Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-11-16

house with quite as much warrant as
| the other unless kirkwood had drawn
q rash inference from the incident of
the ragged sentry. The two OF them
were mutual If antagonistic trespass~
ers. Neither would dare bring about
the arrest Of the other. And then-and
this was not the least consideration to
influence Kirkwood-perhaps the fel-
! low would die II he got no attention.
Light upon the subject, actual as
well as fgurative, seemed to be the
first essential. His mind composed.
Kirkwood set himself In search Of 1t.
The floor he was on. however. afforded
him no assistance.
After some momentary hesitation he
went upstairs, his ascent marked by a
single and grateful incident Halfway
to the top he trod on an object that
clinked underfOot and, stopping. re-
trieved the lost purse.
The rooms on the second floor were
bedchambers. broad. deep. stately, in
habited by seven devils Of loneliness.
In one. on dresser, Kirkwood found
a stump Of candle In china candle
stick. The two charred ends of
matches at Its base were only IN irri-
tating discovery. however-evidence
that real matches had been the mode
in No. 8 at some remote date.
Disguised and oppressed by cumula-
tive inquisitiveness. he took the can
die end back to the hall. He would
have given much for the time and
means to make a moe detailed inves.
tigation into the secret Of the house.
Since his latest entrance his vision
had adjusted itself to cope with the
obscurity to some extent. and the street
lights. meagerly reflected through the
windows from the bosom Of sullen
pail of cloud low swung above the
city, had helped him to piece together
many a detail of decoration and fur
nishing. alike somber and richly dig
nifed. Kirkwood told himself that
the owner. whoever he might be. was
man Of wealth and taste inherited
from another age He had found little
Of meretricious today In the dwelling.
much that was solid and sedate and
homely Victorian. He could have
wished for more. A box Of early Vic
torian vestas had been highly accept
able.
Making his way downstairs to the
stricken man. who was quite as he
had been, Kirkwood bent over and
thrust rifiing fingers into his pockets
regardless of the wretched sense Of
guilt and sneakishness impaired by
the action. stubbornly needless Of the
possibility Of the mans awakening to
find himself being searched and rob-
bed
In the last place he sought, which
should, he realized. have been the first
to wit, the fob pocket Of the white
waistcoat-he found small gold
matchbox packed tight with wax ves-
tas and, berating himself for Grass
stupidity-he had saved deal Of time
and trouble by thinking Of this before
Lighted the candle.
AS its golden fame shot up with
scarce tremor. preyed upon by per-
fectly excusable concern, he bent to
examine the mans countenance. The
arm which had partly hidden It had
fallen back into natural position. It
was young face that cleaned pallid
In the candlel'ght, face unlined, n
little vapid and insignificant, with fea-
lures regular and neat betraying few |
characteristics other than the purely |
negative attributes Of q character as
yet uniformed. possibly unformable.
much the sort Of face that he might |
have expected to see. remembering
those thin and pouting lips that before |
had impressed him. Its owner was
probably little more than twenty. In |
his attire there was suspicion Of a
top's preciseness, aside from Its acct
dental disarray.
81 can't make him out at ALL" de-
clared Kirkwood. 1t was most exas-
perating. the incongruity Of the boys
appearance assorted with his double |
role Of prosecutor Of distressed DAM
sells and nocturnal housebreaker.
Kirkwood bent closer above the mo.
tionless head. with puzzled eyes striv.
ing to pin down some elusive resem-
blance that he thought to trace In
those vacuous features, resemblance |
to some one he had seen or known at |
some past time somewhere, somehow.
~ give 1t up. Guess I'm mistaken. |
Anyhow, five young Englishmen out Of |
every ten of his class are just as |
blond and foolish. Now let's see how |
bad he's hurt"
With hands strong and gentle he
turned the round, light head. Then
"Ahw he commented In the accent OF |
comprehension. for there was an angry |
looking bump at the base Of the skull.
Kirkwood let the head down and
took thought. Recalling a bathroom
on the floor above, thither he went
unselfishly forgetful Of his predica-
ment If discovered. and. turning on
the water. sopping his handkerchief
until It dripped. Then. returning, he
took the boys head on his knees, wash
ed the wound, purloined another hand
kerchief of silk, with giddy border,
from the others pocket and OF this
manufactured q rude but serviceable
bandage.
Toward the conclusion of his atten-
tions the sufferer began to show signs
Of returning animation. He stirred
restlessly, whimpered little and Sigh
ed. And Kirkwood In CONSERVATION
got up.
"sow he commented ruefully. Il
guess am an ass, all right. taking all
that trouble for you. my friend. II
I've got grain Of sense left, this is
my cue to leave you alone In your
glory"
He was lingering only to restore to
the boys pockets such articles as he
had removed In the search for matches
the matchbox. few silver coins.
bulky sovereign purse, a handsome
plain gold watch. and SC forth. But ere
he concluded he was aware that the
boy was conscious; that his eyes. open
and blinking in the candlelight, were
upon him.
They were blue eyes.-blue and shall
low as a dolls and edged with long,
fine lashes. Intelligence Of certain
degree was rapidly informing them.
tytr,, ,,ond roturned their questioning