The Octopus : A Story of California

igating ditch and the mass meeting at Bonneville, Cedarquist, at the moment opening his ma

through the door that the office boy held open for him, "upon my word, have you b

d sank into the depths of a

have been sick. I'm sick no

ess of great fatigue. "Well, well," observed the other.

eneral collapse all along the line, the doctor tells me. 'Over-cerebration,

answered Cedarquist gravely, "a

in circles of dark brown flesh-and pres

e no idea of it, of the misery caused by the defeat of the ranchers and by this decision of the Supreme Court that dispossesses them all. We had gone on hoping to the last that we would win there. We had

ist. "Tell me about him, Pres. How doe

road in the Courts and the political campaign he went into, to get Lyman on the Railroad Commission, took more of it. The money that Genslinger blackmailed him of, it seems, was about all he had left. H

turning rascal, Harran killed, and now this; and all within

," continued Presley; "but

the w

tying them up, opening them again, forgetting them-all fumbling and mumbling and confused. And at table sometimes he forgets to eat. And, listen, you know, from the house we can hear the trains whistling for the Long Trestle. As often as that happens the Governor se

to leave Los Muert

g that brings me to the city. The family of one of the men who was killed-Hooven was his name-have come to the city to find work. I think t

king after yo

go away. And that makes me think, I came to ask you if you could help me. If you would let m

t I'm sorry you'll have to go. We expected to ha

I had all my health, I could not bring myself to stay in Califo

u may have to wait a few weeks. Our first

very well. Th

the land troubles of the Bonneville far

omise party, and upon that issue a new president was elected. Then there were defections. The Railroad offered to lease the lands in question to the ranchers-the ranchers who owned them," he exclaimed bitterly, "and because the terms were nominal

le in the property to him," observed Ce

red Presley weari

on't you dine with us then? The girls are going to the country Monday of next week, and

rded Presley. "There's no 'go,' no life in me at all

run down. Try and see if we can't wind you up a b

. Till Friday a

ssenger boy, and boarded a Castro Street car. Before leaving Bonneville, he had ascertained, by

olt, reactions, momentary returns of the blind, undirected energy that at one time had prompted him to a vast desire to acquit himself of some terrible deed of readjustment, just what, he could not say, some terrifying martyrdom, some awe-inspiring im

weak of will, emotional, timid even, he temporised, procrastinated, brooded; came

of the figure of the man for whom he waited. He saw himself rise and run forward. He remembered the feel and weight in his hand of Caraher's bomb-the six inches of plugged gas pipe. His upraised arm shot forward. There was a shiver of smashed window-panes, then-a void-a red whirl of confusion, the air rent, the ground rocking, himself flung headlong, flung off the spinning circumference of things out into a place of terror and vacancy and darkness. And then after a long time the return of reason, the consciousness that his feet were set upon the road to Los Muertos, and that he was fleeing terror-stricken, gasping, all but insane with hys

epic, his efforts to help the people who surrounded him, even his attempted destruction of the enemy, all these had come to nothing. Girding his shattered strength together, he resolved upon

etery, Mrs. Hooven, asking no one's aid or advice, and taking with her Minna and little Hilda, had gone to San Francisco-had gone to fi

gnorant of city ways, might easily come to grief in the hard, huge struggle of city life. This suspicion had swiftly hardened

andum book was a cheap but fairly decent hotel near the power

collected the H

main pretty. Sure I remember them, but they ain't here no more. They left a week ago. I had

nt? Did you hear what address th

purpling. "Their trunk, ah, sure. I got their trunk, and what are you going to do about

His suspicions had been only too well founded. So long ago as a week, the Hoovens had exhausted all their little store of money. For seven days now they had

knew them to have their share of pride, the dogged sullen pride of the peasant; even if they knew of charitable organisations, would they, could they bring themselves to apply there? A poignant anxiety thrust itself sharply into Presley's heart. Where were they now? Where had the

ld, world-wide keynote? How far were the consequences of that dreadful day's work at t

plan for the finding and aiding of Mrs. Hooven and her daughters. He reached Montgomery Street, and turned toward his club, his imagina

the street entrance of a huge office building, and smitten with an idea, stood f

ilroad. Large though it was, it nevertheless, was not pretentious, and durin

hat policy of extortion, oppression and injustice that little by little had shouldered the ranchers from their rights, till, their backs to the wall, exasperated and despairing they had turned and fought and died. From here had come the orders to S. Behrman, to Cyrus Ruggles and to Genslinger, the ord

long and so hopelessly they had all been fighting. By reputation he knew him to be approachable; why should he not then approach him? Presley took his resolution in both hands. If he failed to act upon this impulse, he knew he would never act at all. His heart

of closing. Many of them were already deserted. At every instant, through the open door of the ante-room, he caught a glimpse of clerks, office boys, book-keepers, and other

