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

At length, aware that she had sur
prised his interest. Kirhwood glanced
aside coolly deliberate lest she should
detect in his attitude anything more
than impnrsonal approval.
A slow color burned his cheeks. In
his temples there rose n curious pulls
ing
After awhile she drew his gaze again
imperiously. herself Ill unaware Of the
havoc she was wreaking on his tenn
permanent.
Eighteen he eighteen
or possibly nineteen dining at the. Pless
in n ravishing dinner gown and un-
happy? Oh. hardy-not she"
Yet the impression haunted him, and
ere long he was fain to seek confirma-
ton or denial Of 1t In the manner OF
her escort.
The latter sat with back TO Kirk
wood. cutting II figure as negative as
his snug evening clothes. One could
surmse little from tleshy thick neck,
n round glazed bald spot, fringe OF
grizzled hair and two bright red ears.
Calendar!
Somehow the fellow did suggest
Kirkwood's caller of the afternoon.
The young man could not have said
precisely how, for he was unfamiliar
with the aspect Of that gentleman's
back. None the less, the suggestion
persisted.
By now a few Of the guests, theater
bound for the most part, were leaving.
Here and there a table stood vacant
that had been filed, cloth tarnished,
chairs disarranged, in another moment
to be transformed into Its pristine bril-.
lance under the deft attentions Of the
servitors.
Down an aisle, past the table at
which the girl was sitting, came two,
making toward the lobby, the man,
slight and meager young personality,
IN the lead Their party had attracted
Kirkwoods notice as they entered
why. he did not remember. but II was
in his mind that then they had been
three Instinctively he looked at the
table they had left. one placed ut some
distance from the girl and hidden from
her by an angle I'm the wall. II APP
peared that the third member had
chosen to daily n few moments over
his tobacco and a liqueur brandy.
Kirkwood could see him plainly loung-
Ing In his chair and fumblinG the stem
Of glass, heavy man Of somber
habit, his black and sullen brows low.
ering and thoughtful above a face
boldly handsome.
The woman of the trio was worthy
Of closer attention. Some PAGES In the
wake Of her lackluster esquire she
was making a leisurely progress, trail.
ing the skirts Of n gown magnificent
beyond dispute. half concealed though
Il was by the opera cloak whose soft
folds draped her shoulders. Slowly,
carrying her head high, she approach.
ed. insolent eyes reviewing the room
from beneath their heavy lids. a metal.
lie and mature type OF dark beauty
supremely self confident and self pos
sessed
Men turned invoIuntarly TO look aft.
er her, not altogether In undiluted ad'
miration.
In the act of passing behind the pu.
tative Calendar she paused momenta.
rily. bending as IL to gather up her
train. Presumably the action disturb
loI hn
and I'm the effort to recover rested the
tips Of her gloved fingers upon the
edge Of the table. simultaneously
lKirkwood could have sworm sin.
gle word left her lips, a word evident.
ly pitched for the ear Of the hypothet'
Ical Calendar alone. Then she swept
Oh, imperturbabo, assured.
To the perplcXcd observer II was In
dubitably evident that some ccmmu'
nication had passed from the woman
to the man. Kirkwood saw the fat
shoulders Of the girls companion stin.
en- suddenly as the woman's hand rest
ed ut his elbow. As she moved away
little ripping shiver was plainly Wis
iblc In the muscles of his back beneath
his coat, mute token Of relaxing ten
sion. An instant later one plump and
notified hand was careiessly placed
where the wonan's had been and
was ut once removed with fingers
closed
To the girl, watching her face coy
ertly. Kirkwood turned for clcw tc
the incident He made no doubt that
she had observed the passage. Proof
of that one found IN her sudden star.
Ting pallor (of indignationg and IN her
eyes, briefly alight with some inscruta-
BILE emotion. though quickly yelled by
lowered lashes. Slowly enough she
regained color and composure, willie
her vis-a-vis sat motionless, head in
clined, as If I'm thought.
Abruptly the man turned In his
chair to summon waiter and exposed
his profile Kirkwood was in nowise
amazed to recognize Calendar-a bad.
ly frightened Calendar now. however.
and hardly to be identified with the
sleek. glib fellow who had interviewed
Kirkwood In the afternoon. His fab
by cheeks were ashen and trembling.
and upon the back Of his chair the fat
white fingers were drumming inces-
sanity an ihaudible tattoo Of shattered
nerves.
Scared sillyw commented Kirk.
wood. why"
Having spoken to his waiter, Calen-
dar for some seconds raked tho room
with quick glances, as II seeking an
acquaintance. Presumably disappoint.
ed, he swung back to face the girl,
bending forward to reach her ears
with accents low pitched and conf.
dental. She on her part fell at once
rttentive. grave and responsive. Per-
haps dozen sentences passed be-
tween them At the outset her brows
contracted. and she shook her head IN
gentle dissent, whereupon Calendars
manner became more imperative.
Gradually. unwilllngly, she seemed to
Weld consent. Once she caught her
breath sharply and. infected by her
companions agitation. sat back. color
fading again In the round young
cheeks.