Daily camera., 1901-10-03

toe,yrssiA m, sy Authors syndisasa,
TWO HOURS ago Otis Macmanars
had received the disappointment
OF his life-a woman's mol" He had
been trampling the streets of Louis
vile ever since, smoking number OF
cigars and wondering what he should
do with the rest Of his life.
Common sense kept whispering that
Grace Langdon was not the only wom-
an in the world, and that he, Macma-
nara, was young, handsome. and
wealthy, but his heart was beating to
| another tune, and he knew it would
/ keep to that same tune until life was
/ put away.
As the gas and electric lights began
their rivalry. common Sc nse gained the
supremacy 80 far as to ssuse heyoung
man to buy book and tell himself he
would go home and try to read it. He
had Just come out Of book store and
was turning the storm collar OF his
coat up against the driving snow, whe n
Q voice very low and very clear, and
also very close said: ut is warm in
my home"
Ibid you speak to me?" Mcnamara
asked of a gray shadow leaning against
. lanrp-post.
II said it is warm in my home"
Mcnamara laughed. "There is moth
| ing so very novel in that fact, my good
| fellow; there are millions of homes to-
night as warm a. the tropics, in spite
of the weather outside-my own, for
instance. to which l am going now"
"Are you going?' 1t was not the
question only; the voice held soft, en-
chanting cadence that fascinated Mac
| manara.
"Well, yes, am sure shall start for
home as soon as my car turns the cor
ner."
"And I am as equally certain you will
60 with me-"
"Since you are so sure Of II will you
| tellm the name Of my wouldbe hostT'
and Mcnamara listened somewhat
eagerly for the answer which came
| without hesitation.
II am the Devil"
This is interesting. Ihave had nu-
merous indirect invitations to visit
you, Mr.. Devil. and a number of my
friends have predicted that my hnal
resting would be with you, but never
expected you to step up in the flesh
and invite me. and the fact Is. never
in all my life felt so much like going to
you as do tonight"
| At that moment q carriage stopped
outside the curbing, and the coachman
came down to examine the harness.
The carriage door opened and one of
the occupants asked the cause Of the
delay. Mcnamara caught sight of the
face that had caused both his joy and
his sorrow. When the carriage moved
delicate lace handke rchief CLEANED
white beneath the gas light. Only an
instant il lay there-the next 1t was
reposing in Macmanars's coat pocket.
The name daintily written in one cor
ner Of the handke kerchief was "Gracie." !"
Good night. Mr.. Devil really mus;
be going. II you will take my advice
you will go back to that very warm
home OF yours and stay there until
! spring, for, as one who knows his
world. l can tell you the weather here
is going to be very much worse before
| long"
The gray shadow stepped out into
the full glare Of the hickering light. re-
vealing handsome young man dressed
in stylish suit Of gray.
~ am disappointed" and Macmanara
whistled. why, you are young man
and l thought the Devil was as old as
the world. Ayoung man with blond
mustache and no horns! fyou want
to masquerade as the Devil-why don't
you make up for the part?"
The self-confessed Devil dofYed his
hat. Feel" he said.
In striking contrast to . fair, almos,
womanish complexion and blond
mustache, his hair was black as night
Macmannra's hands glided slowly over
the bowed head in search Of the horns
They were there. and . thrill. crept
down Macmanarn's s spine Is he touched
them. He had jested with the man. be
lieving him to be a crank. but low. for
some reason, he did not understand
He was startled.
You are convinced, and will 90 with
me?" Always soft and low. yet very
clear. the DEVILS voice was melody.
| Mcnamara looked up. a pair oi
Gear blue eyes. behind which there
seemed to burn a fame-syes unlike
any he had ever seen before, looked
straight into his own. The Devil had
possession of his man In q moment
but even with his sense enthralled
Mcnamara shuddered a. he asked
II must die first?"
"No." the Devil answered, emphat
ically. Il want you TO go with me
ans see and feel the beauty. comfort
anu happiness In my home and ther
come back to the world in the flesh
and tell how basely l have been ma
hgned."
While the Devil was speaking they
were moving straight toward the
river. and when they reached it hi
unlocked . skln and invited his guest
to step in. AS the boat went scud
ding down the river Macmanara won
dered where the Devil had learned hi.
stroke. The Falls City quickly faded
from view-a mere speck in the dis
tance. Macmanara had taken many 4
row on the Ohio, both as boy and
man, but never any like this. Al
hour ago he was the most miserable
man on earth, now he was perfectly
happy; there was nothing left fol
him to wish for.
The boat was drifting now, and a
. place where the rocks shelved ovel
the bank 1t stopped suddenly. Th'
Devil whistled, waited moment
then whistled three times in rapie
succession. 1t seemed to Macmanars
that the whole side of the cliff opened
to them and gave forth light 81
dazzling in its brightness that he hat
to close his eyes. The Devil picked
him mp and carried him into richl,
furnished room and put him down OF