?" inquired Presley of the young man who sat

ven," the other answered, adding, "Ver

resident of the P. and S. W. a giant. Seventy years of age and still at his post, holding there with the energy, with a c

nstant Presley

is the man-eating tiger strong. The man should have ene

ms laid down his pen, and opening the door of the President's office, thrust in his head, then afte

im will see

stood near a large, plain, littered table. That was absolutely all, unless he excepted the corner wash-stand, on which was set a pitcher of ice water, covered with a clean,

; here and there upon his face were moth spots. But the enormous breadth of the shoulders was what, at first, most vividly forced itself upon Presley's notice. Never had he seen a bro

ong sleeves, and a waistcoat from the lower buttons of which the cloth was worn and, upon the edges, rubbed away, showi

stant manager was in the act of making a report. His voice w

ong intervals the vice of drunkenness seized upon the man and for three days rode him like a hag. Not only during the period of this intemperance, but for the few days immediately following, the man was

n do anything with him, sir. He promises to reform continually, but it is the same old story. This last time we saw nothing of him for four days. Honestly, Mr. Shel

n question. The silence lengthened; in the hall outside, the wrought-iron door of the elevator cage slid to with a clash. Shelgrim did n

ife and three children.

dred and

two hundred and fifty. Le

you say so, but re

ll try tha

had withdrawn. Shelgrim wrote a few memoranda on his calendar pad, and signed a couple of letters before turning his attention to Presley. At

l, s

urned and from his desk picked up and consulted Presley's ca

t, "you are the young man who wro

s,

e read it, and I've seen the picture in Cedarqui

s the interview proceeded and this peculiarity emphasised itself, Presley began to conceive the odd idea that Shelgrim had, as it were, placed his body in the chair to rest, while his head and brain a

s,'" continued Shelgrim, "and of the two,

master," Presley ha

ll have kept quiet. There's only one best way to say anything. And what has made the picture o

discovered a sentimentalist and an art critic. No standards of measurement in his mental equipment would apply to the actual man, and it began to dawn upon him that possibly it was not because these standards were different in kind, but that they were lamentably deficient in size. He

hat light," repeated Presley. "Ther

listen to it first hand. I would rather listen to what the great French pain

elf at the end of his sentences as though he had already abandoned and lost interest in that thought, so that the conclud

s terribly upset. I live," he concluded, "or did live on th

LEASED to Mr. Derric

s hands with a helple

. with grave intensity, looking at Presley keenly

, "I am persuaded--" He hesit

y the force? What do I count for? Do I build the Railroad? You are dealing with forces, young man, when you speak of Wheat and the Railroads, not with men. There is the Wheat, the supply. It must be carried to feed the People. There is the demand. The Wheat is one force, the Railroad, another, and there is the law that governs them-supply and dema

sley, "you are the head

not control it. It is a force born out of certain conditions, and I-no man-can stop it or control it. Can your Mr. Derrick stop the Wheat growing? He can burn his crop, or he can gi

was no malevolence in Nature. Colossal indifference only, a vast trend toward appointed goals. Nature was, then, a gigantic engine, a vast cyclopean power, huge, terrible, a leviathan with a heart of steel, knowing no compunction, no forgiveness, no tolerance; crushing out the human atom standing in its way, with nirvanic calm, the agony of destruction sending

ght by the sight of a familiar figure. Was it Minna Hooven? The figure turned the street corner and was lost to sight; but it had been strangely like.

