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

|SSsER ER{YElQ'
~ H. H. I
"I'm not a regular hermit"
deus Bolton, and him Mr.. Magee in
eluded in the presentation ceremonies.
They talked little. being men unfed,
while Jake Peters started proceedings
in the kitchen and tramped upstairs
with many pals Of water.
You amt going to see any skirts up
here" Mr.. Bland promised him. And
Mr.. Peters. bringing the water from
below. took occasion to point out that
shaving was one Of mans troubles di-
rectly attributable to womans pres
ence In the world.
At length the hermit summoned them
to breakfast. and as they descended the
heavenly odor Of coffee sent n glow to
their hearts. Peters had built rous-
Ing fire in the big fireplace opposite
the clerks desk in the Office. and In
front of this he had placed a table
which held promise Of satisfactory
breakfast. AS the three sat down Mr..
Bland spoke:
T don't know about you, gentlemen
but could fall on Mr.. Peters neck
and call him blessed"
CHAPTER VI.
"From Tears to Smiles"
@1HE gentleman thus referred to
served them genially. He
brought to Mr.. Magee, be-
" tween whom and himself he
recognized the tie Of authorship, a copy
Of New York paper that he claimed
to get each morning from the station
agent, and which helped him greatly.
he said, In his eternal search for the
woman. AS the meal passed. Mr.. Ma
gee glanced 1t through. Twice he look
ed up from 1t to study keenly his queer
companions at Baldpate inn. Finally
he handed it across the table to the
haberdasher. The dull yellow sun Of a
winter morning drifted in from the
white outdoors; the fire sputtered gay
" in the CRATE: also Mr.. Peters fail
Ing for literature interfered in no way
with his talents rs cook. The three
finished the repast In great good humor.
and Mr.. Magee handed round cigars.
Gentlemen" he remarked. pushing
back his chair, I'VE find ourselves in a
peculiar position. Three lone men,
knowing nothing Of one another, we
have sought the solitude Of Buldpate
inn at almost the same moment. Why!
Last night, before you came, Professor
Bolton. Mr.. Bland gave me rs his rea.
son for being here the story Of Ara
bella, which afterward appropriated
as a joke and gave as my own reason.
l related to Mr. Bland the fiction
about the artist and the besieging nov
elists. We swapped stories when you
came. 1t was our merry little method
Of doubling each others word. Per
haps 1t was bad taste At any rate,
looking at 1t In the morning light, l
am inclined to return Mr.. BANDS Ara
bella, and no questions asked. He is
again the lovelorn haberdasher. am
inclined to believe. implicitly. your
story. That Is my proposition. No
doubts of one another. We. are here
for whatever reasons We say we are"
The professor nodded gravely.
Last night" went on Mr. Magee.
there was some talk between MIR.
Bland and myself about one Of us
leaving the inn. Mr.. Bland demanded
It trust he sees the matter differ
emily this morning. | for one should
be sorry to see him CO."
i've changed my mind" said Mr..
Bland. The look on his thin face was
not pleasant one.
II have letter to Mr.. Quimby from
my old friend. John Bentley" said the
professor, (which am sure will win
me the caretaker's warm regard"
Mr.. Magee looked at Bland.
"l'l get Andy Rutter on the wire"
said that gentleman. "Quimby will
listen to him, guess"
Maybe" remarked Magee careless.
IL. "Who Is RutterT'
"He's manager of the inn when it's
open," answered Bland. He looked
suspiciously at Magee. II only know
him slightly" he added.
'Those matters you will arrange for
yourselves" Mr.. Magee went on. II
shall be very glad Of your company II
you can fix it to stay. Believe It or
not-I forgot, We agreed to believe.
didn't we'll am here to do some writ
ing. I'm going up to my room now to
do a little work All ask Of you gen.
tlemen is that, as a favor to me. you
refrain from shooting at each other
while l am gone. You see. l am try
ing to keep crude melodrama out OF
my stun.
II am sure" remarked Professor Bol.
ton. that the use Of firearms as
means Of social diversion between Mr.
Bland and myself Is unthought Of"
Il hope so" responded Magee,
There. then the matter rests. We
are here-that Is ALL" He hesitated,
as though In doubt Then, with de.
cisive motion. he drew toward him
the New York paper. With his eyes
on the headlines Of the first page. he
continued: II shall demand no further
explanations. And except for this
once l shall make no reference to this
story in the newspaper, to the effect
that early yesterday morning In q
laboratory at one of our leading uni
versities a young assistant instructor
was found dead under peculiar circum
stances" He glanced keenly at the
bald headed little man across from
him. Nor shall make conversation
Of the fact" he added. that the pro
lessor of chemistry at the university
4 man past middle age, respected high
y In the university circle is missing"
An oppressive silence followed this
remark. Mr.. .Bland's ely eyes sought