Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-05-12
The girl leaned limply against the
side Of Baldpate inn.

The girl leaned Imply against I'll
side Of Baldpate inn.
"Oh. the irony Of it," she cried.
II know" he said. Its ridiculous
think all this Is meant just for
temptation. III do the real stuff. q
that when you say-as you certainl
must some day-'Pm Billy Magee'
girl you can say 1t proudly"
"I'm sure" she said softly. that
l ever do say it-oh. no, didn't say
wouldr'-for he had seized her hand
Quickly-"if l ever do say tit wi
certainly be proudly. But now-yo
don't even know my name-my rgh
one. You don't know what | do no
where l come from nor what wan
with this disgusting bundle Of money
l sort Of feel. you know. that this !
in the air at Baldpate even in the VIII
ter time. No sooner have the mel
come than they begin to talk of-lOv
Ito whatever girls they find here--ol
this very balcony-down there nnde
the trees. And the girls listen. for
It's in the air. that's all. Then au
tumn comes. and everybody laughs ant
forgets. May not our autumn come
when 90 awayT
"Never!'' cried Magee. This Is NJ
summer hotel affair to me. It's rea
In winter and summer love. my denr
in spring and fall. and when you g.
away I'm going. too. about ten feet
behind"
"Yes," she laughed. "they talk thai
way at Baldpate-the last weeks 0i
summer. It's part Of the game" They
had come to the side Of the hotel OF
which was the annex. and the gir
stopped and pointed. Look she
whispered breathlessly.
In the window of the annex bad ap-
peared for a moment a Pickering vel.
low light.
II know" said Mr.. Magee. There's
somebody in there. But that isn't i'm
portant in comparison. This Is no sum
ulSt ou oCubs tVNC yous anu w oSl
you 50 away l shall follow"
"And the book?"
II have found better inspiration than
Baldpate Inn"
They walked along for a time In 81
ence.
"You forget" said the girl. "you only
know who has the money"
II will get II" he answered conf
dently. Something tells me l will
Until ! do I am content to say ne
more"
"Goodby," said the girl. She stood
in the window of her room. while a
harsh voice called, THAT you. dearie?'
from inside. "And l may add" she
smiled, "that in my profession fol-
lowing is considered quite-desirable.' e.
She disappeared, and Mr.. Magee.
after a few minutes in his room. de-
scended again to the office. In the cen
ter Of the room Elijah Quimby and
Hayden stood face to face.
"What is 1t, Quimby?" asked Magee
II just ran up to see how things
were going" Quimby replied. "and |
find him here"
"Our latest guest.' smiled Magee.
II was just reminding Mr.. Hayden"
Quimby said, his teeth set. an angry
light In his eyes, that the last time
we met he ordered me from his office.
l told you, Mr.. Magee, thut the Snbur-
ban railway once promised to make
use of my invention. Then Mr.. Ken
drick went away. and this man took
charge. When came around to the
offices again he laughed at me. When
l came the second time he called me
q loafer and ordered me out"
well" asked Hayden.
"And now," Quimby went on, II find
you trespassing in a hotel left In my
care-the tables are turned. ought
to show you the door. l ought to put
you out"
"Try it," sneered Hayden.
NO." answered Quimby. II amt go
ing to do it. Maybe it's because I've
grown timid, brooding over my failure.
And maybe it's because know who's
got the seventh key"
Hayden made no reply. No one stir
red for q minute, and then Quimby
moved away. and went out through the
dining room door.
The seventh key! Mr.. Magee thrill
ed at the mention of 1t. So Elijah
Quimby knew the identity and the
mission Of the man who hid in the an
mex. Did any one else2 Magee looked
at the broad acreage Of the mayors
face, at the ancient lemon Of Max's.
at BANDS, frightened and thought
full, at Hayden's, concerned but smil-
ing. Did any one else know? All.
yes, Of course. Down the stairs the
professor of comparative literature felt
bis way to food.
"Is dinner ready?" he asked, peering
about.
The candles fickered weakly as they
fought the stronger shadows. Winter
above q door crashed shut. Close to
its final scene drew the drama Mt Bald
pate inn. Mr.. Magee knew 1t; he
could not have told why. The Others
seemed to know it too. In silence they
waited while the hermit scurried along
his dim way preparing the meal. In
silence they sat while Miss Norton
and her mother descended. Once there
was a little furry of interest when
Miss Thornhill and Hayden met at the
foot of the stairs.
"Myra" Hayden cried. "In heavens
name, what does this mean?"
Unfortunately" said the girl, "
know-all 1t means"
And Hayden fell back into the shad-
ows.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Table Talk.