Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-05-23
CHAPTER x
HFn nUE

! coPTRIoHT BY AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1894
CHAPTER x
| NR- DYE
! The tide flowed back and forth beneath
the thickening ice unseen, and the win
ter wore ON. Maxey's new pupil was
making much progress. The same was
true, in another sense, of MaXey him
| self. Sometimes in the interest and pre-
occupation OF their mutual labors their
| heads would get very close together.
| This was so entirely accidental and un-
premeditated an occurrence that the fact
that Il sudden interruption at such times
started blush into the faces of each
seems strange and unaccountable. But
! it was unquestiOnably the fact. A knock
at the outer door one afternoon was at
tended by this result. They had been
bending over a sketch by a window in
the rear room, and both became sudden
" conscious that they were betraying
unwonted confusion. 'Maxey was SO
painfully aware of his own betrayal of
sentiment that he was very glai of the
opportunity offered to conceal it by an
swering the summons at the door.
He stepped into the vestibule and
partly closed the entrance to the rear
chamber before he looked into the outer
corridor. Two men stood by the stair
railing. When he saw them, the artists
heart gave a great bound One man he
knew by sight the other he knew by in
tuition The foremost man was the sly
landlord of 40 Flood street. The other,
who remained 4 little in the rear, was
a curious specimen of humanity. He APP
peared TO be between 40 and so years of
age. His face was smooth, his skin very
pale and sallow His cheeks sank into
two cavernOus hOllows. His hair was
long and of an obstinate straightness. 1t
buried his ears and swept his coat collar.
In perfect keeping with the rest of his
appearance, his eyes looked as though
they might have been of definite color
in his boyhoOd, but had faded out from
long usage. So did his hat, his coat and
what was visible of the remainder of his
habit There were a telltale glossiness
and wOebegone threadbareness about
them all. If there was a forlOrn and ut
terly cast down atmosphere surrounding
his face, this was equally true of his hat
and shoes His ancient coat was button
ed up about his neck with such an evil
dent attempt TO conceal the absence of
collar or the dirtiness of his linen that
the only possible excuse for having tax
en- so much pains about the matter
seemed to be to allow the observer a
chance to amuse himself with a specu-
lation as to which of the two was the
fact And with all this there were hard
lines in the mans face which spoke of
unhappiness, even perhaps despair.
Mr.. Belfry bowed as soon as the door
was opened. With, a placid wink, of
which his companion was blissfully I'M
conscious, he said:
Il believe you was the man, sir, that
wanted man to write letters for your"
Il believe was, - returned the artist.
And if you have found me the person
1 want 1 shall be greatly obliged to you.
Let the gentleman come in. Perhaps
you wouldn't mind yourself taking a
scat in the vestibule?"
The hireling gave Maxey a sly look
and 4 profound bow He motioned his
companion forward, and when the door
was closed Immediately turned the key
in the lock, drew chair up against it
and sat calmly down with his back to it.
The faded and forlorn individual did
not notice this action, as it was done
behind him. He had come into the hall,
had removed his hat and was bestowing
one or two smoothing touches upon his
obstinate hair, eying Maxey rather
steadily the while.
You did not mention the gentle
mans name, - said the artist.
His name is Dye, - returned the sly
Bclfry.
At this the lips Of the stranger I'M
closed to give slow and distinct utter
ance in dull, somber voice. to the cor
roborativo statement
Mr.. Lcander Dye sir. -
Dye? Dye? Rather an odd name,
that. But think have heard it before.
l think have. Come in, Mr.. Dye, come
in. have recently taken it upon myself
to become the protector and guardian of
a certain young person to whom l shall
take great pleasure in introducing you. "
Maxey threw open the door Cormuni-
eating with the rear room and stepped
in. The next instant the young woman
and the man confronted each other.
The meeting affected them differently.
Annette was so overcome that she was
obliged to cling to the piano for support.
Mr.. Dye, even under the shock of the
first meeting, did not start, nor was
anything added to the natural pallOr of
his countenance. He merely turned his
head, saw the man who had brought him
there sitting with his back against the
door C0-+ n faJo1 rrlauca oT-ar tna CrnI1-