The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-06-09
and crowns and specious promises
Of painless operations. Z


took the card that was handed him.
Ten steps away he inspected it. In
the same handwriting that appeared
on the first card 1.-THE Green Door,
was inscribed upon it. Three or four
cards were tossed to the pavement by
pedestrians both following and leading
him. These fell blank side up. Ru-
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
er, his true follower. But twice it had
been done. and the quest was on.
Rudolf walked slowly back to where
the giant negro stood by the case of
rafting teeth. This time as he passed
he received no card. In spite of his
gaudy and ridiculous garb the Ethio-
plan displayed natural barbaric dig
nifty as he stood, Offering the cards
suavely to some, allowing others to
pass unmolested. Every half minute
he chanted harsh. unintelligible
phrase akin to the jabber of car con-
ductors and grand opera. And not
only did he withhold a card this time,
but it seemed to Rudolf that he receiv-
ed from the shining and massive black
countenance look Of cold. almost con-
temptuous. disdain.
The look stung the adventurer. He
read in it silent accusation that he
had been found wanting Whatever
the mysterious written words on the
cards might mean, the black had Sc
lected him twice from the throng for
their recipient and now seemed to have
condemned him as deficient in the wit
and spirit to engage the enigma
Standing aside from the rush, the
young man made rapid estimate Of
the building in which he conceived
that his adventure must lie. Five sto-
occupied the basement.
The first floor, now closed, seemed
to house millinery or furs. The Sec
ond floor, by the winking electric let
ters, was the dentists. Above this a
polyglot babel of signs struggled to in
makers, musicians and doctors. Still
higher up draped curtains and milk
bottles white on the window stills pro-
claimed the regions Of domesticity.
After concluding his survey Rudolf
walked briskly up the high fight of
stone steps into the house. Up two
flights of the carpeted stairway he
continued and at it's 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 light and
saw within it's wan halo a green door.
For one moment he hesitated; then he
seemed to see the contumelious sheer
of the African juggler of cards. and
then he walked straight to the green
door and knocked against it.
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 it, dan
ger, death. love, disappointment. ridi-
cule-any of these might respond to
that temerarious rap.
A faint rustic was heard inside, and
the door slowly opened. A girl not vet
twenty stood there white faced and
tottering. She loosed the knob and
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
swift glance around the room by the
light of Pickering gas jet. Neat but
extreme poverty was the story that he
read
The girl lay still as if in a faint.
Rudolf looked around the room excit.
eddy for a barrel. People must be
rolled upon barrel who-no, no; that
was for drowned persons. He began
to fan her with his hat That was
successful. for he struck her nose with
the brim of his derby, and she opened
her eyes. And then the young man
saw that hers. indeed. was the one
missing face from his hearts gallery
OF intimate portraits. The frank gray
eyes, the little nose, turning pertly
outward; the chestnut hair, curling
like the tendrils of a pea vine, seemed
the right end and reward of all his
wonderful adventures. But the face
was woefully thin and pale.
The girl looked at him calmly and
then smiled.
"Fainted. didn't I?'' she asked weak
~. well. who wouldn't? You try
going without anything to eat for
three days and seev'
"Himmelv' 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 at the
door with his toe for her to open it.
With both arms he Rugged an array
OF wares from the grocery and the
restaurant. On the table he laid them
bread and butter. cold meats, cakes,
pies, pickles, oysters, a roasted chicken,
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