Cray's eye brows raised in surprise. "You killed him? What is missing from my sister's memory and why the heck didn't you tell me this?"
Swan was amazingly calm as he began to recount what happened in Baltimore.
"Well it all started when we got off the train and met Chair. He seemed like a nice enough guy, to Kit at least. He helped us get settled and started us selling papes. After about 2 weeks he began to ask me if I wanted to start selling on my own. He said that he would watch out for Kit and that it would allow to me get a feel for selling with out any help. He kept at me till I gave in about a week later.
I really didn't want to but Kit said it would be okay. I headed off in one direction, but doubled back following at a distance. Selling my papes as I went. I swear I only took my eyes off them for two seconds but when I looked back they were gone. I searched the area for 45 min and was finally drawn to an alley by screams.
They were hers. I had let her down. I got there just as the third one was finishing with her. I remember going in punching, the two guys I didn't know were gone pretty quickly, but that jerk, Chair, picked up Kit and was using her as a human shield. He stood there taunting me, telling me that Kit had asked for it and that she had liked it. He said he hadn't done anything wrong but was giving her what she wanted. I couldn't stand it any more so I went over and punched him in the nose. I didn't mean to kill him, but he died in that alley.
Kit was so pale and shaking, I helped her to our bunkhouse and cleaned her up. The landlady saw her shaking and gave me a lot of blankets to wrap her up in. She stayed with Kit till she was able to travel. I thought we would be safe in Philly, but she started getting back her memory and having nightmares. I then decided that going to you in Cincinnati would be the best, then maybe we could head home. But our money ran out at Pittsburgh, so we ended up staying there till we got the money. Kit decided that New York would be a good place to start over, so we came here.
I wish I had listened to my gut and never trusted Chair, but that can't be help. When I realized that Kit had lost an entire month, I knew I had really screwed it up bad. If I had just stuck with her none of this would have happened. It was my job to keep her safe and I failed."
Cray offered Swan the cigarette again, which he took gratefully inhaling as much as he could, before exhaling. Cray sat staring off into the distance. "You sure he is dead?"
"Yeah the bulls came looking for answers to who he was during the time we were there. Turned out he was some Big Shot's kid. They finally blamed it on some serial killer. We left not long after they came asking though."
"Well you did your best to protect her, nothing you could have done about this Chair character, and at least you got her back to almost normal. Now we just have to figure out what to do with this temper she has developed."
"Developed? Hate to tell you this Cray but she has always had a temper, you just have never been around to see her act on it." Swan grasped at the chance to laugh, after talking about something so serious for so long.
Cray looked skeptical, "Oh sure next you are going to tell me that my sister knows how to smoke and can play poker like a pro."
Swan grinned, "Why should I tell you if you already know?" That earned him a smack and the two began dropped to the street to wrestle and fight, as if to relieve some tension that had built up during their conversation.
Jack came out from Kloppman's office and went out to address the group of still gathered newsies. "Kloppman agrees that we can stay her for two cents a night till the strike is over. He says if youse can't pay now youse can run a tab and pay later. Ise tired of being around here. Any one want to join me on going to Medda's?"
Those newsies who still didn't know what they wanted to do agreed quickly. Mills looking for a break from the guys decided to stick close to the lodging house and declined. Off the newsies went enjoying their second they off and clowning around, anxious for a chance to enjoy a show for free.
Swan was amazingly calm as he began to recount what happened in Baltimore.
"Well it all started when we got off the train and met Chair. He seemed like a nice enough guy, to Kit at least. He helped us get settled and started us selling papes. After about 2 weeks he began to ask me if I wanted to start selling on my own. He said that he would watch out for Kit and that it would allow to me get a feel for selling with out any help. He kept at me till I gave in about a week later.
I really didn't want to but Kit said it would be okay. I headed off in one direction, but doubled back following at a distance. Selling my papes as I went. I swear I only took my eyes off them for two seconds but when I looked back they were gone. I searched the area for 45 min and was finally drawn to an alley by screams.
They were hers. I had let her down. I got there just as the third one was finishing with her. I remember going in punching, the two guys I didn't know were gone pretty quickly, but that jerk, Chair, picked up Kit and was using her as a human shield. He stood there taunting me, telling me that Kit had asked for it and that she had liked it. He said he hadn't done anything wrong but was giving her what she wanted. I couldn't stand it any more so I went over and punched him in the nose. I didn't mean to kill him, but he died in that alley.
Kit was so pale and shaking, I helped her to our bunkhouse and cleaned her up. The landlady saw her shaking and gave me a lot of blankets to wrap her up in. She stayed with Kit till she was able to travel. I thought we would be safe in Philly, but she started getting back her memory and having nightmares. I then decided that going to you in Cincinnati would be the best, then maybe we could head home. But our money ran out at Pittsburgh, so we ended up staying there till we got the money. Kit decided that New York would be a good place to start over, so we came here.
I wish I had listened to my gut and never trusted Chair, but that can't be help. When I realized that Kit had lost an entire month, I knew I had really screwed it up bad. If I had just stuck with her none of this would have happened. It was my job to keep her safe and I failed."
Cray offered Swan the cigarette again, which he took gratefully inhaling as much as he could, before exhaling. Cray sat staring off into the distance. "You sure he is dead?"
"Yeah the bulls came looking for answers to who he was during the time we were there. Turned out he was some Big Shot's kid. They finally blamed it on some serial killer. We left not long after they came asking though."
"Well you did your best to protect her, nothing you could have done about this Chair character, and at least you got her back to almost normal. Now we just have to figure out what to do with this temper she has developed."
"Developed? Hate to tell you this Cray but she has always had a temper, you just have never been around to see her act on it." Swan grasped at the chance to laugh, after talking about something so serious for so long.
Cray looked skeptical, "Oh sure next you are going to tell me that my sister knows how to smoke and can play poker like a pro."
Swan grinned, "Why should I tell you if you already know?" That earned him a smack and the two began dropped to the street to wrestle and fight, as if to relieve some tension that had built up during their conversation.
Jack came out from Kloppman's office and went out to address the group of still gathered newsies. "Kloppman agrees that we can stay her for two cents a night till the strike is over. He says if youse can't pay now youse can run a tab and pay later. Ise tired of being around here. Any one want to join me on going to Medda's?"
Those newsies who still didn't know what they wanted to do agreed quickly. Mills looking for a break from the guys decided to stick close to the lodging house and declined. Off the newsies went enjoying their second they off and clowning around, anxious for a chance to enjoy a show for free.