Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-13
COURT CARDS
AND CUPID.
By COLIN s. COLLINS.
Copyright. ,so7. by NJ. M. Cunningham

Jack O. Spades" gilbert called him
that first morning he had gone to work
| In the Buckley building. Protests to
the effect that his name was John Sy-
monds were of no avail. His name
was jack. and he was rs black as the
ace Of spades, SO the name chung.
At first he was angry. but one could
not remain angry long with Kingsland
gilbert, and In the end Jack wound up
by paying him q hero worship that at
times threatened to cost the man his
position; for with gilbert in the ele-
vator 1t ran express to the next to the
top floor. no matter what the other
passengers might threaten.
But Jack had gained the position
through having saved Buckeyes little
girl from runaway accident, and he
merely smiled tolerantly ut the COM
plants and suggested that perhaps the
elevator had become unmanageable.
Until Edith Mcqueen came. gilbert
had reigned alone. but after that he
| was relegated to second place, the only
Instance wherein, according to Ben
Hodgman, the queen outranked both
king and jack In the pack.
Miss Mcqueen was employed by
| Hodgman & Petit, whose Office was
on the third floor, and 1t was Culbert's
habit to drop off ut their offices on his
way out to lunch and pick up the girl.
He had obtained the position for her,
and 1t was understood that they were
engaged. though no golden band an
nounced that fact.
Then there came the day when Jack
noticed that Miss Mcqueen had been
crying when she came in. gilbert did
not arrive until late and his face was
drawn and very white. He did not
even smile when he nodded to Jack.
When he went out to lunch, he stayed
twice as long as usual, and when he
did return 1t seemed to Jack that he
had had more than the one cocktail he
usually allowed himself.
Miss Mcqueen did not go out to
lunch at all, and when her employers
had ridden down to lunch together.
Jack slipped into the Office to ask II
he could bring her In something. There
he found her with her head upon her
arms. Her eyes glistened with tears
as she raised her face at the sound of
his entrance.
Don't you want cup O tea, Miss
Queenie?" he pleaded. Its sho' good
for the headache"
She shook her head with q wan little
smile and Jack slipped out again. That
night the car passed Culbert's floor
twice before it stopped for him. A king
had been deposed.
But he was reinstated again because
Of his evident suf aring. After that
first day he did not repeat the cocktail
episode: indeed, he seemed oblivious to
lunch time and never by any chance
used the elevator when Miss Mcqueen
might happen to be going out or in.
Jack pondered the situation, but there
was only one conclusion possible in his
limited experience. There had been
quarrel and both were too proud to
| speak first
1t grieved him because they were
good friends Of his, these two, and
their quarrel hurt him as much as 1t
seemed to hurt them. More than once
he was tempted to speak to one or the
other and tell how the other suffered.
but certain delcacy held him back.
and he could only miserably walt the
turn OF events.
| Then came Jacks scare. 1t was
dull afternoon. and he let the elevator
drop slowly down. At the ground floor
he threw open the door to look up at
4 huge policeman; not Charlie. who had
| the beat and who sometimes came In to
get warm. but another man. stranger.
Though he had never had direct deal.
lngs with the police. Jack was afraid
Of them. To him they were not guard
ians of the peace. They were men
who arrested people. When the big
man demanded to know which Office
Miss Mcqueen was In, refreshing his
memory as to the name from for.
midable looking document, Jacks heart
sank
II want to see her about stolen
watch" he added, and Jacks misery
was complete The little chatelaine
she had worn had been replaced lately
by more elaborate affair Of gold with
long chain. II must be this one that
was wanted.
There was only one thing to be done.
Hadn't Mr. Culbert got the janitor
out Of jail that time he had trouble
with his wife: Jack ran the car up
| to the sixth floor and with Il vague ITO
| the left shut the door and dropped
down to the third.
He burst In upon Miss Mcqueen with
a face gray with horror and excite
ment. She rose uncertainty at his call
and came into the hail.
He fairly dragged her into the car
and shot up to the top floor. Through
the lattice guard he could see the Off
| Ger descending the stairs. Some one
had told him where the girl worked.
and he was going after her.
Painting with fear, he stopped at the
seventh floor and pushed Miss Nc
| Queen into Culbert's Office. closing and
locking the door after him. Culbert
looked up YEARLY from the desk.
| whats the matter, JackY he de-
manded. with formal bow to the
girl.
Oars a policeman after her" he ex-
planned. "She done stole watch, and
he's after her."
What are you talking about?' Gull
bert cried. Miss Mcqueen thief.
Impossible"
"He done say he want to see her
about watch that was STOLE" insisted
Jack. "Ah done hear him."
"A policeman wishes to see me"
asked the girl "About watchT
Jack nodded. Il think can explain"
she went on, turning to gilbert.
"When-when It happened stopped
wearing your watch and used mothers,
| left yours Oh the bureau, and when
came home it was gone. made
complaint 10 the police, and suppose
they have caught the thief and wish
me to identify my property"
"But what lave to do with itT he
asked.
II don't know" she replied. Jack
Just came after me, his face livid with
fear. I supposed that something ter
rible had happened. that perhaps
II was In trouble" gilbert suggest