He saw that there was not a moment to lose, and, gathering up his strength, dashed to the old lady's a.s.sistance.

CHAPTER XI

A HOUSE ON PRAIRIE AVENUE

The old lady had just become conscious of her peril when Luke reached her. She was too bewildered to move, and would inevitably have been crushed by the approaching car had not Luke seized her by the arm and fairly dragged her out of danger.

Then, as the car pa.s.sed on, he took off his hat, and said, apologetically: "I hope you will excuse my roughness, madam, but I could see no other way of saving you."

"Please lead me to the sidewalk," gasped the old lady. Luke complied with her request.

"I am deeply thankful to you, my boy," she said, as soon as she found voice. "I can see that I was in great danger. I was busily thinking, or I should not have been so careless."

"I am glad that I was able to help you," responded Luke, as he prepared to leave his new acquaintance.

"Don't leave me!" said the old lady. "My nerves are so upset that I don't like being left alone."

"I am quite at your service, madam," replied Luke, politely. "Shall I put you on board the cars?"

"No, call a carriage, please."

This was easily done, for they were in front of the Palmer House, where a line of cabs may be found. Luke called one, and a.s.sisted the old lady inside.

"Where shall I tell the driver to take you?" he asked.

The old lady named a number on Prairie Avenue, which contains some of the finest residences in Chicago.

"Can I do anything more for you?" asked our hero.

"Yes," was the unexpected reply. "Get in yourself, if you can spare the time."

"Certainly," a.s.sented Luke.

He took his seat beside the old lady.

"I hope you have recovered from your fright," he said, politely.

"Yes, I begin to feel myself again. Probably you wonder why I have asked you to accompany me?"

"Probably because you may need my services," suggested Luke.

"Not altogether. I shudder as I think of the danger from which you rescued me, but I have another object in view."

Luke waited for her to explain.

"I want to become better acquainted with you."

"Thank you, madam."

"I fully recognize that you have done me a great service. Now, if I ask you a fair question about yourself, you won't think it an old woman's curiosity?"

"I hope I should not be so ill-bred, madam."

"Really, you are a very nice boy."

"Now, tell me where you live?"

"On Green Street."

"Where is that?"

"Only a stone's throw from Milwaukee Avenue."

"I don't think I was ever in that part of the city."

"It is not a nice part of the city, but we cannot afford to live in a better place."

"You say 'we.' Does that mean your father and mother?"

"My father is dead. Our family consists of my mother, my little brother, and myself."

"And you are--excuse my saying so--poor?"

"We are poor, but thus far we have not wanted for food or shelter."

"I suppose you are employed in some way?"

"Yes; I sell papers."

"Then you are a newsboy?"

"Yes, madam."

"I suppose you cannot save very much?"

"If I make seventy-five cents a day I consider myself quite lucky. It is more than I average."

"Surely you can't live on that--I mean the three of you?"

"Mother earns something by making shirts; at least, she has done so; but yesterday she was told that she would not have any more work at present."

"And your brother--he is too young to work, I suppose?"

"Yes, madam."

While this conversation was going en, the cab was making rapid progress, and as the last words were spoken the driver reined up in front of a handsome residence.