Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-02-17

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There Below Him Under tho Street
Lamp Were Two Men.
man with a gold tooth. who was cere-
moniously presented.
1.-TWO good fellows ought to know
each other" said one Of the boarders,
taking 1t on himself to make the intro
duction. "Mr. Broughton-Mr Bates"
Matt politely expressed his gratiica-
ton, and the two good fellows sub
sided into their respective seats. Mr.
Bates, as 1t appeared later, was spy
ing out the land for shoe factory
site and had been very much Impress
ed by the possibilities Of Manaswan-
yes, sir; very much impressed. At
this Matt walked up and cultivated Mr..
Bates us u potential dispenser Of Jobs,
grew very animated and friendly and
was more than pleased to learn that
Mr.. Bates company maintained the
principle of the "open shop"
Here was certainly chance for q
nonunion man, or shadowy chance.
anyhow. and Matt, with shoe factory
possibilities dancing In his head. ab-
sorbed himself in the conquest OF MI
Bates. After supper. over a pipe and
a cigar, he continued the good work,
even broaching the subject tentatively
and receiving encouragement.
With feeling that he already had
a bulldogish grip on the shoe busl-
ness, Matt said good night and went
no to his room. more than satisfied
with his evenings work. AS he lit a
match, however, and touched 1t to the
gas, he was confronted by sight that
drove all these reflections from his
head. The mattress was tumbled and
bare: the bureau drawers were open:
the room had been searched IN his
absence. and the moment he recovered
from his astonishment he knew Dy
whom. They had been there, seeking a
rlew, a scrap Of paper. anything that
might put them on John Morts track.
Impelled by an unaccountable instinct
he ran to the window and looked out.
There below him under the street lamp
were two men In close conversation.
All at once they turned and gazed up
ward. revealing the faces Of Mr.. Bates
and Mr.. Kay, and then they passed on
and were lost In the dim street
The next morning Matt was scarcely
surprised to learn that Bates had de-
parted. The representative OF the shoe
company was no more-in any boarder
Hense-and all that remained OF MN
was a two-dollar bill on his dresser
and Miss Gibbs recollection Of sundry
creakings and tiptoeings In the middle
of the night. Yes. he had vanished.
that quiet. deferential, gray haired per
son with the gold tooth, and with him
also vanished Matt's Job In the my
thical shoe factory. The marveling
boarders would have marveled more
could they have known Of Matts dev-
astated room, but this he kept to him
self, and professed to be as much IN
the dark about Mr.. Bates as any one
else.
Afterward he sailed forth In his
best clothes, and as spruce and well
groomed rs he could make himself. to
seek work. The hrst place he tried
was Mr.. Beckles' bank. small brick
structure with plate glass windows
and q red headed cashier In cage.
Mr.. Beckles received Matt effusively IN
an inner office. proffered a chair, and
seemed reader than ever to talk about
south sea maids, and the respective
allurements Of Manihiki and Uahlne'
The stout old dreamer was frankly
and unpleasantly gross. Matt, though
far from squea mish. was disagreeap:y
affected The atrocious hypocrisy OF
the old fellow Jared on him. He would
have been wiser In his own interest
had he pretended to a greater en-
thusiasm. Instead, he switched on to
the subject Of his Job with sudden
ness that made the great Turk GRIM
son to the ears and assume an express
sion of detected guilt
Matt left not only without Job but
with the consciousness OF an active III
will behind him. He was disquieted.
too. to learn that in spite OF his re-
iterated denials he was regarded as
rich man, and. If not actually Kanaka
king. had the reputation OF owning
vast and fur away estates In the south
Pacific Mr.. Beckles had been shocked
really shocked-and bitterly offended.
too. at the truth. he would have
parted easily with $1,000 to a swindler,
but for the honest man In dire need
of work he had nothing save curt
good day.
In Anderson's office Matt experience
ed n similar social tumble and SINH
lar rejection. The engineer was at
first Incredulous and then downright
rude, for he also had u shattered IL
lusion. As Matt left flushed Win
anger and in Anderson's eyes con-
victed cheat, he perceived that be had
a better chance with strangers than
with thoue he deemed his friends. The
telephone superintendent to whom ne
applied next, had no acquaintance
with him, and in consequence was
quite civil. Courtesy was about all ne
had to offer. for the company was
'full up" and had "men to burn" With
this forceful colloquialism Matt was
speeded on his way again to try for
4 SPOT where the dres Of commerce
burned less brightly.