Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-22

every possible shading of historic, art
associative and actual value, of any
book upon his stand, without once
opening its lids.
He had grown to notice her coming
along Nassau street, and almost without
looking, to know that she frequcnted
the large book stalls of that ancient
thoroughfare. A few times she had
paused before the little collection a
moment, and then, with a slight inclina-
ton of her head, had disappeared in the
direction of the bridge approach.
One bitter cold day he turned from
his usual exercise of kicking the
foundations of the Sun building to keep
his feet from freezing, to see her stand
ing in her sables beside his stall. Her
purse was open as If she was about to
purchase. 1t was the first time he had
seen her hesitate, and he believed her
incapable OF hesitation.
81 beg your pardon, sir; l am in
error" she said quietly, slipping her
fingers dextrously under the lid and dis.
closing the title-page Of "Balzac." l
was under the impression that this was
first edition."
1t put Richard Hardy on his mettle,
for he was now sure he was dealing
with an astute collector of books.
This trihe, madam, might interest
YOU" he observed with some dignity,
while proffering Dots mascot curio.
She thanked him, took the little book
in her hands and turned its parchment
leaves as lelsurely as ever the Grand
| Monarch had done, but her gray eyes
and her now impressive face gave no be-
trayal of interest or purpose; while Dick
silently FURNISHED his glasses and his
wits Of diplomacy, awaiting some sign.
"Have you fixed its price, sir?"
ats value is well known, madam" re-
| turned Dick solemnly, While mentally
begging absolution for the astounding
wh0pper he had told.
The lady made no reply, but at once
handed him her card and bank note
and asked the privilege of taking the
book to her home for examination. The
note bore the legend $500" and the
card, "Mrs. Hope, Park Place, Brook
lyn."
Certainly, Mrs. Cope. By all means
Mrs. Lope. No deposit necessary, Mrs.
Pope-Mrs. Rope-Mrs. Hope, l meanp
But the lady, with a quiet bow, had
disappeared; leaving Richard Hardy,
while Fahrenheit marked many degrees
below zero, mopping great drops of
Precipitation from his face and head.
Scarcely three hours-they were as
years OF suspense to the book stall pro-
prietor Of Frankfort street-had passed,
when the lady returned. 1t was the
effort of his life, but Richard Hardy re-
ceiyed her in "a manner which might be
termed stately and atfable repose. She
handed him the little curio and he
placed it in its oiled-silk case in his
| pocket. Then he returned the bank
note and the card. Mrs. Hope there
upon glanced az her watch. Both she
and Dick, if Dick could see at all, saw
that it was precisely quarter to three
o'clock.
"rhe banks are not yet closed ?" she
said casually. s,o,@
mot yet, Mrs. Hope" Dick calmly
answered. :,
"She rested a little check book upon
the edge of Dicks stall, with stylo-
graphic pen wrote in the date, "to
bearer" and her own signature, in a
round, masculine hand. This done, she
looked up at Dick, who was by this
time crowding the brick wall behind
him for support, with
"Well?"
"Frankly, Madam, it is quite painful
to be exact when dealing with a lady.
Write your own price on the check.
Perhaps we will not differ.
What she wrote his dazed eyes did
not see, perhaps never saw; but he
mastered himself sufficiently TO nod his
head; to take the check; 10 hand the
lady the curio, to see her turn and lose
herself in the crowd thronging the
Bridge entrance; to stagger to the
Nassau Bank, where q ruddy faced
paying teller counted out for his slip of
paper great piles Of bills; to CLIMB to a
certain near real estate office, and, as in
dream, exchange only few of those
bills for sealed and tapped document
certifying his ownership of certain
little farm and cottage home; to return
and gather up his remaining books and
that clicking table, which he will retain
as blessed memento his whole life
long; TO call carriage; still, as in a
dream, to find tho Spuyten Duyvel Flats
and its Ninth Floor, Rear, with its
blessed home-wGiting and now delirious
souls within; and, finally, through hard
times, winter storms, from which all
dread had gone, to superintend the most
ecstatic knowing" from apartment prison
to blessed home that had ever been the
lot of man; while the heading of the
new stationery of one literator's family,
Just now being printed, will read,
"Glendorothy Catskills.on- Hudson" to
the end Of that family's hopeful, happy
! DAVIS