unfortunate German. At last, he gave up the hunt, and returning to his club-at this hour almost deserted-smoked a few cigarettes

n mistaken. The girl whom he had tried

before been in any town larger than Bonneville, and now knew not which way to turn nor how to account for the disappearance of her mother and little Hilda. That the landlady was on the point of turning them out, she understood, but it had been agreed that

ry. I know we owe you money, but where di

bothered," shrilled the

by the landlady if she persisted in hanging around, had left with the woman a note scrawled on an old blotter, to be given to Minna when

t people. I ain't got a word to say so long as the rent is paid. But when I'm soldiered out of a week's lodging, then I'm done. You get right along now. I don'

was about five o'clock. In her pocket was thirt

easoned fear that only the outcast knows, swooped up

ar for. Her mother and the baby, little Hilda, both of them equally unable to look after themselves, what was to become of them, where were they gone? Lost, lost, all of them, herself as well. But she rallied herself, as she walked along. The idea of her starving, of her mother and Hilda starving,

ed for the family; he had taken care of her, then, all of a sudden, her father had been killed, her mother snatched from her. Then all of a sudden there was no help anywhere. Then

ed to her that now a thousand prying glances followed her-assumed a matter-of-f

e bright light of her pale, greenish-blue eyes, nor faded the astonishing redness of her lips, nor hollowed her strangely white face. Her blue-black hair was trim. She carried her well-shaped, well-rounded figure erectly. Even in her distress,

at shall I do, oh, w

the vice-crowded saloons and concert halls of the Barbary Coast. She turned aside in avoidance of this, only to plunge into the purlieus of Chinatown,

and Dupont streets, she st

church in whose shadow she stood, and sit down and rest. This she did. The evening service was just being concluded. But long after the priests

in the same attitude, still oppressed with drowsiness, confused, frightened, Minna found herself on the pavement. She began to be hungry, and, at length, yiel

, near the corner of the Plaza, she came upon an illuminated sign

ggestive of obscure crimes and hidden terrors. For twenty minutes or half an hour, she hesitated, walking twice and three times around the block. At last, she made up her mind. Exhaustion such as she had never known, weighed like lead upon her shoulders and dragged

oom-a bed for the night. One of those for f

for men," said the man,

nna, "oh-I-I

ual stupidity, returned the gaze. Thus, for

know," rep

r. She slowly descended the stairs, an

ppressive with the sense of the bitter hardness of life towards those who have no means of living, Minna Hooven spent

ull of nurse-maids and children. A group of the maids drew their baby-buggies to Minna's bench, and sat down, continuing a conversation they had already begun.

den unwonted fluency, "I am a nurse-girl. I am ou

-so evidently a country girl-w

" said one of them. "

Minna blankly. She did

out references," spoke up the other, "she'

nna. "Have you the addre

rmured. "Is tha

's across

ss th

rom the count

do I get the

, and then the train on the other side. No, it ain't v

t her twenty cents. If the journey proved fruitless, only a dime would stand between her and the end o

her's death, and of the giant power that had reduced her to her present straits, by the letters, P. and S. W. R. R. To her mind, they occu

t on the boat, she found herself curiously scanning the faces of the passengers, wondering ho

ing proclaimed in seven-foot letters upon mammoth bill-boards close to the right of way. Without much trouble, Minna found the house to which she had been directed, a pretty little cottage, set back from the street and shaded by palms, live oaks, and the inevitable eucalyptus. Her heart warmed at the sight of it. Oh, to find a little niche for herself here, a home, a refuge from those horr

ing, she rang the bell set squarel

ly lady, with pleasant, kindly face, op

eady engaged a

l her might to maintain appearances. "

u care to look after so many as three little children

Berkeley, above here-she's looking far a girl. Hav

, ma

he address. She lives

house a moment, and retur

not to BLOT it, child, the ink's

? Could I

the electric cars, abou

her her last five-cent piece. She was now to try her last hope. Promptly it crumbled away. Like the former, this place had been already filled, and Minna left the door of the house with the c

and she knew that it was the weakness of complete exhaustion, and the faintness

hing, oh, anything. I mu

et occurred to her, but now she was far away from the

was going, turned corners and went up by-streets without knowing why, anything to keep moving, for

e whole place had a vaguely public, educational appearance, and Minna guessed, from certain notices affixed to the trees, warning the public against the picking of flowers, that she had found her way into the grounds of the State University. She went on a little further. The path she was following led her, at length, into a grove of gigantic live oaks, whose lower branches all

r night, above all else, these were the things she craved; and the craving within her grew so mighty that she crisped her poor, starved hands into little

twice passed along the walk in front of the bench where she sat, and now, as she took more no

ecame convinced that the person was watching her, but before she had a chance to act upon this convictio

surely you are the young girl who sat opposite me on the boat. Stran

out was impregnated with sachet. She was not otherwise conspicuous, but there was a certain hardness about her mouth and a

e. I thought so when I saw you on the boat, and I think so now.

nce, admitted that she was in distress; that she had become sepa

ed in conclusion, "but I don't seem to succeed. I'

