildred approached ti ii it eked ni up with ith it smile ilip ih ours or coming off your ball be s mid ild I 1 lea pleasantly if you 11 let me ill fix it I 1 know how I 1 hut but i said id have to take 1 I to a shoemaker she answered doubtfully reat feathers bers awful bard hard to ew pew not if you have things to work woric xv lib be bald said jul aly see ber 1 laking liking I a small package from his pock et he opened it and snowed showed her ser eral i needles and some coarser shining shifting icv gale gae them to ine use when I 1 left the the place where I 1 learned my ivy trade ho h said in a low voice 1 I dont suppose I 1 shall ever uso use them aly folks will not let ine me do that but I 1 shall always keep them near mv some time I 1 ina need advice and ibis little wll be able to tell me it n great many a great nian man sad god things which ill never under stand little one he added gently mildred gazed at him hill wonderingly but as she saw the skilled lingers fingers draw tho the leather over the ball and fasten it securely in place her look ot of wonder changed to one of pleasure im ever so much obliged ene she said gratefully id hate awfully to lose the ball grandpa gave it to me she watched bim him a few moments in al lence fence added with a sudden burst of confidence grandpa lives ot at our house and were going home soon Is e it gets warm uhe the oung man sewed on for a few moments moment in stlene at last the ball wa was 4 finished and hf tip carefully re replaced plated the needle in his hn po pocket ket im going borne home too he be said gravely as ho he handed ber her the ball im waiting for or the train now aud and have you got a ra amma she asked wan w tb sudden interest yes and she has been waiting for me a long long time poor little mother the be last too low for her to bear hear As the little girl was moving aay he be called her with nith a sudden lure ture 1 11 wish you would take this be he earnestly as ag he gave ber her a tiny box hoc of exquisite workmanship I 1 undo it from front it piece ot of lory which uns as found on oil a battlefield and in tended to ghe it to my mister birou ou make mahe me tile think of or tier 1 I but wont astle he arit lit itt it mildred Ill dred 41 ahe hi ix Is deai he the grave air all mn er rhe little girls face gren 1 I 1 in sorry she sall gently and and id like to have the box ever so much hut but I 1 must ask mit mina 11 mildred run ran off to her mother ibo ube young man occasionally casio nally looked that way und and saw that the child was telling her mother about him ele knew that ohp mother was regarding him with suspicion for vor some time a dialogue that he tie could not bear was going on between mother and child dred waa evidently arguing for her new friend and her mother was quietly opposing her hr but the mother blood stood firm and nt sit list tho the blid returned with n disappointed air mamma say says I 1 take tak 0 gifts from strangers she said regretfully I 1 but im ever so much obliged just jost the tile same the aun on spots moved slowly across the grass gross and disappeared one by one ii the thicker shadows of the tree the voting man watched ghetu listlessly at length a clock began to strike in ill the distance and he lie counted the strokes carefully when it ceased be he once more got up tip and began to walk inck bul and forth nut but now his bend head was nas erect and bis his left foot hid lost its dr dogging motion and on oil his face was a lender tender expectant smili mildred had grown tired 3 of her tier ball and was witching the water as ai it fell splashing into the broad brond bashi of the fountain As tho the young man mno approached elie she looked up timidly v are ou going now dow she asked not for another halt bolt hour he re 1 would rather wait here than down at the 11 depot kor for some moments he be stood gazing at her evi dently her tier face brought up some roem mem ory of the for he sighed as be turned a awa wa A little later mrs bradford was aroused by excited voices sever several at figurea rushed her I for or n 0 ment met she gazed around Ono ringi F then she rose and nod followed near the fountain was n group grout of excited people in t the he open space beyond slie she recognized mildred playing ditl tier ball what was the put even eren as ab wonder eil came calne the n ild rush of a pair wt ot frightened horses into the open space toi tol lowed happened so ao auckly qu ally tant she tie boulo nut not realize it until it ii 4 6 ailt i mildred was placed sobbing in lit iser arms and a hushed group grout lossl 00 ad lith lit the silent figure on I 1 tie he ground it as the brahst thing I 1 ever baw saw said one ninn man in to a low ow olee but a slid thing for the poor chap and his people if he had find tiny another compassionately what was it what sart r k him asked one who came up and joined the crowd 1 I be he child was playing near the fountain A runaway team caroo came down the road making for the place where the child was all unconscious of the danger ue ile pointing to the figure on the jumped in to threw her from t rom under and the whole thing passed over him well be went to his list home doing a heroic act said cold another I 1 he no gave bis his life for a child two guards 4 froni from the penitentiary lame across tip the plaza and joined the croup group A later one of them gave it few bukk directions to n had back man who i is iq standing near it Is iq no 0 o AU 1 airs irs bradford heard him sj sa poor fellow and he has only beau out a it few hours I 1 must telegraph to hia tits folks mrs bradford adford Dr waited until she saw san them place the motionless figure in the back then walked slowly back to the settee under the iho oik aik she saw something th I 1 ug glisten picking it up she found it was the little ivory box I 1 here mildred she said in a low voice you may keep it |
