Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-06-03
The Mystery of Number 400
By W. M. TALMADGE
eCoDyrighs, 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Co.,,

~~~AS ~-N@S
 THE first floor of No. 4oe Evergreen Terrace was occupied by MT. Ben iarnin Critics, gentleman of family, of reasonably ample fortune, of de- termined and not entirely gracious disposition, and a wife and one daugh- ter, which daughter was exceedingly fair and of marriageable age.
 The second floor was occupied by trio of gentlemen in the strictest meaning of the term. Doverling, who had the front room, directly over the Critics door, was bookkeeper, and he had been observed on more than once occasion to wink at Dolly Critics when she ascended the steps.
 Klingman, who had the other front room, was newspaper young man, and he never winked; he cleared his throat with much zeal, and when Dol 5 1y glanced up at him, as she sometimes did, am sorry to say, even after she had penetrated his design, he waved his hand and smiled. Once, emboId- ened by an answering smile, he had rapped upon the Critics door, his mind fully set upon inviting the winning creature to stroll. MT, Critics had opened the door, and had closed it again--bang!
 These young men were source of great disquietude to MT. Critics. His S plans for the future of Dolly were made. and he did not propose to have them interefered with. A friend of his, by name Golberg, by occupation < stock broker, was to be the young woman's husband. True, Dolly did not love Golberg. He was neither pretty, witty nor young. But he was rich as mud, and his wife would wear dia- monds. When her father had broached the subject to her, she had shed fewer tears than he had expected. She had acceded to the proposition with read dness which, had there been another suitor visible, would have aroused the old gentleman's suspicious. As it was, he awkwardly dsbbed kiss upon her forehead, and called her a good and dntiful girl.
 But he did not relax his vigilance for an instant. A state prisoner could have been DO more carefully guarded, and it was astonishing to note how the girl thrived under it all Her let ters were examined before she received them. Her steps were dogged Yet the roses deepened in her cheeks, and her eyes shone with greater luster, and song was upon her red lips from morning until night.
 This was somewhat mystifying to Mr. Critics.
 Had he been in the confidence of the second floor he might have learned something. Mullane, an artist, who occupied the two back rooms, was in possession of informal tion which would have made the whole matter clear as day. But MT. Critics was not in the second floors confidence.
 When the so1nd of Mul1ane's piano filtered through the ceiling of the back parlor, in which room the fam fly was accustomed to spend it's even ings, he delivered himself of remarks both i'll natured and unjust. He re- ferred to Mullane as a penniless paint dauber and spindle-legged idiot. whereas, as a matter of fact Mullane was neither penniless nor dauber nor spindle-legged nor an 1 idiot; he was in receipt of a comfort. able income from his pictures, which were bought eagerly by people who knew more of art than Mir. Critics 1 knew of pork, which is putting it pretty strongly, and he was rather exceptionally favored in point of per sonal appearances and qualities ot mind.
 Dolly might have told her father these things had she been so minded But she did not choose to do so. She ! sat at the piano, smile upon her Ipretty face, her fingers wandering sadly over the keys, and gave no heed sGhe was in that blissful state. known NonIy to those who tell their love and fare answered.
 Dolly loved Mullane. The secret may as we'll come out. They had met but once. face to face. They had chanced to be in the waiting-room at xhe dentists one day and a mutual acauaintance had introduced them That was the beginning. It is xtrange that Mrs. Critics did not asL her husband of the circumstance { she had been with Dolly on that
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 One word was writer
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 her bosom, wonder
 she understood.
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 She tried to re