. You see, I live alone a good deal and I've been wanting to find a nice, bright, sociable girl who will be a sort of COMPANION to me.

resley was returning from his club, he came sudd

ng everywhere for you. I was afraid you might not be getting along, and I wanted to see if there was

ed Minna. "We got separated, and I ne

ce, its edging of velvet, its silver belt-buckle. Her hair was arranged in a new way and on her head was a wide ha

w are you getting

ughed sc

E gone to hell. It was e

s foredoomed to fail. Minna had come-had been driven to this; and he, acting too late upon his tardy resolve, had not been able to prevent it. Were the horrors, then, never to end? Was the grisly spectre of consequence to forever dance in his vi

from that endless misery, so that he might not see what he could no longer hel

to a participation in such trivialities, he began to dr

take off his overcoat, Mrs. Cedarquist appeared in the doorway of th

a great rustle of silk. "I never was so glad. You poor, dear poet, you are thin as a gho

ened to exclaim. "Did not Mr. Ce

me evening, I fell upon the man, my dear, I did actually, tooth and nail. But I wouldn't hear of his wiring you. I just dropped a note to our hostess, asking if I could not bring you, and when I told her who you WERE, she r

he coupe, odorous of leather and up

y, you will be in the camp of your dearest foes. You are to dine with the Gerard

oves. He was not conscious of what he said in reply, and Mrs. Cedarquist was so t

people to dinner-very informal, you know-ourselves, you and, oh, I don't know, two or three others. Have you ever seen

ed one of the footmen to relieve him of his hat and coat; in a daze he rejoined Mrs. Cedarquist in a room with a glass roof, hung with pictures, the a

for the introductions and presen

olden involutions in very high relief, that adjusted themselves to form a massive framing for a great picture, nymphs and goddesses, white doves, golden chariots and the like, all wreathed about with clouds and garlands of roses. Between the pillars around the sides of the room were hangings of silk, the design-of a Louis Quinze type-of beautiful simplicity and faultless taste. The fireplace was a marvel. It reached from floo

servatory, threw a wonderful, rich light into the apartment. It was a Gothic window of stained glass, very large, the centre figures being armed warriors, Parsifal and Lohengrin; the one with a banner, the other with a swan. Th

head, and inlaid with ivory and silver, occupied one corner of the room, while in its centre stood a vast table of Flemish oak, black, heavy as iron, massive. A faint odour of sandalwood pervaded the air. From the conservatory

ard came

l so proud. I was so afraid you would be unable to come. You ha

appeared a

rved, madame,

position on a neighbouring corner, to wait for Minna's reappearance. Little Hilda,

d black bonnet, garnished with faded artificial flowers of dirty pink. A plaid shawl was about her shoulders. But this day of misfortune had set Mrs. Hooven adrift in even worse condition than her daughter. Her purse, containing a miserable handful of dime

approaching pedestrian, a policeman appeared, asked what she d

fear of the turbulent, fierce life of the streets, had produced a numbness, an embruted, sodden, silent, speechless condition of dazed mind, and clogged, unintelligent speech. She w

. She walked away to the next street-crossing. Then, in a few moments returned, taking up her place on the corner n

the policeman found her on the forbidden spot, he had lost his temper. This time when Mrs. Hooven departed, he h

" he demanded. "Do you want me to

ing heels. She hurried off, thinking to return to her post after the policeman should have gone away. But when, at length, turning back, she tried to find the boarding-hou

tired," Hild

er picke

re're we go

endless procession of vehicles in the streets, the endless march of pedestrians on the sidewa

ere was no place to sit down;

bling knees; walk, though the senses grow giddy with fatigue, though the eyes droop with sleep, though every nerve, demanding rest, sets in motion its tiny alarm of pain. Death is at the end of that devious, winding maze of paths, crossed and re-crossed and crossed again. There is but one goal to the via dolorosa; there is no escape from the

was afraid to stop, because of the policemen. As often as she so much as slackened her pace, she was sure to see one of these terrible figures in the

etted in

ed." Then, at last, for the first time, t

, I'm

Mrs. Hooven. "Bretty so

pity. The faces were gay, were anxious, were sorrowful, were mirthful, were lined with thought, or were merely flat and expressionless, but not one was turned toward her in compassion. The expressions of the faces might be various, but an underlying callousness w

