Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-09-03
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A BELLE sR;l: BFr1 BAR7E -
IL Copyright, y
CANADA CITY, II
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CHAPTER l.


@0ISSY was tying her hat under
HI her round chin before small
~ glass at her window. The
S&&J window gave upon a back
ground Of serrated mountain and olive
shadowed canyon, with a faint addi-
tional outline Of q higher snow level,
the only dreamy suggestion Of the
whole landscape. The foreground was
a glaringly fresh and unpicturesque
mining town, whose irregular attempts
at regularity were set forth with all the
cruel uncompromising clearness Of the
California atmosphere. There was the
straight Main street, with It's new brick
block Of "stores," ending abruptly
against tangled bluff; there was the
ruthless clearing in the sedate pines
where the hldeous spire Of the new
church initiated the soaring of the SOL
emn shafts It had displaced with al
most irreligious mockery. Yet this fore
ground was Cissy's world-her life. her
sole girlish experience. She did not.
however, bother her pretty head with
the view Just then, but moved her
cheek up and down before the glass
the better to examine by the merciless
glare Of the sunlight few freckles
that starred the hollOws Of her tenn
pies. Like others of her sex, she was a
poor critic Of what was her real beauty
and Quarreled with that peculiar tex
ture of her healthy skin which made
her face as eloquent In her sun kissed
cheek as in her bright eyes and express
sion. Nevertheless she was somewhat
consoled by the ravishing effect of the
bowknot she had just tied and turned
away not wholly dissatisfied. Indeed
as the acknowledged belle Of Canada
City and the daughter Of Its principal
banker small wonder that a certain
frank vanity and childllke imperiOus-
ness were among her faults and her at
fractions.
She bounded down the stairs and into
the front parlor. for their house pos
sessed the unheard of luxury Of a dou-
BILE drawing room, albeit the second
apartment contained desk and was
occasionally used by Cissy's father in
private business interviews with anx-
ious seekers of advances" who shun-
ned the publicity Of the bank. Here
she instantly flew into the arms Of her
bosom friend, Miss Piney Tibbs, a girl
only q shade or two less pretty than
herself, who, always more or less III at
ease in these splendors, was awaiting
her impatiently. For Miss Tibbs was
merely the daughter Of the hotel keep
er, and, although Tibbs was a south
erner and had owned "his own Mig
gers" In the states, she was Of inferior
position and protegee Of Cissy's.
THANK goodness you've come" ex-
claimed Miss Tibbs, "for I've bin sittin
here till nigh took root What KEEP
ye"
"How does II lookT responded Cissy
as relevant reply.
The it" referred to Cissy's new hat.
and to the young girl the conference
was perfectly plain. Miss Tibbs looked
at "it' severely. 1t would not do for
protegee to be too complaisant.
Hem! Must have cost a heap o
money"
at did," said Cissy. Game from the
best milliner in San Francisco"
'Of course" said Piney. with half
assumed envy. "when your pepper runs
the bank and just wallows in gold!
"Never mind. dear" said Cissy cheer
fully. soil your pepper some day.
I'm going to get mine to let your pepper
into something-ditch stocks and such.
Yes. True. o king! Popperll do any
thing for me-" she added little loftily.
Loyal as Piney was to her friend,
she was by no means convinced OF
this. She knew the difference between
the two men and had vivid recollec-
ton Of hearing her own father express
his opinion of Cissy's respected parent
as n "gold shark" and quartz miner
crusher." 1t did not. however. anect
her friendship for Cissy. She only said.
Lets Gomez caught Cissy around the
waist. pranced with her out into the
veranda and gasped, out Of breath,
"Where are we going first?"
"Down Main street." said Cissy
promptly.
"And let us stop at Markham's store.
They've got some new things In from
Sacramento" said Piney.
Country styles" returned Cissy,
with a supercilious air. mo. Besides
Markham's head clerk is getting too
presumptuous. Just guess! He asked
me. while l was buying something.
II enjoyed the dance last Monday"
"But you danced with him." said the
simple Piney In astonishment.
but not in his store among bis GUS
TONER'S" said Cissy sapiently. mo.
We're going down Main street past
secamp's. Those Scamp girls are sure
to be at their windows looking out
This hat will just turn 'em green
gfeener tnan ever.
you're just horrid. Ciss" said ri.
ney. with admiration.
"And then" continued Cissy. well
Just sail down past the new block to
the parsons and make call"
"Oh, I see." said Piney archly. "It'll
be just about the time when the new
engineer Of the mill works has clean
shirt ON and Is smoking his cigar be-
fore the Office"
Cissy tossed her hat disdainfully.
"Much anybody cares whether he's
there or not. I haven't forgotten how
he showed Us over the mill the other
day in a pair Of overalls just like .
workman"
"But they say he's awfully smart
and well educated and needn't work,
and I'm sure it's very nice Of him to
dress just like the other men when
he's with 'em," urged Piney.
"Bah! That was just to show that he
didn't care what we thought Of him
he's that conceited! And 1t wasn't re-
spectful. considering one Of the direct
ors was there, all dressed up. Don't
tell me! You can see 1t in his eye-look'
ing you over without blinking and then
turning away as il he'd got enough OF
you. He makes me tired"
Piney did not reply. The engineer
had seemed to her to be singularly
attractive young man, yet she was
equally impressed with Cissy's superior