Chapter 2(by Stone)

"Mayor caught in love nest wife tawks a divorce! T'anks mistah." Stone said as she sold her last pape.

"Heya Stone come on I'se gotta hot tip on da fourth if we'se hurry we'se cin make it."

"Ok Stone which one's a winnah?"Race asked as he lit he's cigar.

"Heero."

"You'se kiddin' me right?"

"Nope Heero'sa winnah."

"Well da odds 'er 1 to 20 but if you'se sur'" Stone nodded "din okay."

"How'd cha know dat?!"Race couldn't believe that he just won 20 dollars off one bet.

"'Cause I'se cin always tell me brotahs been taken me to da races since I'se was 5 but when I'se was 7 me fatdah lost his factory jod got drunk and killed me muddah. He was 'bout ta grad me when Jason hit him over da head wid a board. He grabbed me by da hand and pulled me down da street. When we got ta da trian yawds da train was 'bout to pull way. He put me on da train foist and 'fore he could get on me fatdah grabbed 'im an' pulled 'im away. Well da train left an' here I'se is taday. I'se ain't seen Jase since." Stone said with a farway look on her face.

Race was thinking 'Why ain't see cryin' I'se know I'se would be.' The look on Stone's face almost made Race cry himself. She was in so much pain and he could do nothing but stand by and watch. He pulled her into a tight embrace and said "Stone ya know it's okay ta cry. It'll make ya feel bettah too." Stone pulled away so she could look into his eyes. They were filled with compashion.

"I cain't cry Race. I'se don' know how." She said just above a wisper. They stood for what seemed like hours but was only a minate before Race leaned in to kiss her.

The next day at the lodging house Spot came over from Brooklyn for a poker game. Stone was taking every ones money whitch was no suprise ever since she had been there no one had seen her lose. She could come up with some kind of flush every time plus she had a dinamite poker face that every one called her stone face (thus the name Stone).

"Heya Jaky-boy did ya here 'bout dat knew gang. Dday's got 'ere dis mornin' day's is hicks from Alabama." Spot said when the poker game ended with Stone taking all the money.

"Alabama?" Stone asked with no emosion. She was quite good at hidding her feelings and was told she would make a good Brooklyn newsies. That and the fact that she carried a slingshot.

"Yeah Alabama an' da wierdist t'ing is dat da leadah is a Goil." Stones thoughts were racing. Jason had been a newsies in Alabama and the leader had been a girl. Could it be? Her thuoghts were enterobited when Spot asked "Stone ya ok? wait ain't you'se from Alabama did cha know 'em?"

She gave Race a quick glace than replied "No nevah hoid of 'em." She walked up the stairs and in to the bunkroom.

"I'se gotta feelin' she knows sumt'in'." Spot said after he heard her climd the stairs.

She fell in to a restless sleep filled with with nightmares of mothers murder and her leaving Alabama. She was on the train and Jason was on the ground soaked real bad.

"Stay on the train Zander!" Jason called after her.

"JASE! JASON!"Stone yelled from the train car.

Race was terrified. He didn't know what to do. Just than Stone awoke with Race shaking her shoulders. Jack and Spot were beside him. When she was fully awake she flow into Race's arms.

"It's ok Stone you'se in New Yawk. You'se at da News boys logding house." Race reasured her.

She finally got a hold of herself and looked up.Race was suprised to see she wasn't crying but said nothing else.

"T'anks Race," she said quietly and turned to the other conserned faces in the room. "I'se sorry I'se woke ya all up you'se cin go back ta sleep." Everyone but Jack, Spot, and Race went back to bed.

"Ya wanna tell us who Jason is Stone?" Spot asked with consern and wonder.

"I'se...I'se can't...I'se jist can't dere's to many bad memories."Spot nodded and she layed back down. Race kissed her forehead and they all went back to sleep.

Stone stayed awake the rest of the night not wanting to see her mother die again or Jason laying on the grounded half dead telling her to stay on that train.