Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-04-07

Deeu WOuueIlnS IL you VIII stay on
here and cook for Us. We need you.
How about it?"
"Well, III be glad to help you out"
the hermit replied. II guess can
manage to give satisfaction, seeing
there amt no women around. II
there was wouldn't think Of 1t. Yes,
I'll stay and do what ! can to boost
the hermit life in your estimation. u
He stopped. His eyes were on the
dining room door, toward which Mr..
Magees back was turned. The jaw
Of Peters fell, and his mouth stood
wide open. Behind the underbrush
Of beard a very surprised face was
discernible.
Mr.. Magee turned quickly. A few
feet inside the door stood the girl OF
the station, weeping no more. but
radiant with smiles. Back OF her
was the determined, impossible COM
panion Of yesterday.
"Oh. mamma" laughed the girl,
we're too late for breakfast! Isn't
it a shame?"
From tears to smiles" said Mr.. Ma
gee, taking the girls hand. what
worked the transformation? Not the
Commercial House, know. for pass
ed it last evening"
"No. hardly the Commercial House,
laughed the girl Rather the sunshine
Of a winter morning. the brisk walk up
the mountain and the sight Of the
hermit of Baldpate with eyes like sau-
GERS staring at little girl who once
bought his postal cards"
Then you know Mr.. Peters" inquir'
ed Magee.
"Is that his name7 You see. I never
met him In private nfe-he was just
the hermit when I knew him. | used
to come to Baldpate in the summers
and send his cards back to the folks at
home and dream dreams Of his love
story when from my window | saw
the light Of his shack at night. I'm
50 glad to meet Mr.. Peters informally.
She held out her hand. but Peters.
by long practice wary Of women had
burdened himself with breakfast plates
which prevented his clasping 1t. He
muttered "How dye do?" and fed to-
ward the door, narrowly averting what
would have proved a serious COLLISION
with the large woman on the way.
"Mr. Peters meets so few OF your
sex in winter" Magee apologized. you
must pardon his clumsiness. This gen.
tleman"-he indicated the professor,
who arose-'is Thaddeus Bolton. DIS
tinguished member Of a certain unlver-
sity faculty. who has fed to Ba'dpate
to escape the press OF America ana
this ts Mr.. Bland, who hides here from
the world the scars Of a broken heart
The girl smiled brightly. "And YOU
she asked.
"William Hallowell Magee." he re-
turned, bowling low. - have neat
little collection Of stories accounting
for my presence here. from whicn l
shall allow you to choose later NOT 10
mention the real one. which is simple
almost to q fault"
~ am 80 happy to meet you ALL" said
the GIRL 1--WE shall no doubt become
very good friends, for mamma ana
have also come to Baldpate lnn-'o
stay" .,,,,,,r
Mr. Bland opened wide his usually
nor,ow ewes and ran bis hand thougnt-
fully over his one days beard. fro-
,essor Bolton blinked his astonishment'
Mr.. Magee smiled. .,
az for one am delighted to hear IT,
he said. -, m,
"My name" went on the giri' lib
Mary Norton. May l present my mo'n'
er, Mrs. Norton%
The older woman adopted wnat was
obviously her society manner.
"I certainly am pleased to meet you
ALL" she said in her heavy voice. AIN .
Il a lovely morning after the storm {
The suns almost binding"
"some explanation" put IN MISS NOT
ton quickly, els due you II am to
thrust myself thus upon you. l am
nerfectly willing to tell why am here,
but the matter mustn't leak out. can
trust you, I'm sure"
"The bandits of Baldpate." Magee re-
marked aippantly. glancing at the two
men. "haye their own code Of honor,
and the first rule is never to betray
pal"
"splendidr" laughed the girl. "You
said, l believe, that Professor Bolton
was fleeing from the newspapers l
am fleeing for the newspapers-to at
tract their attention, to lure them into
giving me that thing 80 necessary to
woman In my profession-publicity.
You see, am an actress. The name
gave you is not my stage name. That.
perhaps, you would know. 1 employ
gentleman to keep me before the public
as much as possible. It's horrid.
know, but 1t means bread ard butter
to me. That gentleman. my press
agent. evol ,ed the present scheme-a
mysterious disappearance"
She paused and looked at the others.
Mr.. Magee surveyed her narrowly. BE
wondered.
T am to disappear completely for a
time" she went on. GAS though the
earth had swallowed me- will be the
good old phrase Of the reporters. l
am to linger here at Baldpate inn' a
key to which my press agent has Sc
cured for me. Meanwhile the papers
will speak tearfully of me in their
headlines, at least hope they Will.
Can't you just see them-those head
lines? Beautiful Actress Drops From
sightr" She stopped. blushing. Every
| woman who gets into print you know.
Is beautiful"
But It'd be no lie In your case
dearie," put In Mrs. Norton. feeling
carefully Of her atrociously blond store
hair.
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