m
his hand. "If we had a warm spot
somewhere we could divide."
"I can fix that," declared the other
with hungry alacrity, and he led the
way down the street and through a
by lane to the warm room of a big
factory. The air was warm from the
proximity of the great furnaces.
There was a bench and no one denied
them the shelter and warmth.
Bert's new acquaintance devoured
more than half of the rolls with an
avidity that indicated long previous
fasting. Then he rolled two cigarettes
made up of the scrapings of his pock
ets and the twain indulged in a com
fortable smoke.
At a glance Bert discerned that his
companion was a young fellow of
good breeding and education. He said
his name was Henry Newton, but was
not inclined to go into his past his
tory. "I'm a derelict, stranded just now,
like yourself," he observed, but he
listened with interest to Bert's story.
"You're better off than I am," he
remarked drearily. "You've got a
mother and sister. I've nothing-human
of kin or interested in me except
a miserly old grandfather, who -cast
me adrift because I broke over the
lines once or twice in some trivial
boyish capers."
"It's my mother that worries me,"
sighed Bert. "I told you of the letter
I received today from my sister. She
fears my mother is fatally ill. She im
plored me to hasten home, little
dreaming that I was out of work and
penniless."
"But ready to share your last crust
with a fellow refugee!" said Newton
In a softened tone. "It's one hundred
and fifty miles to your home, you say.
You might hobo it, but there's no
freights out of this town. If you tried
to blind baggage it you'd only be
thrown off the train at every other
station. I say, you come with me!"
His eyes afire with some fresh and
inspiring idea, Newton proceeded to
urge Bert along with him. When they
-regained the principal business street
of the town he led him into its largest
department store.
"See here!"" expostulated the bewil
dered Bert, "what are you ever up
to?"
"You just keep with me. I've a
great scheme," was the enigmatical
reply, and then, passing a counter, flp
the surprise of Bert his companies
picked up a small bolt of lace arid
stuck it under his coat.
"Grab me! Holler 'Thief!' ordered
Newton rapidly, but the dumfounded
Bert was too surprised to obey so
Newton grabbed him, shouting, "Let
me go, I say!" and a floor manager
rushed up to the spot.
"What's the trouble here?" he de
manded, and then, as if by accident,
Newton -dropped the stolen bundle
from under his coat "Ah, a thief!
eh?"
"I suppose I'm caught," observed
Newton with a careless sigh. "This
honest fellow grabbed me. I suppose
he is ten dollars ahead," and Newton
pointed to a sign reading, "Ten dol
lars reward will be paid for the de
tection of any theft in this store."
"Get that money and home to your
dying mother!" whispered Newton,
and for the first moment Bert com
prehended the self-sacrifice of a
noble man.
"No! no!" he remonstrated, but
Newton was led away by an officer
and Bert was taken to a desk and
handed a ten dollar bill.
He tried to find out where they had
taken Newton, but could not. His
thoughts turned to home. In an hour
he was speeding on his way thither.
Good news awaited him. A brother
of his mother, at variance with her
for years, had relented in his harsh
ness at learning of her sickness and
poverty. This fact and the return of
her son caused Mrs. Noble to rally.
Within a week his uncle had started
Bert in a modest little business. His
time was taken up for a month to the
exclusion of all other subjects.
"Bert," spoke his sister Eva one
day, "I cannot forget that kind Mr,
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