The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-05-12


above her head were blazing flercely.
He passed the servant at bound,
gained the hall and turned into the
door that led into the front parlor OF
the house. As he did so he was con-
scious that a woman had come swiftly
down the stairs and was following
closely behind him.
The room was unoccupied save for
that strangely unconscious form in the
window. Lucien never forgot the quiet
elegance of the room, with its rich
rugs and tapestried walls, it's air of
homelilie comfort
1t took but an instant to tear down
tho lace draperies and to trample
them under foot. Then he was free
to take the form Of the lady of the
alabaster hand In his arms and carry
her to place Of safety.
Good heavens, madam he breath
ed in her ear as he attempted to draw
her away from the window. But she
was strangely rigid in his arms. and
he felt little thrill OF horror in the
discovery that she was quite cold. In
deed, the little white hand that fell
coldly upon his was like the iciness of
alabaster or Its sister-marble.
A low, delicious trill of laughter
broke his momentary hesitation. 1t
did not come from the lady in his
arms, but from the girl who had fol-
lowed him into the ROOM
He turned and looked at her. She
| nd toy,k xx-fAy No .
crowned with bronze brown hair, but
her face was lovely and her eyes the
softest brown. She wore the most
charming gown of brown velvet that
matched her eyes exactly. She was
dimpling with laughter when he turn
ed, and she tried to stiffen her fea-
lures into solemnity as their eyes met.
II hope you will pardon mel am
SO sorry" she faltered. "You have
been so very kind and brave to put
out the fire, but IL you had not said
madam It would not seem so funny.
Oh, dearp' Again she rippled into
laughter.
Lucien looked down at tho form he
| was holding 30 stifIly In his arms.
His eyes wldened with amnzement.
and sheepish grin overspread his
face.
The lady OF the alabaster hand star
ed unwinkingly at him from beautiful
eyes fringed with long lashes. Her
beautifully arranged dark hair was
drawn away from waxen brow-yes.
a waxen face Of pink and white per-
| I.n l,t 20 wiO -
her handsome gown fell Imply away
from her. and the laces OF her sleeve
exposed waxen arm and the perfect
alabaster hand!
Gently Lucien Braddock stood the
wax figure upright. The lovely ala
baster white hands were held stifiiy
before her She was very beautiful,
but she was made of wax!
81 am SO sorry" repeated the girl as
Lucien faced about.
"Im not" he said after quick
glance at her face. ITS one on mo
though Er-I wonder If you would
mind telling me why she was standing
there In the Window
"T must explain" said the girl with
pretty dignity you see, live with
my cousin, Jeanne Goulard. She mar
ried NJ. Goulard OF Paris, and after he
died she found she was quito poor. Sc
she came back to New York with the
loveliest Ideas about clothes and open
ed dressmaking parlors In this house
That Is all You have mistaken tin
model I'm one of the front window
for a-a-person. We are very crate
full to you for your brave deed tonight
sir. You may smile, but the waxel
model is very valuable and the gowi
also"
Lucien lnughed heartily at his owl
discontinue, and the girl Joined hin
with that low contralto laugh which
he had heard once before.
II wonder If you would mind telling
me something" he ventured
What is It"
DO you recollect standing In the
vestibule of your house several weeks
ago and seeing II man taking Off his
hat to your modelr asked Lucien.
Yes. indeed! Pardon me, but 1t was
so funny"
This time Lucien Joined her In the
laugh, and the sound OF their mirth
brought Nine. Goulard below stairs.
After the whole matter had been ex.
planned to her Nine. Goulard intro
dueed her pretty cousin as Miss Ethe
Wyndsel. and Lucien recollected 1
been Nick Wyndsel, and Of course ~
was Ethers brother Lucien was In
vited to dine with them, and Nine
Goulard insisted that his vis-a-vis
might be the lovely model with the
alabaster hand.
Then Lucien told his story and re
lated how he had looked from under
his umbrella that rainy night to dis
cover the alabaster hand holding bacl
the curtain.
"Ob. that was Ethers artistic pos
ing" laughed Nine. Goulard. "Sht
admired the hands of that model quit
as much as you did. sir | suppose 1
was her own arm that reached up ant
pulled down the shade"
81 shall always have the friendlies
feeling for the wax lady" said Lucie
earnestly as he bade them good night,
Months afterward. when certain mat
tiers of importance had to be settle
between Ethel and himself he protest
ed that her own small hand with 1t
shell pink palm and the diamond glif
tening on the third finger was tn
fairest thing in the world.
"Ah. but II It had not been for tn
lady with the alabaster hand 20
would never have met me-" she RI
preached him
TRUE" he agreed Lets have tn
lady for your bridesmaid"