Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-10-19

TIE problem of that afterward per-
r!a:-ed Kir.: wood more than he cared
to own. Brentwick had opened his
| eyes to tie fact that he would be
practically useless In San Francisco.
He could not harbor the thought Of
going back only to become a charge
upon VarGerip. No: he was resolved
that thent ef,rward he must rely upon
himself carve out his own destiny.
But-wcr.d the art that he had cul-
tivated with such assiduity yield him
liveli,.Cod II sincerely practiced with
that end In view? Would the mental
and phy:i al equipment Of painter,
heretoforp di!ettante, enable him to
become self ,ucporting7
There came rapping at the door.
The knob was turned by q diminu.
tive figure in the livery Of the Pless
pages:
"Mr. KirkwoodT
Kirkwood nodded.
Gentleman to see you, SIR"
Kirkwood nodded again, smiling. If
somewhat perplexed. Encouraged, the
child advanced, proffering a silver
card tray at the end Of an unnaturally
rigid forearm. Kirkwood took the
card obviously between thumb and
forefnger and inspected 1t without
prejudice.
"George B. Calendar" he read.
"'George B. Calendar!' But l know
no such person. Sure there's no mis-
take, young man"
The close cropped, bullet shaped
British head was agitated in vigorous
negation, and "Card for Mr.. Kirk
woodv was mumbled In dispassionate
accents appropriate to a recitation by
rote.
every we'll. But before you show
him up ask this Mr.. Calendar II he
is quite sure he wants to see Philip
Kirkwood."
"Yessir."
The child marched out, punctiliously
closing the door. Kirkwood tamped
down the tobacco in his pipe and
puffed energetically, dismissing the In
terruption to his reverie as matter
Of no consequence-an obvious mistake
to be rectif1ed by two words with this
Mr. Calendar whom he did not know.
At the knock he had almost hoped
1t might be Brentwick, returning with
changed mind about the bid to din
ner.
He regretted Brentwick sincerely.
Theirs was q curious sort Of friend
ship. extraordinarily close in view OF
the meagerness of either's information
about the other, to say nothing OF the
disparity between their ages. Con-
cerning the elder man Kirkwood knew
little more than that they had met on
shipboard, Coming over;' that Brent
wick had spent some years In Amer
ica;- that he was an Englishman by
birth. a cosmopolitan by habit. by pro-
fession gentleman employing that
term In Its most uncompromisingly
British signifcauce) and by inclina-
tiou collector of ARTICLES OF vlrtu
and bigotry." in pursuit of which ne
made frequent excursions to the conti-
nent from his residence in quaint,
quiet street of Old Brompton. 1t had
been during his not infrequent. but or
dinarily abbreviated. sojourns in Paris
that their steamer acquaintance had
ripened into an affection almost hlial
on the one hand, almost paternal on
the other.
There came rapp!ng Mt tae door,
The knob was turned; the door OPEN
ed. Kirkwood. swinging on one heel
beheld, hesitant upon the threshold, a
rather rotund figure Of medium height
clad in an expressionless gray lounge
suit, with brown "bowler" hat held
tentatively in one hand, an umbrella
weeping In the other. A voice. which
was unctuous and insinuative. emanat'
ed from the figure.
"Mr. KirkwoodT
Kirkwood nodded. with some effort
recalling the name, so detached nad
been his thoughts since the disappear
ance Of the page.
"Yes, Mr.. Calendar"
"Are you-ah-busy, Mr.. Kirkwood!
"Are you, Mr.. Calendar" kirk
woods smile robbed the retort OF any
flavor of incivility.
Encouraged. the man entered. pre-
missing that he would detain his host but
a moment and readily surrendering hat
and umbrella. Kirkwood, putting the
latter aside. invited his caller to the
easy chair which Brentwick had occu-
pied by the fireplace.
at takes the edge Off the dampness,"
Kirkwood explained in Difference to
the others look Of pleased surprise at
the cheerful bed Of coais. 'I'm afraid
could never get acclirrated to life IN
cold, damp room-or damp, cold
room-such as you Britisher; prefer"
ut is grateful" Mr.. Calendar agreed,
spreading plump and we'll cared for
hands to the warmth. "But you are
mistaken. am as much an American
as yourself"
"Yesw kirkwood looked the man
over with more interest, less matter OF
course courtesy.
He proved not unprepossessing. this
unclassifiable Mr.. Calendar. He was
dressed with some care, his complexion
was good, and the fullness of his girth,
emphasized as 1t was by a notable
lack Of inches, bespoke nature genial.
easy going and sybaritic. His dark
eyes, heavy lidded. were active. Gu
riously at times with subdued gilt
ter, in a face large, round, pink, Of
which the other most remarkable fea.
lures were mustache, close trimmed
and showing streaks Of gray; chubby
nose and duplicate chins. Mr.. Calen.
dar was, furthermore, possessed Of
polished bald spot, girdled with ton.
sure Of silvered hair-circumstances
which lent some Fictitious distinction
to a personality otherwise common
place.
His manner might be best described
as uneasy, with assurance. as though
he frequently found 1t necessary to
make up for his unimpressive stature
BY assuming an unnatural habit Of au-
thority.
$50 you knew was an American.
Mr.. Calendar" suggested KirkwoOd.
"Saw your name on the register. We
both hail from the same neck Of the