Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
Continued from page 9

illusion to the end OF their days. and hope
you're one. | reckon I'll start your fire."
HE went into the outer room, and Magee
- lay for few moments listening to his
preparations about the fireplace. This was
comfort. he thought. And yet something
was wrong Was it the growing feeling of
emptiness inside? Undoubtedly. He sat up
in bed and leaning over gazed into the her
mit's basket. The packages he saw there
made his feeling of emptiness the more acute.
IL say, Mr.. Peter he cried, leaping from
bed and running into the other room, where
the hermit was persuading faint blaze,
"I've an idea! You can cook, can't you?'
"Cook?' repeated the hermit. "Well,
yes I've had to learn few things about
it, living far from the rathskellers the way
do.
..The very mani" rejoiced Magee. "You
must stay here and cook for me-for us.
"Us?" asked the hermit, staring.
ayes. forgot to tell you. After Quimby
left me last night, two other amateur her
mits hove in view One is a haberdasher
with broken heart"
"Woman!' cried the triumphant Peters
"Name, Arabella,' laughed Magee. "The
others college professor who made an in
discreet remark about blends. You won't
mind them, I'm sure and they may be able
to help you a lot with your great work
al don't know what Quimby will say"
studied the hermit. II reckon he'll run EN-
out. He's against this thing afraid of fire.
"Quimby will come later, Magee assured
him, drawing on a dressing gown. "Just
now the idea is little water in yOnder tub,
and a nice, cheerful breakfast after. It's
going to pay you a lot better than selling
postcards to romantic ladies, promise you.
I toll
which the world is painting without more
than making it up to you financially. Where
do you stand as a coffee maker?'
await till you taste it, said Peters re-
assuringly. "1'll bring you up some water.
He started for the door; but Magee pre-
coded him.
1The haberdasher," he explained, Sleeps
below, and he's nervous man. He might
commit the awful error of shooting the only
cook on Baldpate Mountain"
MAGE went out into the hall and called
w from the depths the figure of Bland.
fully attired in his fashy garments, and
looking tawdry and tired in the morning
light
give been up hours" he remarked.
Heard somebody knocking round the
kitchen; but | amt seen any breakfast
brought in on a silver tray. My inside feels
like the Mammoth Cave"
Magee introduced the Hermit of Bald
pate.
"Pleased to meet YOU said Bland. al
guess it was you heard in the kitchen. So
you re going to cater to this select few are
you? Believe me, you can't get on the job
any too soon to suit mel
Out of a nearby door stepped the black
CARRIED figure of Professor Thaddeus Bolton,
and him Magee included in the presentation
ceremonies. After the hermit had disap-
peared below, burdened with his market
basket and the supplies Magee had brought
the night before, the three amateurs at the
hermit game gathered by the fire in number
seven, and Bland spoke feelingly:
Il don't know where you plucled that
cook, but, believe me, you get vote of
thanks from yours truly What is he, an adj
vertisement for hair restorero'
Hes hermit" explained Magee, "and
lives in shack near the mountaintop. Her
mits and BARRIERS aren't supposed to mix
He's also an author and is writing book in
which he lays all the trouble of the ages at
the feet of women. Please treat him with
the respect all these dignifed activities de-
mand."
"a writer, you say" commented Professor
Bolton. "Let us hope it will not interfere
IL L. L. L. II