There was no pride, however, in the matter. She w

even. No doubt, Minna had come long before this time, had found her mother gone, and had-just what had she done, just what COULD she do? Where was her daughter now? Walking the streets herself, no doubt. What was to become of Minna, pretty girl that she was, lost, houseless and friendless in the maze of these streets? Mrs. Hooven, roused from her lethargy, could not repress an exclamation

st'r; say

shoulder. But a few paces distant, he slackened in his walk and fumbled in his vest po

that; she, independent all her life, whose husband had held five hundred acres of wheat land, had been taken for a beggar. A

, I'm

e of the situation, Mrs. Hooven put the coin in her pocket.

p restaurant in a poor quarter of the town, and pass

ities of eating-houses, she spent the whole of her quarter upon supper

awl, that she was cold, and to enquire why they did not go to bed. Drunken men snored and sprawled near at hand. Towards morning, a loafer, reeking of alcohol, sa

damp; her head throbbed. She moved to another bench which stood in the rays of the sun, and for a long two

e woke Hilda, and carrying her

she was well awake; "Mammy, I'

soon now, lee

ous day, when the young man with the hose had given her money. Was it so easy, then, to beg? Could charity be had for the asking? S

, I'm

y, searching their faces, deterred at the very last moment by some trifling variation of expression, a firm set mouth, a serious, level eyebrow, an advancing chin. Then, twice, when she had made a choice, and brought h

ngry," protest

gh, was she to say? In what word

d with what formula certain mendicants of Bonneville had appealed to her. Then, having settled upon a phras

ease hellup a

leman pa

oand hear me,

women advanced,

, blease hellu

ow ticket which she gave to Mrs. Hooven with voluble explanations. But Mrs. Hooven was c

lied was a young girl of about

, blease hellu

d in her little pocketbook. "I think I have-I think-I have

dime, and dropped it i

re it was a nickel, there a dime, here a nickel again. But she was not expert in the art, nor did she know where to buy food the cheapest; and the entire

ncreased, alternating with hot flushes over all her body, and a certain weakness and faintness. As the day went on, the pain and the weakness increased. When she tried to walk, she found she could do so only with the greatest difficulty. Here was fresh mis

ted out again. This time, it was bitter hard. Nobody seemed inclined to give. Twice she was "moved on" by policemen. Two hours' begging elicited but a single dime. With th

at she found in a greasy newspaper-scraps of a workman's dinner-Mrs. Hooven had nothing to eat. In her weakened condition, begging became

s of the most graceful shapes, floating and swaying in the air in front of her, almost within arm's reach. Vases of elegant forms, made of shimmering glass, bowed and courtesied

over her face. Mrs. Hooven started and woke. It was F

, rising and taking Hilda's hand.

he would try some other quarter of the town. After a weary walk, she came out upon Van Ness Avenue, near its junction with Market Street. She turned into the ave

, blease hellu

ammy, I'm

nd by degrees descending lower. The warmth was of the meagerest, and the street lamps, birds of fire in cages of glass, flut

Presley as Julian Lambert) with Presley's cousin Beatrice, one of the twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Cedarquist; his brother Stephen, whose hair was straight as an Indian's, but of a pallid straw col

t de la Rose, and was conceived in an atmosphere of the most delicate, most ephemeral allegory. One saw young chevaliers, blue-eyed, of elemental beauty and purity; women with crowns, gold girdles, and cloudy wimples; young girls, entrancing in their loveliness,

c size, that once had adorned the banquet hall of an Italian palace of the late Renaissance. It was black with age,

served upon little pyramids of shaved ice, and the two butlers at

ned across to Presley and Mrs. Cedarquist, murmuring, "Mr. Presley, do you find that Sauterne too cold? I always believe it is so

is it not?" asked Julian Lambert.

ourmet, unable to refrain from comment upo

Gerard turne

ere next summer. Ferrieres is the name of the place where our vineyards are, the dearest village!" She was a beautiful little girl of a dainty porcelain type, her colou

it be gay? And I am to have my own bonne, and Mamma and I are to tr

tableware-cut glass, chased silver, and Dresden crockery. It was Wealth, in all its outward and visible forms, the signs of an opulence so great that it need never be husbanded. It was the home of a railway "Magnate," a Railroad King. For this, then, the farmer

together with a tiny sandwich made of browned toast and thin slices of ham, sprinkled over with Pa

of the city that experienced beggars shunned. There was nobody about. Block after block of res

ed Hilda. "I'm t

Mrs. Hooven picked her u

the cry of the hungry child ap

, I'm

the tears starting from her eyes. "Ach, leedle tochter. Doand, doand, doand. You p

