Amador ledger., 1906-09-28
The Girl and
the Davenport
BY FANNIE HEASLIP LEA


shop on Royal street Van Holden saw
her first. She came toward him down
an aisle of shadow between old ma
hosany sideboards and dusty armoires
and laid her gray gloved hand upon
one end of a quaint davenport on
whose other end reposed the hand of
Van Holden.
This davenport" she said to the
shopkeeper, lis the one you reserved
for me, is it not?'
Pardon me-" said Van Holden firm
ly-the davenport was genuine mahog-
any and Of a good shape-"I have just
bought it."
The shopkeeper, little creole with
voluble eyes and a fierce mustache,
looked from one to the other
"AIais oui," he murmured politely,
1T is vair good davenport
You promised yesterday afternoon"
she said with icy dignity, ito reserve
it for me. l must have it. l wish it
upholstered in the green rep you show
ed me. and 1 want it by Thursday
morning"
Pardon me- Van Holden began
again.
She ignored his existence and drew a
card from her case of snakeskin.
Here is my address," she said,
scribbling something thereon, land l
will give you check on delivery Of
the davenport. Eighty dollars 1 think
you said?'
Van Holden's sense of humor, as
sisted by the pleasing picture of pale
hair and gray eyes in cool pale face
against Il background of cobwebbed
walls, began to rise
Il was to have had it for fifty" he
suggested plaintively.
Il will give you eighty for it," she
said to the shopkeeper. And her face
was noticeably less pale.
1T ees vair good davenport" said
the shopkeeper, twisting his fierce
mustache. 81 pay hun'erd dollar fo' it.
but I take eighty. Vas, take eighty"
"Oh, you do?" said Van Holden sar-
castically. what about the fifty I'm
giving you? I suppose you take that
too? Now, see here, my man." He
smoothed out the check between his
fingers.
eff you have paid for it." said the
lady Jelly, 81 shall Of course not take
it. 1 had not UNDERSTOOD
pray do not consider me In the
matter" said Van Holden, with equal
promptness. 81 shall not take it now"
He thrust the check into his vest pock-
ct as the shopkeeper's dirty fingers
closed clawlike over the lady's card.
'ppholster In green rep? Varnish?
Me, lose 500. yes-but-yeu take it
l keep my word"
NO" said the lady; 81 shall not take
it. My card" She slipped 1t back in
to the case. 81 do not care for the
davenport" She walked to the door,
holding her skirts Hway from con-
tamination, and turned into the hot,
narrow street, slender figure in a
gray gown and gray hat with pale
roses on the wide brim.
Van Holden lit cigarette in the in
terval of regarding the shopkeeper with
a piercing interest. "Overreached
yourself that time Mr. Montague" he
remarked pleasantly.
"Dose Yankees" said Mr.. Montague
morosely.
Il dare say" said Van Holden. He
walked to the front of the shop, the
creole at his heels, and a humorous
smile twltched the corners of his mouth.
"That was dirty trick of yours. And,
by the way, you needn't send up that
chair looked at. 1 don't care to deal
with you in future"
Mr.. Montague shrugged his shoulders
and lifted up his eyes. Van Holden
turned Oh his heel and walked leisurely
down the street, his annoyance lost in
a sense Of amusement.
"'Dose Yankees" he echoed to him
self. Then his meditation took the
form Of manifest approval. "She would
have been picture on that davenport
after it was done in green, with her
coloring-lack of coloring, rather. Hell
10, Borden! Anything doing? Come
tam"
'That's where I'm going now" said
Borden. You are just the man want
I'm taking the girls to lunch to-
day. Molly has girl visiting her, you
know. You'll just round out the party
and make us happy foursome. Oh,
come on. And see here, Van-what
about that deal you made in cotton
yesterday"
They sauntered down the street, deep
In discussion, until Borden stopped
suddenly. "Jove. I've got to go over
to some blamed store and meet those
girls. You go on and engage a table;
that's a good fellow. Order the lunch,
If you want to; you do it better than
I do anyhow. 1 shan't be long"
He darted off, like a distracted
water bug in linen clothes and a pana-
ma, and Van Holden set forth upon
his quest of table. He found one in
a cool corner of the dining room and
consumed some time in the ordering of
a luncheon that should combine deli
cacy and a good deal of ice.
When the waiter had left him, he
fell to drumming on the table and
thinking of the davenport girl, as he
called her to himself. Cool" he
unused, "and self possessed Lord.
what face-prettier, perhaps, for a
touch Of color"
Vaguely be remembered something
about ''the beauty Of blush to him
who has caused it" and smiled to
think that he had made her blush for