The Enchanted Canyon

e memory of a mother as he does at no o

cks that border Washin

squalid as any on N

Minetta Brook are less than memories now. The blocks of fine brick houses that covered Richmond Hill are given ov

through Minetta Lane with his beautiful Annabel Lee. But God pity the sweethearts to-day who must have love in its reeking prec

d with dirty, quarreling children and a sore-eyed cat or two. Nobody knows and nobody cares who built the house. Enough that it is now the home of poverty and of ways that fear the open light of day. Just wh

se, smoking a cigarette. He was perhaps fourteen or fifteen years of age, but he might have been either o

smartly cut clothes could not hide his extreme awkwardness of body, his big loose joints, his flat chest and protruding shoulder blades. His face, too, could not have been an Italian produ

horse across the street, with the hugely

odding his head toward the horse and addressing the rag

now though," replied Luigi. "Y

ter. "That brown Liz you let in last

nt' now, Nucky,"

nk second floor for you durin' the time, you blank blank!

ubility of oaths that reduced the boy to sullen silence. Having eased his mi

!" sang one of the small gi

little alley cat!

reamed the child, while her

r, he slackened his gait and climbed into an empty chair in the bootblack stand that stood in front of the C

u, Nucky?"

he boy, an uneasy look softeni

ou, long," the officer said.

down ho five-dollar-a-week

acher told me she was glad to see one brat that looked like an old-fashioned American. And everything the teachers and us guys at the police station could do to keep you headed right, we've done. But

you. You want to keep on doing Luigi's dirty work for him. Very well! Go to it! A

ainst a guy!" m

at had rather be crooked than

m the chair, paid the boy and headed

entered the Square as Nucky crossed f

round to-night

ith liquid brown ey

re than there was la

ll be surprised when you se

ng on the wet pavements, at the sparrows quarreling in the d

he exclaimed. "What's

id Nucky. "We might as

uy!" Liz tossed her head. "I

" Nucky's voice was ske

ce, the bla

't hopin' to start trouble. You go chase you

e of the park. Even as he sat on the park bench, apparently absorbed in the paper, there was an air of sullen u

acDougal Street waved a pleasant salute to a tall, gray-haired

, Mr. Seaton

y!" replied the gentl

ou off y

ped to watch that red-headed kid over there." He indicated the bench on

ar and puffed it slowly. He and Foley had been friends

ck," the officer said, slowly, "but-well, I can't get

k, is he? How o

netta Lane. Guess the boy mighta been six years old when she died and Luigi took him on. We were all kind of proud of him at first. Teachers in school all said he was a wonder. But for two or three years he's b

taken away from the Italian a

and we got jobs for him, but nothing works. Judge Harmon swears he's out of patience with him and'll sen

boy in spite of his cr

at

of us. Don't know as I'm what you'd call fond of the kid. Maybe it's his name. Yes, I gue

hook his head. "Pat D

, if you could see i

Enoch Huntingdon! What

in Seaton's eyes was all th

t gutter rat has real blood in h

"And for all he's homely enough to stop traffic, his

y a few years before had left him shy of all boys. B

them out of the tail of his eye. He rose, casually, but Foley forestalled his next m

ed the strongly hewn face while the officer said, "That person you wer

ng to me, can I?" demande

r village cut-up, you are! Well, just mind what

Seaton. "But, Foley, I'll wager you'll fi

ed. Every man who's seen him is. But the

d Seaton, "Sometimes these hard character

kind," grunt

oley, a good woman is the profoundest influence a man can have

o the clouds sailing across the blue. "I guess you're right, Mr. Seaton," he said, "I

day, F

house door close on the tall, well-dressed stranger, and saw a t

ud, starting slowly back toward the Café Roma.

id not devour his food as the normal boy of his age would have done. He ate slowly and without appetite

ucky! Wha

lking about. What

ude, out. He's going to be alde

t I'd like to be, a politician. I'd rather

king o' the dice throwers,

e job of Mayor," returned Nu

out midnight. Anyt

ard face looked for a

ain't been

be goin' to the bank regular. You bet that

ke you around," said the young Irishman with

ctly duplicated the café manner of Marty, the Dude. Then, with a casua

drunken man or woman, exuding loathsome, broken sentences, reeled past Officer Foley who stood in the shadows opposite Luigi's house. He was joined silently and one at a time by half a dozen other men. Just before midn

ed and fought with all the venom that did the eight or ten other occupants of the room. Tables were kicked over. A small roulette board smashed into the sealed fire-place. Brown Liz broke a bottle o

back room! D

silently before the door. That night he was locked in a cell with a drunken Greek. It was his first experience in a cell

uched in a corner of the cell, breathing rapidly and staring into bla

lephone message awaiting him in the police station.

