, 1906-12-22
The Antiquary's
Paradise
by DESMOND F. T. COKE
Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles..

IL oSCiuCQ dluuOoN |
Ever since l had e about the
place In a daily of two years g l
had fought the great temptation. IL
was almost vanquished, when In the
second number of a new Journal FOR
Collectors l came upon a heading,
THE AntiQuary's Paradise l pro
test, l tried not to read the article.
/ knew what I should fnd-the glo
ries of the Friday curio-mart in h
Metropolitan meat market. was de-
termined not to read 1t. But did.
Their / told the Female Connoisseur,
and my fate was fixed. I'VE must GO,
she said, In grim resolve. The Female
Connoisseur has a great way with her
"We?" l echoed DULY.
you and l." was her stern answer.
l tried diplomacy. 1 told her that
1t was a long way off. 1t was no
place for a woman there she snorted).
1t was dirty, very dangerous. l told
her that half the mysterious disap-
pearances in the city were from that
part of town.
This seemed only to rouse the spirit
of romance in her. Her eyes glis'
tened. ooh! won't it be fascinating
"You must put on the very dirtiest
of Clothes" l said, with inspiration
dress seemed the most Vulnerable
point-"otherwise they'll raise their
prices double"
It'll be Just like in a book" she
cried. For a r.arfio5 woman the f.
C. is absurdly ungrammatical and
youthful.
I'VE shall have to make an early
start"
l meant this as disbursement;
she took 1t as an added joy. yes,
We'll creep out in our old things, with
the milkman. Let's say nine o'clock,
on Friday next, from here"
This seemed to clinch the matter.
Mine o'clock, on Friday next, from
here" l repeated ~yacantly, and said
"Good-by." My stock of tact and pa
tience was exhausted. After all, 1
could solve the matter by forgetting.
I had nearly managed to forget, in
all sincerity, on Thursday night, when
l received a letter.
az hope" it said, "your cos
tune is ready? Mine is quite a tri-
umph. This Is only to remind you.
We start from hero at nine a. M,
wet or fine"
1t was not quite closing time for
kilograms, and I dashed to the neal
est post office.
No A%ntiquary's Paradise If wet" |
wired. Falsehood m SO easy on
a telegraphic form. Then 1 settled
down to pray for rain.
James," I said to the butler, 81
may want calling at half-past seven
tomorrow, IL it's fine. But, mind"
l went on very impressively| hope
1 didn't wink-"if there should be
one drop Of rain, or any sign of drops
to come, I shall not want calling I'M
til nine o'clock. You understand" 1t
would not be my fault If James failed
to wake me.
My conscience was entirely easy
when James came in next morning.
I merely felt a little sorry for the Fe.
male Connoisseur, alone in all her
finery.
"Half-past seven, sir" said James.
l leaped up. "What-" l began,
in awful anger.
"Ah, the weather." James contin.
ued. TITS Just like summer to-day.
A rare peace O. luck, sir. Not a
cloud" He drew the curtain swiftly,
letting in a light that hurt my eye.
I trust that I said nothing.
1 suddenly resolved to oversleep
myself. But, somehow, I could not
really sleep; and the thought of the
F. C.'s disappointment came to weigh
upon me. l determined to see the
matter through. But n thing l
would not do: I would not indulge
her by putting on absurd, odd clothes.
a dirty collar, INT the rest. What
was the use of it? She had said they
would take us, then, for dealers. AS
though I could be mistaken for a
dealer, or she, either! l put on an
ordinary morning suit, and was at the
F. C.'s house by nine o'clock.
She must have been most eager for
the trip, for she was ready, and opened
the front door. At a first glance l
took her for the servant. A mackin.
tosh coat of a disreputable age, a
stained and napless skirt of serge,
a cheap bead-chain, were the first
things to strike me. The F. G. curt.
seyed.
dyer like me, ALP" she smiled.
Such playfulness so soon after
breakfast struck me as close upon
immoral. Looking back, perhaps |
was in rather an unpleasant mood.
II didn't notice anything different
l said.
The F. G. kept agreeable-she al.
ways does. How like a mani" she
laughed. Not notice!"
1 hate sneers at the sex. Il did no.
tice your Dress" / said, "but it's as
usual. Look at the hat, now; that
gives you away. No common person
could ever"
Eyes," she interrupted, pleasantly.
but coldly, 81 borrowed it from Liz,
the kitchen maid" Then she stepped
back. ooh, but l admit you're bet
ter. The tie--the baggy knees-Oh,
you're perfect"
1 said nothing. The F. G.. rather an
noys me, at times, when she is silly.
OF course. she was trying to an.
noy me. Over the journey 1 prefer
to waste no words. Finally the Mar.
ket came in view.
A bare, unimposing p~lace-cobbles,