Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-02-03

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"Mr. Jones offered me 20 much" she
ended brokenly, Il could not refuse
mo" The affair seemed gradually
to be assuming tragic proportions. Ihs
two men exchanged looks.
I'VE shall wait outside the studio 70
hear the particulars Of the joke" said
Stedd half heartedly. 1t struck him as
incongruous that this girl was to per
petrate 1t. Her face was too white,
and the strained expression in her eyes
smOte him.
"It is tonightT she asked In a re-
signed tone, and he nodded seriously.
Yes. Can you go with Us nowT
YES" She drew down her veil, ad-
justing her wraps, and they went down
the stairs.
Say, Pybus, call cab" Stedd whis-
pered it shamefacedly, pushing his
friend forward, and Pybus led the way
up. Miss Peyton followed.
do you mind" he asked deferential-
ly after he had explained matters
"will you stand hereT
Miss Peyton posed obediently against
the canvas, from which the Portrait
Of Zuleika" had disappeared. Her gray
draperies threw out the soft tnts Of
eyes and hair, and Pybus, lowering the
lamp on the mantel, left the room with
lugubrious perfect" on his lips. Soon
after, as he and Stedd stared reflective
ly from their hiding place behind the
stairs, McCuller passed them and went
up the steps.
McCuller threw himself into q chair.
From the alcove where the frame
stood came subdued signing, as Of some
one in trouble.
"My very ears deceive me-" McCuller
said irritably. why on earth do these
hallucinations persecute me? Have I
daubed and striven for this, to degen.
crate at last into insanity? No; have
worked too steadily, broOded too much,
perhaps. Humanity Is not machinery,
however much we may try to identify
them. There is always the soul. All,
that's 1t! With these higher powers,
why might one not Pshaw! am
nervous, run down. I need tonic"
He strode toward the alcove and
flung aside the porteres. Miss Pey.
toms eyes met his dreamily second;
then
You"
81"
They gazed at each other three min.
utes after that. Then the girl said:
you have forgotten me, Of course;
but, believe me, would not have come
had known"
"Who are you| McCuller tried In
vain to recall some incident connected
with the girls face, but it eluded him.
Dora Peyton. You helped me over
a crossing with my father year ago.
1t was raining
"Yes; l remember now. Your father
was
"Not himself" She drew in her
breath quickly. Then all at once she
gave him her hand. "Oh, / have never
forgotten! There were 50 many look
ing on and--laughing. They were all
unkind, but you"-
Cleared the crossing and took you
home" McCuller laughed lightly.
"Well, as a reward sou have come
here to What is it that you have
come here for, and who told you to
Gomez
"Your friend, Mr.. Jones. He said
you were"-
Insane"
"No, morbid about 'Zuleika.' / was
to personate her-for money-but had
l known
"Were the boys going to play joke
Oh me? Well, you have spoiled it"
She started. Il did not think OF
course l will not take the money"
"Are you SO much in need OF
money!?
"Yes. My father is lying at home
unconscious. l had to come She
paused hopelessly.
$50 it was your face that chung to
me-" McCuller smiled. How utterly
absurd that a factory girl leading
home her drunken father in the dead
Of night, saved by him from being fol-
lowed by a jeering mob-that this face
seen for a moment In the gaslight
should have formed his conception OF
"Zuleika." And the girl herself?' He
had forgotten her entirely.
"You say you remember me" he
asked curiously. 1T was year ago."
She only nodded. She did not say.
"Yes; l thought Of you, dreamed OF
you as the one chivalrous hero amid
countless scores of rufaans whom
knew"
Well, It was natural that she should
have remembered him. 1t was also
natural that he should have forgotten
her.
"You will not think I meant to play
q joke on you?" she said anxiously.
laying great stress upon the you
Then she looked ut him with "Zulei'
ka's" eyes and smiled at him with "Zu'
leika's" mouth. McCuller was NOR
bid. He had worked too steadily; he
was run down and needed tonic.
"If let you CO." he said Irrelevant
", "'Zuleika' will seem more dead to
me than ever"
WELL" she said In little grieved,
heartbroken way, "she is dead"
Are you jealous Of her" he asked
refiectively, for her eyes had grown
quite wet.
"No," she said untruthfully. pushing
back her gold shot hair-"no; I am not
Jealous. She Is dead"
THAT is true" he said. well. will
you let me love you instead OF Zulei'
kaY"
"If you wish 1t very much" she said.
letting him take her hands with an ar.
fectation of reluctance which pleased
McCuller greatly.
$50 have walked my Zuleika' after
ALL" he said five minutes later and
went to the head Of the stairs and
called:
"Come up here. you traitors"
They came up.
"Stedd, Pybus," then, turning to them,
my future wife" And Pybus stam.
mered something incoherently, while
Stedd said explosively. "'Pon my word.
McCuller. IL you can originate moth.
Ing else you can create a sensation"