The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1903-10-01
"A REAL ~ ~
FALSE FACE
= Copyright. 1915, by T. c. Mcclure.
*S+sxs+ J. + Q 1. . - r. 80.
By ALEC BRUCE

hu0 u ducy N>OSCuLuc tAdhcI. ADONc
| the door in big gilt letters that is mon
sicur's sign, and but for it any one
| passing along the dizzy alley would
/ wonder why the enterprising agent had
| not invaded with his mOnotonous For
| kent." Against the paint blistered door
/ AND windows Il cheap green cheese
4 :ioIh. crulupIed and faded, screens Off
The broad interior. To street view there
is nothing on display, nothing save the
intricate Weavings OF the spider and
| the inevitable remains Of his unwary
victim.
Inside, however, all is different. The
store is large, low in the ceiling and
when without artificial light very dark.
for the alley is narrow. and the build
ings on tie opposite side are high. But
If it is dark monsieur is saving in his
light bill. and there is luster. Il myS-
| teriOuS sheen. pervading the entire
room. On VaricolOr2d pCdostals rising
| III tiers Oh every side from floor to cell
| ing stand hundreds of glittering fig
| ureS. Some are wax, some wooden.
some papier mache. warriors in bur
in purple and gold. queens and ladies
| in silver and silks. crowns and corO-
nets. spears and shields. SerpentS and
| dragOns--e. erything in the world OF
| tiiiSel and spangles. And here and
| there, cunningly shaded beneath pow
| erful reti"ct0rs. few ruby electric
bulbs do duty for Il fifty light chande-
| IL &c tlll =
| net dazzling. as monsieur would like It
| TO be.
In the false face corner. the darkest
| in the store, sits girl. a mere SilhOu-
cite against the yawning archway
leading to the gallery above. She is a
small. trim figure in a dark blue skirt
and white shirt waist. Her face is
small and pale. set in a wealth Of jet
black hair twisted smooth and high.
with Il glittering butterfly aigret t1ut-
tering in it. and she is painting, paint
ing whiskerS on bluff King Hal. On the
table before her she has all the colors
and implements in the professional art
lists box. and she paints with the Japa-
nese dizziness of touch-one. two, three.
IL
is DONE
Above her dainty head hangs heter-
ogeneous stock of faces, life size and
wonderfully lifelike-Riehard the Lion
Hearted scowling at Robespierre
Svengali sneering at the pope, smil-
ing Gibson girl ogiing the sulky Ma
poleon. and far down. down on the
l.; 81 oIi
kered sin.
In the store all is quiet. not the tick
ing of a clock, not the purring Of
satisfied cat. not even a street Erchin
whistling in the alley outside. just an
occasional little sniff from mamselle's
sensitive nose.
Suddenly Il door opens out from the
wall above. Unless you saw it open
you wouldn't believe it was door. 1t
has been very carefully cut in the par
htion. and the partition is stained
dull olive green. There are many
such cunning little stage traps in Gus
tave's. and it was Gustave himself who
popped out his crisp, curly head.
JUNE" he whispered. looking anx
iously down at the trim little figure be-
low.
"Ah. mon PEREZ" she breathed. smil-
ing up into his face, surely you are
early. mine. NJ. Nugent. he will not
come until 4. and 1 give heem one hour.
M. Hammond. he will come at 5. and
But eet is 1 now, JUNE. past 4. my
child" said Gustave softly.
Hush! Footsteps! Ma fol, mon
pere, he comes! In, in. monsieur
Click! The partition door closed
tight. Svengali and the pope swung
outward to the length of their strings
and still moved when Mr.. Nugent
came up to the little table.
"Junie," he began, very tenderly.
ooh. NJ. Nugentv' she responded.
with swift upward glance. and went
on retouching the royal Bluebeard.
For moment he gazed dreamily on
the smooth, black hair coils. bent a
trife lower than need be. Was it the
ruby light? No! At least so he promptly
decided when he caught sight of the
widening tinge of pink on her rounded
cheek.
"Junie." he repeated earnestly.
Monsieur" she whispered. warming
ly and with a roguish twinkle in her
eye. you see l am very busy Mon
pere is behind. But iv eet Is angling
you want to buy zen Of course I am
here to attend"
"Junie," he murmured, and his voice
,trilled and trembled, you know that
what l want is priceless. I cannot buy
1t. No man can ever buy it. JUNE. l
want love. your love, my Junie,'' and.
throwing discretion to the winds. he
came perilously near the table.
She laid King Henry aside and dis
posed of the paint brush where it could
do no harm.
Hush. hush. monsieur" she caution
ed. and her. eyes travelled swiftly over
the gallery of masks. Why that faint.
Pickering smile? Was it a smile? In
voluntarily, but only for an instant. his
gaze followed hers. Yes, it was smile,
and it spelled encouragement for him.
With confidence born of the dark and
solitary corner, he seized her small
white hand and looked hungrily into
her eyes. Indignant. she tried to jerk
it away, but he only clasped it tighter.
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