those bread'n m

I doand know what pecome oaf us no

lf against the fence railings along the sidewalk. At last, a solitary pedestrian came into view, a young

eest'r, blease he

er hurr

d small salmon, the latter stuffed, and

once to 'sell all that I have and give to the poor.' Positively, it did stir me up. You may congratulate yourself upon making at least one convert. Just because of tha

glad," murm

e too late. They are dying so fast, those poor people. By t

helping the destitute," answered Presley. "Unfortunately, they

er that is," s

d the table with her

ant," she murmured

t moment in conversation with the languid Lambert, "Honora,

ishment; anything to numb those gnawing teeth-an abandoned loaf, hard, mouldered; a half-eaten fruit, yes, even the refuse of the gutter, even the garbage of the ash heap. On she went, peering into dark corners, into the areaways, anywhere, everywhere, watching the silent prowling of cats, the intent rovings of stray dogs. But she was growing weaker; the pains and cramps in her stomach returned. Hilda's weight bore her to the pavement. More than once a great giddiness, a certain wheeling faintness all but overcame her. Hilda, however, was asleep. To wake her would only mean

See, loog den, dere's somedings to eat. Look

dirty, all but rotting, the stomac

good. I can't eat it. Oh, Mammy,

ees-Londonderry pheasants, escallops of duck, and ris

darquist discussed a novel-a strange mingling of psychology, degeneracy, and analysis of erotic conditions-which had just been translated from the Italian. Stephen Lambert and Beatrice disputed over the merits of a Scotch collie just given to the young lady. The scene was gay, the electric bulbs sparkled, the wine flashing ba

ne, Harran, Annixter, Osterman, Broderson, Hooven. The clink of the wine glasses was drowned in the explosion of revolvers. The Railroad might indeed be a force only, which no man could control and for which no man was responsible, but his friends had been killed, but years

ven were being devoured there under his eyes. These dainty women, his cousin Beatrice and little Miss Gerard, frail, delicate; all these fine ladies with their small fingers and slender necks, suddenly were transfigured in his tortured mind into harpies tearing human flesh. His head swam with the horror of it, the terror of it. Yes, the People WOULD turn some day, and turning, r

lock Mrs.

d with the stray dogs and cats. She had made up her mind to return to the park in order to sit upon the benches there, but she had mistaken the direction, and following up Sacramento Street, had come out at length, not upon the park, but upon a great vacant lo

you hurt yourse

, n

here we get thos

st visible in the night, that stood isolated u

t no braid end mil

e more be

se, PLEASE, I wan

rs. Hooven, suddenly shaking Hilda roughly, cried out: "Sto

ught her little girl to her, sinking down upon her k

h, mein poor, leedle tochter. My Gott, oh, I go crazy bretty soon, I guess. I cen't hellup you. I cen't ged you noddings to eat, noddings, noddings. Hilda,

now?" dema

h tiredt. We stop heir,

t this elevation they were far above the city. It was still. Close overhead whirled the chariots of the fog, galloping landward, smothering lights, blurring outlines. Soon all sight of the town was shut out; even

the bush and instinctively closed

"I'm eating those l

er did n

Mammy?" inquired Hild

roused herse

Asleep? Yais, I g

were open. A grateful numbness had begun to creep over her, a pleasing semi-insensibility.

young Lambert, wiping his lips with a corner of his napkin. "P

bad example," observed Mrs. Cedarquist, "so delica

by wire and get it only twenty hours after cutting. My husband sees to it that it is put on a special train. It stops at this r

sed as an epicure. "I can tell to an hour

s," said Mrs. Gerard, "that has been f

ush open Mrs. Hooven's eyelids, at last closed. "

t Mrs. Hooven's lips stirred. Putting her head

schleep....Sick..

on of alternate layers of biscuit gla

y to himself, partly to Miss Cedarquist. "This Moscovi

, shouldn't you?" re

cried Hilda. "Don't sle

ehead and grey hair beaded with fog, the poor, faded bonnet awry, the poor, faded dress soiled and torn. Hilda drew close to her mother, kissing her face, twining her arms around her neck. For a long time, she lay that way, alternately sobbing and sleeping. Then, after a long time, there was a stir. She woke

e girl," she said to

an you save her? I

a doctor," re

Lambert raised his glass of Madeira. Turning

ments for a del

been bending over

e has been dead some time-e