The Press., 1918-12-05

"sh-oh, Mir. Corson,r she stam- mered, glancing swiftly upward, "I-
 -please do not tell me any-any se- crets tonight, please-I-"
 Marie, my Marie" he insisted, lay ing large, bony hand on her small, trembling one, "one kiss, dear, just one." he pleaded, his strong arm steal- ing around her slender waist.
 ''No, no, Mir. Corson, now Bang! The full-blOwn decorated globe of an antiquated lamp splintered on the gallery floor and glittered in frosty powder on a crimson mat.
 "Who-whO-was that?" demanded MT. COrson, catching his breath and quickly withdrawing his arm. "What? you father bu-breaking stock-I-I thought that he was out 1"
 "Hush-hush !"
 Again footsteps sounded on the til- ing outside and Msieur began to de- scend the spiral stairway behind.
 Mir. COrson jumped to his feet: "Hide me, Marie, hide me! Some ones coming both ways. I-I would FaIu0F not De seen.
 "Quick, then, in herev' she breathed, throwing open the door of fine ward robe just opposite the fifth mahogany piece. Click!
 Hal" M'sieur saw MT. Corson's cOattails disappear. "One, two, three. four" he counted carefully, and as he passed up the aisle to meet the portly newcomer shaking hands with Ma'amselle at the door. he turned two keys, in the mahogany and mission rows, and dropped them in his pocket. ''Ha, Mister Barron, good after. noon, good afternOoni You are well, yes? And Mrs. Barron? Ah. that is good! Something-er-this after, noon, perhaps?"
 MT. Barron was M'sieur's best GUS. toner. Purchasing agent for a much larger furniture store, when his firm ran out of any particular piece desired at once, Bonhomme, if he could sup. ply, always got the order.
 "Ah, good afternoon. M'sieur good afternoon! responded Mir. Barron loudly. "Yes, sir, I want two ward. robes, in a hurry. Send them out in our wagon; it's at your door now. A mahogany one fOr-er-tnke a note of them! Ready?" He glanced at the notebook in his hand-"NIr. James MOorsOn, 91 CookSon avenue. You know the gentlemH'S 'S son. think I've seen him here"
 'Ha, hal" Msieur chuckled.
 MT. Barron looked curiously over his spectacles. "Eh? and one for Mir Arthur Corson, 15 Marion terrace. Perhaps you know young CorSon, also? Ha, hal"
 "Ha, ha !" echoed M'sieur.
 "And I want both in model X, Bon. hommie, remember. An, you have a row of each, see. Well, don't fail me. Get 'em home at once. My men are at your service. Good day, I'm of. Busy as bees down our way"
 Good day, sir. good day." smllingly MsieuF bowed his patron out, and Signalled the men to come in. They were big strong fellows both of them. But when the wardrobes were loaded and roped, they came back to the store,
 "YesS" queried Bonhomme with arching brOws.
 "A drink of water, if you please. sir?"
 Certainly" mumbled Msieur, turn Ing his face away. "Oh, Marie som | water ! som water, up front here! An. and the keys, I forgot the keys" he when the men followed ma'amselle away 'and these men can deliver them with the goods, yes."
 He hurried to his desk and drew ont two business cards. 'With Bon. compliments" he wrote on each, and placed them with the little gilded keys in their respective en- velOpes.
 One of the men tucked the packets carefully away in his pockets, "Yes, sir" he promised, 'Ill see that the right parties gets 'em. You bet will, sir."
 "Oh, father" pouted ma'amseIle when the door closed, "these young men, oh, these young men, they are 'uch troubles. Oh, do not want them, md they are here, yet. What shall I lo?"
 "Ha, ha, ha non, non, my dear" aughed M'sieur, "they are not here You make one heeg mistake. These 'Oung men will not trouble you again. They have gone home to their fathers with the compliments of Ronhomme, 'es! Ha, hap