Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY 49, 1913
SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE

solitude setting out for desert isle, with
canned foods for his body and canned music
for his soul. Robinson Crusoe," he said,
should be rewritten, with a can opener
in the leading role" Mrs. Norton gave the
talk a more practical turn by bringing up
the topic of ptomaine poisoning.
While the conversation drifted on, Magee
pondered in silence the weird mesh in which
he had become involved. What did it all
mean? What brought these people to Bald
pate in Christmas week? His eyes sought
the great safe back of the desk, and stayed
there long time. In that safe, he was sure,
lay the answer to this preposterous riddle.
When his thoughts came back to the table
he found Bland eying him narrowly. There
was a troubled look on the haberdasher's
lean face that could never be ascribed to the
cruelty of Arabella.
THE luncheon over, Miss Norton and her
I mother prepared to ascend to their
rooms. Magee Unanswered so as to meet
the girl at the foot of the stairs.
won't you come back" he whispered
softly, "and explain things to poor hermit
who is completely at sea?"
what things?' she asked.
w LdI IL dill lllCdIlS, TIC WilSpClCd. why
you wept in the station, why you invented
the story of the actress, why you came here
to brighten my drab exile-what this whole
comedy of Baldpate Inn amounts to, any
how? l assure you l am as innocent of un-
Outstanding it as is the Car of Russia on his
golden throne"
She only looked at him with unbelieving
eyes. "You can hardly expect me to credit
that" she said. IL must GO up now and read
Mama into the pleasant land of thin, girlish
figures that is her afternoon siesta. may
come back and talk to you after awhile; but
don't promise to explain"
"Come back!' pleaded Magee. "That is
all ask"
"A tiny boon," she smiled II grant it. !"
She followed the generous figure of the
other woman up the stair and, casting back
a dazzling smile from the landing, disap-
peared.
Magee turned, to find Professor Bolton
discoursing to Bland on some aspects OF the
Pagan Renaissance. Bland's face was panied.
@That's great stuff, Professor" he said,
@and usually I'd like it. But just now-I
don't seem in the mood, somehow. Would
you mind saving it for me till later?"
Certainly" sighed the professor.
Bland slouched into the depths of his
chair Professor Bolton turned his disap-
pointed face ceilingward. Laughing, Magee
sought the solitude of number seven.
"After all, I'm here to work, he told HIM
self alarms and excursions and blue eyes
must not turn me from my task. Let's see
what was my task? A deep, understanding
novel, a novel devoid of rabid melodrama.
1t becomes more difficult every minute here
at Baldpate Inn. But that should only add
more zest to the struggle. 1 devote the next
two hours to thought"
He pulled his chair up before the blazing
hearth, and gazed into the red depths. But
his thoughts refused to turn to the master
piece that was to be born on Baldpate. They
roamed to far-off Broadway; they strolled
with Helen Faulkner-the girl he meant to
marry if he ever got round to it-along
dignified Fifth-ave. Then joyously they
trooped to far r-1ore alluring, more human
girl, who pressed bit of cambria to her face
in railway station, while ginger haired
agent peeped through the bars. How ridic-
ulously small that bit of cambria had been
to hide so much beauty! Soon Magee's
thoughts were climbing Baldpate Noun
tain, there to wander in a mystic maze of
ghost1y figures that appeared from the
shadows, holding aloft in triumph gigantic
keys. Magee had slept but little the night
before The o,,icl, December d,,SL, filled