Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-11-09
CHAPTER vI.-contlnued.


In the middle of the block, sunk
little back from the fronts of the
others, the goldsmith's shop showed
a single. filmed window; and the pale
glow through 1t proclaimed that the
worker in metals preferred another
light to the suns. The threshold was
worn to a hollow that surprised the
foot; and the interior into which it
them after the broad sunlight, that it
was a moment before they made out
the little man behind the counter, sit
ting hunched up on high stool.
'HaIlo, Joe," said Harry, in the
same voice that hailed his friends on
the street corners; but the goldsmith
only nodded like a nodding mandarin,
as II. without looking up, he took
them IN and sensed their errand. He
wore a round, blue Chinese cap drawn
over his crown; pair of strange
goggles like mask over his eyes, and
his little body seemed TO poise as
lightly on his high stool as wisp. as
IL there were no more flesh in IL than
10 his long. dry fingers that so mar
veleasly manipulated the metal. Save
for that glitter of gold on his glass
plate, and the grin of a lighted brazier,
all was dark. discolored and cluttered.
Over everything was spread dim
ness of age like dust 1t enveloped
the little man behind the counter, not
with the frailness that belongs to
human age, but with that weathered.
polished hardness which time brings
to antiques of wood and metal. In.
deed, he appeared so like a carved
idol IN a eurio shop that Flora was a
little startled to find that he was look
ing at her.
Harry" she murmured to Cressy,
who was stirring the contents of a
box with a disdainful forefnger. this
little man gives me the shivers."
"old Joe?" Harry smiled indulgent-
ly. Hes a queer customer. Been
quite a igurehead In Chinatown for 20
years. Say, Joe, heap bad!" and with
the back of his hand he fiicked the
tray away from him.
The little man undoubled his knees
and descended the stool. He stood
sreast-high behind the counter. He
dropped a lack-luster eye to the box.
'yelly NICE" he murmured with
vague, falling infection.
"0h, rottenl" Harry laughed at him
you no like?"
ne. No like. You got something
eise-something nice?"
NE" 1t was like a door closed
in the face of their hope-that falling
infection, that blank of vacuity that
settled over his face, and his whole
dropping figure. He seemed to be
only mutely awaiting their departure
70 climb back again on his high stool
But Harry still leaned on the counter
and grlnned ingratiatingly. ''Oh, Joe
you good fen. You got something
pretty-maybe?"
The curtain of vacIity parted Just a
crack-let through CLEAN I'll intense
intelligence. Maybe" The gold
smith chnckled deeply. as If Harry
had unwittingly perpetrated some joke
some particularly clever conjurer's
trick He sided out behind the coun
ter. past the grinning brazier, and
shuffled into the back of the shop
where he opened door.
Flora had expected a cupboard. but
the vista it gave upon was long
black, incredibly narrow passage, that
stretched away into gloom with all
the suggestion of distance of a road
going over horizon. Down this the
goldsmith went, with his straw slip
pers clapping on his heels, until his
small figure merged in the gloom and
presently disappeared altogether, and
only the faint hipper-aap of his slip.
pers came back growing more and
more distant to them, and finally dy-
ing into silence. In the stiffness that
followed while they waited they could
hear each other breathe.
Then came the fiipper-fiap of the
goldsmith's slippers returning. The
sound snapped their tension, and Har
~ laughed.
lord knows how far he went to
get IT,"
across the streetr Flora won.
dered
"Or under it. And 1t won't be worth
tive bits when it gets here" He
peered at the little man coming to
ward them down the passage, Tapping
and shutting. and carrying, held be.
fore him in both hands, square, deep
little box.
Il was worn, nondescript 5ox IL at
he set down before them. but TIE
Jealous way he had carried 1t had sug.
gested treasure. and Flora leaned Gag.
erIy forward as he raised the cover,
half expecting the blaze Of a Jewel.
case. She saw at first only dull shanks
OF metal tunbled one upon the other.
But, after a moments peering, be
tween them she caught CLEANS OF
veritable light Her fingers went in
20 retrieve hoop Of heavy silver, in
Ehe midst Of which was sunk fawee
topaz. She admired moment the
play Of light over the imperfection.
BRIT this isn't Chinese" she OBJ
5eose4. turning her surprise on Harry.
Lets OF EN- aren't These men CLEAN
everywhere"
she heard him dreanily. She was
WszAias. as she turned over the tun-