ey, except that I wanted to tell you that the red-headed boy and his name, particularly that n

officer described the raid. "The judge has given him eighteen

oley, what he needs is a licking and a

eman is, Mr. Seaton, he can't be a mother! And

y, hasn't he any

on't have 'em. He's sittin' in his cell for all th

let me come round and see him before

up. Only don't get sore

urt me, Foley. You remember tha

t Jack was always a g

d to get hold of these

nd Foley hung up the

s sitting on the edge of his bunk, his red hair a beautiful br

Foley pointed you out to me the other day as a lad who was making bad

old me so," replied Nucky, ung

ew York lawyer! Supposing you take a look at

at you look like. You got gray hair and brown eyes

ller. "Now, look here, Enoch, can

was doin' a man's job and I'll

"It wasn't a man's job

ntence like a common

arled Nucky, jumping to his feet and

ess and its sullenness, there was a curious dignity in Nuck

oyish voice breaking with weariness and excitement. "Wh

e had nothing to do with boys since. And I don't give a hang about you. It's your nam

the sob stuff, either," N

ugh, eh, Enoch? But you know even toughs occasionally

Go on, get o

al name in this country and if you think any pig-headed, rotten-minded boy can carry that name to the pen, without me putting up a fight, you're mistaken! You've met

me to the door a half hour later, Nucky was again sittin

his, Nucky," s

, and followed Foley i

inst the desk, talking

ink you're a fool, Mr. Seaton, but I believe in giving a kid as young as Huntingdon the benefit of the doubt. We've all failed to find a spark of decent

then he shrugged his shoulders and dropped his weight to the other hip.

man," and he led the way into the street. Nucky followed without any outward show of emotion. His new guardian

as you please about liking me, but I want you to like my wife. And if I have any reason to think you've been anything bu

a reply, but led the way into the elevator. It shot up to the top

ing the hat rack on which he was hanging his own overcoa

s around eyes and lips. It was not an intellectual face, but it was sweet and patient, from the delicate curve of the lips to the slight downward droop of the

ung Enoch Hunting

ngly. "How do you do, Enoch! Mr. Seaton told me about your red hair

w, ma'am," r

the arm chair beside his wife. "Mary, I've got to take that trip to San Francisco, aft

ast. "But mercy, John! I can't get

I'm going to ta

pale face was a little flushed and his thin lips were set firmly together. From her scrutiny of Enoch's face, she

" she said, kindly. "And it's cigarettes that give your lips that bad co

e the best part of three weeks. By that time

sure, and a little cynically. Nevertheless it was the first s

outfitted," said Mary. "We'll go

is new,"

pronounced check like that isn't nice for

me, and I paid for 'em myself,

lian you've been living with,

ack," interrupted Nucky, "and he can't read anyhow. I alw

re was a pleasant not

st try to look out for

-minded! Come and I'l

ust get read

nd chintz. Enoch thought it must have been the dead boy's room for there was a gun

rnestly in the living-room. He brushed his hair, then amused himself by examining the contents of the room. The supper bell r

the boy followed in

se less difficult to endure than the boy's unresponsive, watchfu

atching for, Enoch? Do you e

a'am," answ

our supper?" as

guess. I'm used to

nd don't you appreciate the difference between a hom

darkened sullenly and he

told her of Officer Foley's account. The boy did act not unlike a bull pup put for the first time on the lead chain. She was

settled to her embroidery again. "What on earth possesses y

his paper. "He makes me so mad I could tan his hide every ten minutes, but I'm going to s

feel that way, John, that I'll swallow even this impossible bo

d John briefly. "But I'm going to try in the next

him so that he w

sighed and went on with

ad left for the office, the boy sat looking out of the window until Mrs. Seaton announced hers

hree years before she had been buying clothes for Jack from this same clerk. But Mary Seaton was a good sol

ilantly. He was awkward, to be sure, and silent, but Mary was secretly sure that he was less resentful toward her tha

ck. Mrs. Seaton went with t

on't you, Enoch?" she said, taking the boy's lim

am," repl

the trip. Run now, or you'll miss the train

riosity not untinged with resentment. Nucky had not melted after a whole day with Mary! Perhaps there were no deeps within

old man, are y

," repli