Cast Adrift

cruel exultation came over from

, looking steadily into Pinky's face, a

er swollen cheek. "Does it

your bea

it get

You'll mind your own business next time, and keep ou

the girl, who from nervous re

bottle of spirits. Pinky poured a glass nearly half ful

y smacked her lips. The girl drew her handkerchief from her po

flashing into her face. "Going to make

indifferent gla

said Pinky. "Going to put half a dol

one of her pe

tinued Pinky, her spirits rising u

ak hard rocks," returned th

had just taken was beginning to have a marked effect,

turned Norah, coolly. A hard expres

to. I'm as good as

keep a civil tongue in your head." There was a threatening undertone in the woman's voice. S

il than if she had been a child. In what seemed but a moment of time she was pushed back through the door and dropped upon the pavement. Then the door shut, and she was alone on the outside-no, not alone, for scores of the denize

irl, pressing toward her. "Hi, Pi

screamed a boy, one of the young th

answered back as she

she fell over backward on the pavement, striking her head on a stone and cutting it badly. She l

with a paste of filthy dirt from the gutter. This, instead of exciting pity, only gave a keener zest to the show. The street

her to her feet. As they did so the blood streamed from the back of her head

to the little third-story room in which she had met Mrs. Bray. She repeated her r

as she took an offered seat, comin

es

el

her th

el

y shook

an't do muc

ression coming into M

judge every one by themselves. She half accused me of getting a larger amount

d exceedingly h

't want any go-betweens nor brokers. I expected to he

Dinneford's face was alm

ople," coolly remarked Mrs. Bra

ing the city?-going to Ne

ought. The fact is, Mrs. Dinneford"-and Mrs. Bray lowered her voice and looked sho

of a gang?" Mrs. Dinnefo

ber what I said when you gave her the child. I told you that she was not a good wom

r hand impatiently. "The baby's out of her hands

and finds out where the silver is kept and how to get in. You don't know half

th covert scrutiny, gauging, as she did so, by it

" ejaculated Mrs. Di

t you in her power, and no mistake, and she isn't one of the kind to give u

" asked Mrs. Dinneford, her

ing is certain-I don't want to have anything more to do with her. It

rd, her face growing pallid with fear. "Money is of no account. I'll

It had been locked after Mrs. Dinneford's entrance. Mrs. Bray started and changed countenance, turning h

in perfectly still. I believe that's the

arm. The room in which she found herself was small, and overlooked the street; it was scantily furnished as a bed-room. In one corner, partly hid by a curtain that hung from a hoop fastened to the wall, wa

distinguish a word. Once or twice she was sure that she heard the sound of a man's voice. It was nearly a quarter of an hour by her watch-it seemed two hours-be

me," said Mrs. Dinneford, w

plied Mrs. Bray. "Affairs of this

s that mise

es

did you make

dy. The taste of blood ha

oes she

, and says that if the money isn't here by sundown, you'

t be the

curved Mrs. Bra

can say," s

ndred d

ng as setting the police after her. She laughed at this in such a wicked, sneering way that I felt my flesh creep, and said she knew the p

Mrs. Dinneford as she moved about the room in a di

take our vampire by the throat and strangle her at once. The knife is the only remedy for some forms of di

. "If I could only get her in my power, I'd make shor

ght be

ow

knows the chi

out of Mrs. D

that way, and you kno

s. Bray sharply, and with a g

rs. Bray, coolly. "There is no protection in cases like this except through

ford grew

his class. A woman who for hire will take a new-born baby and sell it to a beggar-wom

considerable asperity of manner. "You ought to have known something a

d Mrs. Bray, with an ugly gurgle in her throat. "I told you at the

did I

be the devil for

re mis

and I have not forgotten them. People who deal with the devil usually ha

an air of entire equ

s. Dinneford walked the floor with the q

rs will satisfy her?" she asked, at leng

ered; "not long, unless you can manage to

silence

length, in a husky voice, taking out her pocket-book as she spoke. "I have o

er for you to let me have the balance to-day. She will, most likely, take it into her head that I have received the whol

ay!"-and she turned upon her and caught her by the arms with a fierce grip-"as I

her vigorous grasp for some moments, ga

ided. She was still holding the money she had taken from Mrs. Dinneford. As the latter released her she ext

and then let the little roll of bank-bills f

he was now more than ever in the power of this woman, whethe

he sound of feet was heard on the stairs, then a hurrying along the narrow passa

joining chamber. Mrs. Dinneford did not hesitate, but glide

s, as she admitted her visitor, at the same time giving a warning glance toward t

and swollen face. A dark band lay under one of her eyes,

ated Mrs. Bray as Pinky m

enough to overcome the depression and discomfort of her feelings consequent on the har

matter," was replied. "You must go away until

om into which he had gone so hastily, the roll of bank-notes still lay upon the floor. Mrs. Bray had prudentl

ale, and exhibited no ordinary s

that?"

rs. Bray, in a cold,

. Bray crossed the room, touching with her foot th

de myself," sai

ponse, did not even t

ke has

her fiercely. "A blood-sucker!" and she

ord sat dow

lls from the floor and tossed them into her visitor's lap. "I a

with this woman was, so far as she could see, to mee

was much subdued. "I spoke hastily, in a sort of blind desperation. We should not weigh too carefully t

r, but she dared not leave in this uncertainty. Looking back, she said,

emies. I can serve you, and you can serve me. My suspicions were ill f

e little dark-eyed woman, who di

out opening, Mrs. Dinneford came back in

send you

ase," was replied, wit

u impla

ess denunciation and assault. A vam

how much I have at stake, in what a wretched affair I have become involved. It is all new to me, and I am bewildered and at fault.

ord pleaded and humiliated herself, and drift

rit as you are. I shall add a hundred dollars for your own use; and if e

no, no; don't think of such a thing. I am no

" which flushed into the voice th

irst act was to lock the door; her next, to take the roll of bank-bills from the tab

. "Well, have it so. There is rich blood in your veins, and it will be no fault of mine if I do not fatten upon it. As for pity,

d muttered to herself, with ma