The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-12-30

ratillng teeth. THIS time rs be passcs
be received no card Ia spite ~ hii
gnndy and ridiculous garb the Eihio
plan displayed natural barbaric dig
nifty as BE- stood, offering The cards
suayely to some, allowing others &
pass nnmolesIed Every bali minute
he ehanied harsh, uHintelligibl,
phrase akin 20 the labber of car con
dnctors and grand opera. And not
only did be- withhold a card this time
but II seemed 10 Rudolf that he receiy'
I'd from the shining aud massive black
countenance look Of cold. almost con
lemptuous. dtsdain.
The look sIung the adyenturer He
read In II silent accusation that he
had been found wanting. Whatever
the mysterious written words on the
cards might mean. the black had sc.
lecied him twice from the throng for
their recipient aud now seemed 10 have
condemned him ms deficient In the wit
and spirit 10 engage the enigma
Standing aside from the rush. the
young man made a rapid estimate OF
the building In which be conceived
that his adventure must lie. Five sto-
ries high II rose. A small restaurant
occupied the basement.
The first floor. now closed, seemed
to house millinery or furs. The sec
ond floor by the winklng electric let
tiers, was the dentists. Above this a
polyglot babel OF signs struggled to In
dicate the abodes OF palmlsts, dress
makers, musicians and doctors. Still
higher up draped curtains and milk
bottles white on the window sills pro
claimed the regions OF domesticity.
After concluding his survey Rudolf
walked brlskly up the high iiight OF
stone steps into the house, Up two
flights OF the carpeted stairway he
continued aud at its top paused. The
hallway there was dimly lighted by
two pale Jets Of gas, one far 10 his
right, the other nearer to his left. He
looked toward the nearer light and
saw within Its wan halo green door.
For one moment he hesitated; then he
seemed to see the contumelious sneer
OF the African juggler OF cards. and
then he walked straight to the green
door aud knocked against II,
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 play, cunning
rogues batting their traps with subtle
skill, beauty In love with courage and
thus planning to be sought by II. dan
ger death, love, disappointment, ridi-
cule-any Of these might respond to
that temerarious rap.
faint rustic was heard inside, and
the door slowly opened. A girl not yet
twenty stood there white faced and
totterlng. She loosed the knob and
swayed weakly. cropping with one
hand. Rudolf caught her and laid her
on a faded couch that stood against
the wall. He closed the door and took
a swift glance around the room by the
light Of flickering gas jet. Neat but
extreme poverty was the story that he
read.
The girl lay still as II In a faint.
Rudolf looked around the room excit-
edly for barrel People must be
rnllad tnnn a barral uhn-na M. tbut
was for drowned persons. He began
10 fan her with his hat That was |
for he struck her nose with
he brlm OF his derby, and she opened
ler eyes. And then the young man |
saw that hers, indeed, was the one
missing face from his hearts gallery
If intimate portraits. The frank gray
Eyes. the little nose. turning pertly
the chestnut hair, curling
ike the tendrlls Of pea vine, seemed
he right end and reward Of all his
adventures. But the face
vas woefully thin and pale,
The girl looked at him calmly and
hen smiled.
Tainted, didn't ~ she asked weak
y. wen. VINO wouldn't! You try
'oihg without ahythlng 70 eat TOT
hree days and seer
'Himmellp exclaimed Rudolf' Jump
ng up wait tiii come back.
he dashed our the green door ana
own the stairs. IN twenty minutes
! was oaeA asa,n' seAins 2. 'ne
w, WIN nis 'oe ~, nei " open ~
IN po'h arms he nusseu an array
: warts iron .ne sfooers anu .ne
VI 'ne 'ap,e ne laiu 'ne'i
pisai anu pu.'ei' .o'u 'nea.s' euAce'
les' picAies' oys'ers, 'oas.eu encAen'
uo..ie u 'ii'A anu one VI ieuno' .en.
ihis ~ riuicuious' shiu nuuoii
'us'erihsi'' :" ~ "i'nou. eating.
gu mus. qui, hiaAine eiec.ion pe.s
,nis Aihu' SUPPER 40 'eauy'
eipeu ne' " cnai' az .ne ,ap'e nnu
.Aeu. 'ne'e vup iot 'ne Yea
~ 'ne 'nenr w ,ne "inuo"' sne
~ ""e" ."'"ea "sam
IN 'ne eup ne saw h1'' WIN eses
i'n ,'p,u,os oes'.ns upon
ise ui' p'eAie 'ia, sne uau ioo'e'
80" ~. p"pe' D"e' -i'D ""
-
oni ne' ,ausnins's anu pou.ea W.
y iai VI uihn' A 'la, nise
o'ueieu, ano 'nen YOU 'nan "a,e