Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-02-04

~ from their nlulng p...ce Denlnd tho
stairs, McCuller passed them and went
up the steps.
McCuller threw himself into a 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 prosecute me? Have /
daubed and strlven 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 it! With these higher powers,
why might one not Pshaw! l am
nervous, run down. need a tonic"
He strobe toward the alcove and
flung aside the portieres. Miss Pey-
tons eyes met his dreamily second;
then
"Youp
w."
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 your McCuller tried in
vain to recall some incident connected
with the girls face, but 1t eluded him.
Dora Peyton. You helped me over
crossing with my father year ago.
1t was raining
Eyes; remember now. Your father
was
Not himself" She drew in her
breath quickly. Then all at once she
gave him her hand. ooh, have never
forgotten! There We're SO many look
ing on and--laughing. They We're all
unkind, but you
Cleared the crossing and took you
home" McCuller laughed lightly.
"Well, as a reward you have come
here to- What is 1t that you have
come here for, and who told you to
Gomez"
"Your friend, Mr.. Jones. He said
you we're
"Insane?"
mo, morbid about 'Zuleika.' 1 was
to personate her-for money-but had
known
"Were the boys going to play joke
on me? Well, you have spoiled it."
She started. 81 did not think OF
course will not take the money"
"Are you SO much in need of
money"
yes. My father is lying at home
unconscious. had to come She
paused hopelessly.
$50 it was your face that chung to
me-" McCuller smiled. How utterly
absurd that factory girl leading
home her drunken father in the dead
Of night, saved by him from being fol
lowed by 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 met" he
asked curiously. ut was year ago.
She only nodded. She did not say
Eyes; thought of you, dreamed OF
you as the one chiyalrous hero annie
countless scores of rufiians 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
a Joke on you?" she said anxiously
laying great stress upon the you
Then she looked at him with "Zulel
ka's" eyes and smiled at him with "Zu
leika's" mouth. McCuller was MOI
bid. He had worked too steadily; b
was run down and needed tonic.
'If let you CO." he said irrelevant
ly, "'Zuleika' will seem more dead t
me than ever"
"Well," she said in little grieved
heartbroken way, "she is dead"
care you jealous of herr" he asket
refectlvely, for her eyes had grow
quite wet
NO" she said untruthfully, pushing
back her gold shot hair-"no; am no
jealous. She is dead"
THAT Is true" he said. well, vii
you let me love you instead of 'zule
kaY"
"If you wish it very much" she sale
letting him take her hands with IN al
fectation of reluctance which please
McCuller greatly.
$50 have walked my Zuleika' afte
ALL" he said five minutes later an
went to the head Of the stairs an
called:
"Come up here, you traitors"
They came up.
"stedd, Pybus," then, turning to then
my future wife" And Pybus STAN
mered something incoherently, Will
Stedd said explosively, "'Pon my wore
McCuller, If you can originate moth
ing else you can create sensation"