Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1908-01-18

v
"You don't think that" she returned,
setting her little head rather more than
ever on one side, and looking at him out
Of her big, expressive eyes. You don't
really think it, Mr.. O'Rourke."
II think it," declared Mr. O'Rourke,
and at that instant the train began to
glide out of the station. But for my
own part I don't object to the tyranny"
CHAPTER x.
1t was night in London, and a sum-
mer rain falling. Mr.. George Frost sat
in a dingy apartment Illuminated by q
single candle, by the light of which he
was scribbling unmeaning phrases on a
dirty sheet Of letter paper.
mo grub, no funds. Thirty-seven
pounds dropped last night. I'll never
touch card again. wonder how often
must change some time. 1t can't 60 on
forever like this"
A knock at the street door broke the
thread of his growlings, but he went
on pacing still, and did not hear step
which came laundering up the staircase
and halted outside his door.
Come in r. he cried, in startled an
swer to a rapping on the panel, and a
slatternly servant girl pushed her head
round the edge of the door.
Here's somebody for you, Mr.. Frost.
Gentleman with a portmanteau. He
didn't give no name"
"I'll come down and have look at
him." returned Mr. Frost, taking up his
candle. Four separate flights of dirty
wooden stairs, uncarpeted, brought him to
the hall. Frost, holding his candle high,
advanced toward the shadowy figure Of his
guest. TITS you p he said, with an odd
laugh. Come upstairs"
The guest, sezing the portmanteau,
mounted after him, and the dingy apart
ment at the top of the house was reached.
rs this the palace you continually
live in?" asked the guest, with the faint
est possible trace of some foreign accent
in his voice. II had expected from your
last letter to have found you in marble
halls, with vassals and serfs at your side.
Ohio you have been at it again, l sup
pose," said the visitor, making a move
ment in imitation of the dealing of pack
of cards. Isn't it time you dropped
that? Haven't you lost enough by this
time7 What should you have done if
had not turned up?"
II don't know" Frost answered, care
lessly enough. But l was thinking at
the very minute when l heard you knock
at the door, and saying to myself, III
drop it. I'll tell you the truth, Zeno-''
Tell me as much Of the solid truth as
your constitution will allow, but do not
call me by that name. Wroblewskof will
answer. It's a jawbreaker, but it's very
easy when you come to know it. Well,
said Mr.. Zeno, smiling still, this is the
advantage of talking over things. have
lived in New York a year or two. You
knew me there You meet me here You
know me to be a safe mana man to be
| depended upon. You introduce me tt
Dobroski-- Well, at what are you
| staring?"
| II will see you boiled in oiB" returned
Mr.. Frost, with extreme slowness; ~
will see you roasted on a gridiron, will
see you cut up so extremely fine that &
microscope won't find you-and then
won't introduce you to Dobroski."
Zeno got up from his seat, and kneel
| ing on the floor unstrapped his portman
teau and took therefrom razor case,
small metal soap bowl and a brand new
shaving brush. Frost watched him in 81
lence.
Zeno took off his coat and threw
across the back of chair, then produce,
pair of scissors, and taking a grea
handful of his beard, sliced it off befor
the glass; then another, and another, an
another, until he was close cropped al
over the cheeks and throat and chin. Mex
he attacked the mustache, and croppe
that also so close as the scissors woul
60 to the skin. Then pouring littl
hot water into the metal bowl, he bega
to lather himself with great energy, an
then to shave. Even to himself tn
metamorphosis he produced must hav
seemed more than little droll. Unde
the razor he came out no longer Gree
and austere in contour, but chubby. wit
fat round cheeks, and a chin very cur
ously thrust forward and pointed, an
beneath the lower lip and the base of tn
chin there was good half inch in lengt
less than one would have expected to int
The change was amazing, and when M
Zeno drew a spectacle case from a wais
coat pocket, set the glasses on his nos
and, removing a wig, appeared with ha
an inch of sandy natural hair below l
and forehead an inch higher than It ha
been, the disguise looked impenetrabl
He took handkerchief from his coz
pocket, rubbed corner of 1t on the soe
In his shaving bowl, and applied 1t vigo
ously to his lips. The corner of Il
handk erchief went crimson, and NJ
Zeno's cherry lips grew pallid and dr.
He soaped and moistened another corni
Of the handkerchief, and scrubbed At
eyebrows The handkerchief becan
black, and the eyebrows sandy, like II