The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-19

hdlteA III Tue CORNER Hiih NoH~ihFlPht
Then he crossed the street, walked
down 4 block. rcrrusSed and Joined the
upward current ot psoptt' again. With
out seeming 10 uutire the ueEro aS he
passed the SECOND time he careiesSiy
tOnk the caro- that was tlaGdcd him.
Ten steps away hr inspected il. In
the same handwriting that appeared
on the first card The Green Door"
was Inscribed upon it. Three or four
cards were tossed tatbe pavement by
pedestrians both following and lending
him. These fell blank side up. ltu-
dolf turned them over Every one bore
the printed legend of the dental par
lors.
Rarely did the arch sprite adventure
need TO beckon twice to Rudolf Stein
err. his true follower HUT twice 1t had
been done. aud the quest was ou.
Rudolf walked slowly back 10 where
the giant negro stood by he ease of
rattling teeth. This time H he passed
he received no card In spite of his
gaudy and ridiculous garb he Ethlo.
nifty az he stood. Offering The cards
sunvely TO some. allowing others to
pass unmoleSted Every half minute
he chanted harsh unintelliSible
phrase akin to the jabber Of car con-
ductors and grand opera. And not
only did be withhold card this time,
but 1t seemed to Rudolf that he receiv-
ed from the shining and massive black
couutenance look of cold. almost con.
temptuous. disdain.
The look stung the adventureI. He
read IN II q silent accusation that he
had been found wanting. Whatever
the mysterious written words on the
cards might mean. the black had Sc
Iected him twice from the thronR for
their recipient and now seemed TO have
condemned him as deficient In the wit
and spirit 10 engage the enigma.
Standing aside from the rush. the
young mat nude rapid estimate of
the building In which he conceived
that his adventure must lie. Five sto-
ries high Il rose. 4 small restaurant
occupied The basement.
The first floor. now closed. seemed
to house millinery or furs. The Sec
ond hanr. by the winking electric let
ters. WAS the dentists. Above this a
polyglot label Of signs struggled to In
dictate h. abudeS Of palinistS. dress
makers. musicians and doctors. Still
higher up draped curtains and milk
bottles white on the window stills pro-
| ciaimed the regions of domesticity.
After concluding his survey Rudolf
walked briskiy mp the high flight Of
stone steps into the house. tip two
flights of the carpeted stairway no
continued and ut its top paused. The
hallway there was dimly lighted by
| two pale Jets of gas. one far TO his
| right. the other nearer to his left. He
| looked toward the nearer tight and
saw within its wan halo green door.
For one noment be hesitated; hen he
seemed TO see the contnineliouS sneer
of the African iuggler of cards. aud
then be walked straight TO the green
door and knocked against 1t.
Moments like those that passed be-
fore his knock was answered measure
the quick breath OF true adventure.
What might not be behind those green
panels. Gamesters at pay, cunning
rogties baIiing their traps with nlbtle
skill. beauty In love With courage aud
thus planning 10 be sought by II. da1l-
ger. death. love, disappointment. ridl-
Guile any of these might respond to
thar temerarious rap.
A faint rustic was heard Inside, and
the door slowly opened j glri not yer
twenty stood there white faced and
tottering. She loused the knob ana
swayed weakly. cropping with one
hand. Rudolf caught her and laid her
on faded couch that stood against
the wall He closed the door and took
a swift glance around The room by he
light of Il fickering gus jet, Neat but
extreme poverty WIS the story that he
read.
The girl lay still az IL In faint
Rudolf looked around the room excit-
edly for barrel. People must be
rolled upon u barrel who-no. no; that
was for drowned persons. He began
to fan her with his hat. That was
successful. for be struck her nose with
fhe brim of his derby. and she opened
her eyes. And then the young man
saw that hers. indeed. was the one
missing face from bis hearts gallery
Of intimate portraits. The frank gray
eyes. the little nose. turning pertiy
outward: the chestnut hair. curling
like the tendrils of pea vine. seemed
the right end and reward of all his
wonderful adventures. But the face
was woefully thin and pale.
The girl looked ut him calmly and
then smiled.
PAINTED. didn't I" she asked weak
iy. well. who wouldn't? You try
going without anything to eat for
three days and see,"
"Hmmel..' exclaimed Rudolf. jump
ing up. wait till | come back. /"
He dashed out the green door and
down the stairs. In twenty minutes
he was back again. kicking ut The
door with his toe for her TO open it,
With btfh arms hf htYfrotA1 nm array