Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-08-08

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saw the feint he had the pair In the
waiting room. But men were strag-
Cling down the street. The autocrat
listened with growing anxiety for the
screech of the Kerkwater train, then
nearly due.
eft will be here in q minute!' he eX-
claimed as the frightened musicians
looked to him. "Get OH this train and
get out of here! Get your tickets!' he
repeated in Italian to the bear tanner.
What are you crying about!" he ask
ed Of the girl as the man started FOR
the ticket window. II couldn't help
killing your bear. 1t was his fault. He
gave 1t no water. Understand? Is that
your husband?"
Isl, signor," she stammered trem-
blingly. He looked at her closely.
Where the neckerchief had been torn
away the creamy skin contrasted with
her travel stained face, and the tears,
coursing down. channeled through the
dirt to IL color that burned with blood.
Husband, ell? Look here, does he
beat yOu?"
"N-nO, signOr."
"Yes, he does" persisted the auto
crat, queerly eying her.
"Oh, no, no, signor!'
The train numbered down to the sta
| ton. There was one more bridge to
cross, tie distance from the depot door
to the cars. The platform was black
with Il fermenting crowd. However
the musician felt. the autocrat looked
lazily confident, and the minute the
train pulled in he threw open the door
| and marshaled the silenced minstrels
out. 1t needed just match to fire
things, yet no one cared to strike it in
the autocrat's face. There was covert
crowding and showing, the trio were
jammed into pocket and the Italians
were assailed by every one in swearing
distance with a torrent of abuse. The
steps of the passenger coach had been
blocked by ugly men. Without word
the autocrat showed sideways and
brought his pair to the door of the bag
gage car, where the conductor stood.
"Curran." exclaimed John Blair hasti-
ly, take these people, down to the
Springs. They got into trouble here
with a bear Jump in there, Tony,
liyelyw The man vaulted into the car.
Come" exclaimed the autocrat to the
girl. taking her arm. Then his eyes met
hers. and he hesitated. Look here"
he muttered, bending over for her an
swer, "does he beat you"
The women behind crowded menac-
ingly up. The yelling was a bedlam.
vet no one broke over the arm that
barred the frightened girl.
mo, no, signor. she cried, shrinking
with fear. "Puta me in-up-please.
The autocrat laughed. He bent down
again. and with the conductor lifting
his hand for the starting signal he said
something to her in Italian and looked
into her fluttering eyes.
NO understands, signor," shivered
the girl, clinging to her violin.
Hang it." burst out John Blair,
cant you talk your own lingo? say
| IL he beats you, come back here to me,
and I'll kill him." The mob was surg
ing. and the train was moving.
"Puta me IN! oh, puta me i'm! she
cried.
Here you 60 thenw he laughed soft
ly catching her by the girdle. Get
back there. Tony he roared as the
bear tanner leaned anXiOusly forward.
Get away will you you brute"
John was carrying the frantic girl for
ward with the movement Of the train.
"Now, up you go! One, two, three"
With the word he swung her. She rose
light as a watch spring, bounded clean
" into the open door and into her COM
panion's arms. Curran smiled.
Blair turned on his campful of pets
and raising both arms, chaffed them
back and across the street to show the
dead bear. Then, as If by inspiration
he appointed committee for grand
barbecue that night, in which his good
people should feast OH the spoil of the
enemy.
Peace restored In Switchback. he
walked to the boarding house, tele-
phoned for the company surgeon ana
went to his room. Spilling basinful
of water, he unwrapped the necker-
chief from his arm. AS he was about
to throw 1t into the paper basket a
faint Odor arrested him. He looked at
it again. The coloring was gray, deli
cate as the texture, soft-very soft it
was-and made setting for the red
that dabbled the sober ground. His
arm was bleeding freely.
The surgeon arrived and heard all
about 1t. He cauterized the wounds.
There was some laughing and more
tobacco. But John took moment,
when the doctors eyes were in his in'
strument case, to drop the gray ker-
chief, with its red blOtches, into a
drawer. The medical man spoke of
the teeth Of the bear, but the mind of
the autocrat went to the woman's
teeth as "signor" trembled between
them. The idea stole over him that
maybe, in spite of her half hearted de-
mails, the brute did beat her. In Switch
back, where but one woman passes In
a lifetime, one may indulge fancies,
and that night when the print OF the
bears claws itched he wondered
whether she would ever come back II
she were beaten and speculated OH now
bad she would have felt If he had just
let them hang Tony and pulled her
safely out Of 1t.
I East for vacatlon-the first In years
John Blair went home to Buffalo, got
his sister Hattie and took her with him
up to the Rangeley lakes. Passing
thirty three, the autocrat was grayishi
his eyes sleepy as ever. Hattie was
barely twenty and overfOwed.
The tour Included halt ut the Law
ford House, ut the foot Of Mount Wash
ington. BY the happiest possible chance
1t developed that the landlord of Law,
ford was likewise landlord of the Span
, ish Peaks, the huge hotel up the gorge
! from Ell Toledore itself, Il stones throw
: from Switchback. He had, with favor
ed guests, himself inspected the IA
J nous mine. The Blairs found them
selves unexpectedly at home. The au'
: tocrat, not himself dancer, could not
. escape the ballroom-at least not will
Sister Hattie.