A CRAZY MAN'S DOINGS.
"You are more than kind to me, Jerry Upton," exclaimed Nellie Ardell, when
they and her little brother were left alone.
"I didn't want to see you thrown out of your home," said Jerry, soberly.
"I shall pay you back that money as soon as I possibly can," she went on.
"I expect to get about twenty dollars for sewing next week. One of the
ladies I work for is out of town, but is coming back on Wednesday."
"All right--take your time. When will you move? Maybe I can help carry
some things for you."
"I've a good mind to move this afternoon. Those other rooms are all
ready."
"Then do it, and I'll pitch right in," and in fun the young oarsman picked
up several chairs.
"I will. Will you be kind enough to stay with Tommy a few minutes?"
"Certainly."
Nellie Ardell went off at once, and was back in ten minutes. When she
returned she had rented three small rooms for less money than she now
paid.
She had not many articles of furniture and it did not seem the least bit
like working to our hero to assist her in transferring them across the
way. The two worked together, and as they labored they talked, Jerry
telling her a good deal about his mission to New York and the girl
relating her own experiences in keeping the wolf from the door.
"We were not always poor," said Nellie Ardell. "When father was alive we
lived in our own home in Brooklyn. But he grew interested in a Western
land scheme and it took all of his money."
"That was our trouble. I came to New York to see what I could do toward
making Alexander Slocum give an accounting of the money he put in a
California land scheme for my uncle."
"Why, my father was in Slocum's land scheme!" she ejaculated.
"Perhaps it was the same. This land scheme I speak of was called the Judge
Martin--why, I don't know."
"It is the same. It was so called because the land once belonged to a
Judge Martin of Colorado."
Of course, Jerry was deeply interested, and, the moving finished, he and
she sat down to talk the matter over.
From what our hero learned of Nellie Ardell he came to the conclusion that
Alexander Slocum was every inch the villain he had taken him to be.
The real estate dealer had hoodwinked the girl completely, and she had
surrendered to him all the documents her parent had left behind at the
time of his death.
"It's too bad," said Jerry. "We must work together against him. But
nothing can be done until my missing papers are recovered."
Before he left, another matter was discussed and settled. In her new
quarters Nellie Ardell had a small room she did not really need, and she
offered to board Jerry at three dollars and a half a week. As this would
be an acceptable saving just at present, our hero accepted the offer and
agreed to make the change on the following Monday.
Sunday passed quietly. Jerry spent part of the day in writing a long
letter home, telling the folks just how matters stood and urging them not
to worry, as he felt certain all would come out right in the end, and that
he was quite content to remain in New York and support himself until he
had settled matters with Alexander Slocum. The letter was finished late in
the afternoon, and after taking supper he went out to post it.
The novelty of life in the city had not yet passed, and, the letter put
into a corner box, the young oarsman sauntered on and on, taking in the
many strange sights.
He had gone a distance of half a dozen blocks when he came to a church.
The doors were wide open, and as the congregation were singing, he stopped
to listen to the music.
When the music stopped, our hero passed on down the street, which seemed
to grow poorer as he advanced. The new houses gave place to those that
were very old, and on all sides Jerry could see the effects of grinding
poverty.
"It's a great city," he thought. "And it is true that one half doesn't
know how the other half lives."
"Please, mister, will you give me five cents?"
Jerry stopped in his walk and looked down to see who had addressed him. It
was a little girl, and she was crying bitterly.
"Five cents?" he repeated.
"Yes, mister; please don't say no. I've asked so many for the money
already and they won't give me a cent."
"What are you going to do with five cents?"
"I've got to bring it home to daddy."
"To daddy--you mean your father?"
"He's a sort of a father, but he's not my real papa," sobbed the little
girl. "He took me when papa died."
"What does your--your daddy want with the five cents?"
At this question the little girl's face flushed.
"I--I daren't tell you--daddy would whip me," she whimpered.
"Does he drink?"
"I daren't tell you."
"Does he send you out very often to beg?"
"He sends me out when he's--when he's--but I daren't tell you. He would
whip me most to death."
"Where do you live?"
"Over there."
And the little girl pointed to a long row of rear tenements, the very
worst-looking in the neighborhood.
"And what is daddy's name?"
"His real name is James MacHenry, but the folks around here all call him
Crazy Jim," she answered.
Jerry started back in surprise. Crazy Jim was the tramp who had been seen
walking off with his packet of documents!
"So you live with Crazy Jim?" said our hero, to the little girl, slowly.
"Yes, sir."
"How long have you lived with him?"
"Oh, a long while, sir."
"Take me to him."
At this request she drew back in horror.
"Oh, I can't do that, indeed I can't," she faltered.
"Why not?"
"I took a man to him once--a charity officer--and daddy--whip--whipped me
for it."
"Then show me where he lives," went on Jerry after a pause. "You needn't
let him see you. I must have a talk with him. Perhaps I'll give him some
money."
The little girl still hesitated, but finally led the way up the street
into a horrible-looking alley and pointed to a dingy tenement-house.
"Daddy is up there on the top floor in the back."
"And is that where you live?" asked Jerry, with a shudder he could not
repress.
"Yes, of course."
"It's not a nice place."
"Oh, no," and something like a tear glistened in the girl's eye.
"Here is ten cents for you," added Jerry. "You had better keep it for
yourself. Are you hungry?"
"A little. I only had some bread to-day for dinner and supper."
"Then go down to the restaurant on the corner and get something to eat for
the money. You need it."
The little girl ran off to do as bidden, and our hero entered the
dilapidated tenement. Four dirty men and women sat on the stoop smoking
and drinking from a tin pail.
"Who are ye lookin' fer?" asked one of the men, roughly.
"Crazy Jim," answered Jerry, briefly, and brushed past him.
The hallway was dark, and it was with difficulty that the young oarsman
found the rickety stairs, every step of which creaked as he trod upon it.
Arriving at the top floor, the youth noticed a shaft of light streaming
from beneath a door in the rear. He knocked loudly.
There was a movement within, the door was flung back, and Jerry found
himself confronted by a tall, round-shouldered individual, with long,
unkempt hair and a wild look in his small black eyes.