Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-09-28
CHAPTER VI.-Continued.

CHAPTER VI.-Continued.
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 it 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 it
was a moment before they made out
the little man behind the counter, sit
ting 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 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 a wisp, as
If 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 lighted brazier,
all was dark, discolored and cluttered.
Over everything was spread a dim
ness of age like dust. It 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 curio shop that Flora was a
little startled to find that he was look
ing at her.
Harry" she murmured to Grassy,
who was stirring the contents of
box with a dfsdainful forefnger, "this
little man gives me the shivers."
"Old Joe?" Harry smiled indulgent-
". He's a queer customer. Been
quite a figurehead in Chinatown for 20
years. Say, Joe, heap bad!" and with
the back of his hand he flicked the
tray away from him.
The little man undoubled his knees
and descended the stool. He stood
breast-high behind the counter. He
dropped lack-luster eye to the box.
"Velly NICE" he murmured with
vague, falling infection.
ooh, rotten!" Harry laughed at him.
''You no like?"
mo No like. You got something
else-something nicer"
mo" 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
to climb back again on his high stool.
But Harry still leaned on the counter
and grinned ingratiatingly. ooh, Joe,
you good fen. You got something
pretty-maybe?
The curtain of vacuity parted just
crack-let through a CLEAN of intense
intelligence. Maybe" The gold
smith chuckled 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
shuf1ed into the back Of the shop
where he opened door.
Flora had expected a cupboard, but
the vista it gave upon was a long,
black, incredibly narrow passage, that
stretched away into gloom with all
the suggestion of distance OF road
going over a 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 f1ipper-fap 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 f1ipper-fap 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 street," Flora won
dered.
cor under it. And it won't be worth
two bits when it gets here" He
neered 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.
It was a worn, nondescript box that
he set down before them, but the
Jealous way he had carried it had sug-
gested treasure, and Flora leaned Gag