The Southern herald., 1910-10-28
CHAPTER Vl.-contInusd.

CHAPTER Vls-Continued.
In the middle of the block, sunk a
little back from the fronts Of the
others, the goldsmiths 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
led them gloomed so suddenly around
them after the broad sunlight, that II
was a moment before they made out
the little man behind the counter, sit
ding hunched up on a high stool.
"Hullo, 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 if, without looking up, he took
them in and sensed their errand. He
wore a round, blue Chinese cap drawn
over his crown; a pair of strange
goggles like a mask over his eyes, and
his little body seemed to poise as
lightly on his high stool as wisp, as
II there were no more flesh in it than
in his long, dry fingers that so mar
velously manipulated the metal Save
for that glitter of gold on his glass
plate, and the grin of a lighted brazier,
all was dark, diseolored and cluttered
Over everything was spread dim
ness of age like dust. 1t enyeloped
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 curio 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 &
box with disdailful forefnger, "thii
little man gives me the shivers."
"old Joe?" Harry smiled indulgent
ly. Hes a queer customer. Beef
quite figurehead in Chinatown for q
years. Say, Joe, heap bad!" and will
the back of his hand he flicked tn,
tray away from him.
The little man undoubled his knee
and descended the stool. He stoo
breast-high behind the counter. II
dropped a lack-luster eye to the boz
"Velly nice" he murmured wit
vague, falling infection.
"Oh, rotten!" Harry laughed at hin
You no like?"
"No. No like. You got somethin
else-something nicer"
No" 1t was like a door close
in the face of their hope-that fallin
infection, that blank of vacuity tha
settled over his face, and his Who'll
dropping figure. He seemed to b
only mutely awaiting their departur
to climb back again on his high stoo
But Harry still leaned on the countt
and grinned ingratiatingly. "0h. Jo
you good fen You got somethin
pfeLty-mayDe!
The curtain of vacuity parted just
crack-let through a gleam Of intens
intelligence. Maybe" The gol
smith chuckled deeply, as If Harl
had unwittingiy perpetrated some iol
some particularly clever conjurer
trick. He sidled out behind the cou
ter, past the grinning brazier, al
shuffed into the back of the she
where he opened door.
Flora had expected cupboard, b.
the vista it gave upon was a lon
black, incredibly narrow passage, th
stretched away into gloom with q
the suggestion of distance of rot
going over horizon. Down this Il
goldsmith went, with his straw sli
pers clapping on his heels, until b
small figure merged in the gloom al
presently disappeared altogether, al
only the faint fiipper-fap of his sill
pers came back growing more al
more distant to them, and finally d
ing into silence. In the stiffness tn
followed while they waited they cou
hear each other breathe.
Then came the flipper-fap Of u
goldsmith's slippers returning. tt
sound snapped their tension, and Hs
ry laughed.
Lord knows how far he went
get it,"
Across the streetr Flora VIC
dered.
"Or under 1t. And it won't be wor
two bits when it gets here"
peered at the little man coming
ward them down the passage, fappll
and shuffiing, and carrying, held |
fore him in both hands, square, de
little box.
It was a worn, nondescript box th
he set down before them, but t
Jealous way be had carried it had 81
~estea treasure. and Flora leaned es