The Somerset reporter., 1903-10-08
A REAL - -
FALSE FACE
By ALEC BRUCE
copyright, 1898, by I. C. Mcclure.
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sleuf sign, ana out Tor II any one
passing along the dingy alley would
wonder why the enterprising agent had
not invaded with his monOtonous FOR
Rent Against the paint blistered door
and windows u cheap green cheese
cloth, crumpled and faded, screens off
the broad interior TO street view there
is nothing on display, nothing save the
intricate WeaYings 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 tn opposite side are high But
If ii is dark monsieur is saving in his
light bill. and there is lustcr, myS-
FERROUS sheen, pervading the entire
room. On yaricolorod pcdestals rising
in tiers OH every side from floor to cell
ing stand hundreds of Eittering fig
ures. Some are wax, some wooden,
some papier mache warriors in bur
nished coats of mail, kings and knights
in purple and gold. queens and ladies'
in silver and silks. crowns and cOro-
nets. spears and shields. serpents and
dragons-eN erything in the world of
tinsel and spangles. And here and
there, cunningly shaded beneath pow
erful retlectors, few ruby electric
bulbs do duty for fifty light chande-
lier and the effect is mellow. pleasing,
not dazzling. as monsieur would like Il
to be.
In the false face corner. the darkest
in the store. sits a girl. n mere silhou-
cite against the yawning archwny
leading to the gallery above She is Il
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 n glittering butterfly aigret tlut-
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-Onc. two, three,
curl, a curve. a daub, and the thing
Is done.
Above her dainty head hangs n heter-
ogeneous stock of faces, life size and
wonderfully lfelike-Richard the Lion
Hearted scowling at Robespierre,
Svengali sneering at the pope, Il smil-
ing Gibson girl ogling the sulky Ma
poleon, and far down, down on the
floor, sits his majesty on ashes Of elm
kered sin.
In the store all is quiet, not the tick
ing of a clock, not the purring OF a
satisfied cat, not even a street urchin
whistling in the alley outside, just an
occasional little sniff from mamselle's
sensitive nose.
Suddenly a 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'
tition, and the partition is stained a
dull olive green. There are many
such cunning little stage traps in Gus
taye'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 give heem one hour.
NJ. Hammond, he will come at 3, and
but eet is 4 now, JUNE, past 4, my
child" said Gustave softly.
"Hushl 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.
"Oh, M. Nugentw she responded,
with swift upward glance, and went
on retouching the royal Bluebeard.
For a moment he gazed dreamily on
the smooth, black hair coils, bent q
trifie 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.
JUNE" he repeated earnestly.
hluuhlehi' She W llSIltlfu, WARNING
ly and with a roguish twinkle in hel
eye. you see | am very busy. Mon
pere is behind. But iv Get is angling
you want to buy zen Of course am
here to attend"
JUNE" he murmured, and his voice
trilled and trembled you know that
what l want is priceless. | cannot buy
It, No man can ever buy It, JUNE,
want love, your love, my Junie," and,
throwing discretion to the winds, he
came perllously near the table.
She laid King Henry aside and dis
posed of the paint brush where 1t 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 smllef In
voluntarily. but only for an instant, his
gaze followed hers Yes, 1t was a smile,
and 1t 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