The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-11-25

z (Copyright 1913, by the MSSiuAs
Newspaper Syndicate
1t-FrEEN! Fifteen-do ! hear
50 twentyY Fifteen, ffteen-fif-
teen! Ladies' and gentlemen,
have been guilty, fear, OF many SIN SIN,
full deeds; but IL ! am forced 70 sen
Z this picture for fifteen dollars 1t VIII
be the browning crime Of long anu
checkered career. F1fteen-tlIteen
dollars. YOU understand, hope; not
fifteen hundred. Isn't there any one
N this room who can see twenty dol
lars, worth Of drawing in this little
subject to say nothing of the color:
30? Must be party to the wicked
ness OF selling this canvas for titteen
dollars. Fifteen, Fifteen, first; fifteen
second: fifteen, third and last
"siyteen!" The voice. was small ana
ni,ayeriug It emanatcd from young
elrl standing close by the door. she
vas NOT very we'll dressed. She was
pale and looked a little frightened.
Bradshaw, the auctioneeF, got ths
fleeting impression that the bldder nau
more the appearance Of one OF the
struggling young artists who brought
their pictures to this lower Fifth ave-
nne auction room than Of purchaser.
ant his business was with the bid
which his practlced ear had not miss
ed.
"l'm offered sixteen. sixteen-do |
hear another? Sixteen ="
Eighteen.
This time the voice was masculine
hearty, confident; a new note IN the
bidding. A hand, lifted easily above
several intervening heads, directed
the attention Of the presiding genius
to one whose deep tan, erect attitude
and brand-new clothes and hat stamp
ed him individually as soldier newly
discharged. He stood next to the Wall.
From his place he could see the girl
of the sixteen-d dollar proffer. She
seemed to be more excited than bid
ders on low priced paintings common
ly are-eyen agitated, the soldier
thought.
Z. Before the auctioneer could more
than acknowledge the latest offer the
girl bid again "Eighteen'-her voice
broke and she had to begin all over
eighteen fifty" The tall young man
could see that she was fairly trenb-
ling.
Obviously the tall young soldier is
our hero. Just as obviously the young
woman is our heroine Tradtionally
the hero should have stopped bidding
against the heroine for picture she
SO manifestly desired. Nevertheless
the auctioneer had reached the dra-
matte point OF Going at eighteen
fifty when Nineteen"
And right there the bidding stop
ped. Quick to sense the state of the
market, the auctioneer, after rattlins
through a dozen words of professional
patter, wound up with a cheerful
sold, to the gentleman in the corner
The cashier will deliver the picture to
you sir"
But the successful bidder did not
proceed at once to the cashiers desk.
No sooner had the word "sold!" -
fate's seal on many tragedy-been
pronounced than the girl, looking
strangely relieved for one who appar-
emily had just lost her hearts desire;
started for the door. By moving very
quickly the young man got there as
soon as she did.
Just minute JOY" he said, plac
ing himself squarely in front of her;
waite till l make good with this art
mill Then l want to shake hands
with you, and everything"
Not until this matter of-faCt greet
ing had Joy Ballard even glimpsed her
rival bidder. Now she suddenly wenN
pale indeed, then pink-very pink.
MORT" she gasped; mort Eason!
Why, I-we-nobody wrote me-oh,
1ear!" q
All at once the girl looked little and
not very strong, With quick concern
Eason peremptorily ordered fat man
gut Of his chair and bestowed Joy in
1t. "I'll be back irvan instant" he told
ler, and rushed off after his purchase,
tiny bit Of woodland done from
memory and not done badly. Almost
at once he returned, to find Joy some
what recovered from the surprise of
their meeting,
Now, he announced, you and l are
going to eat"
Eat they did, wisely and well, for
The soldier bossed the proceedings.
ETason the while studied his Compan-
ion shrewedly as he breeezd through
the tale of his more than two years in
France with the engineers. The white
went out of joys cheeks and her eyes
sparkled. "No permanent damage"
Mortimer concluded-"but too much
tisk."
"And now, no abruptly commanded,
tell me what you were going to do II
The man had accepted your bid"
"Why--why, what do you mean%
= stop 1t, Joy; you know YOU can't
Kid me. You're broke. You didn't have
The money. lean read you like book.
You were boosting the price OH your
aoFve. knew It the minute you made
hat first b!d-trom your voice. And
Knew something else, Joy, knew it
Mag your own picture you were bid
ting up. That6 why ! butted Il. lou
lee, / Just happened TO drop into that
,laoo Ia the morning and recognized
Inc old spct back home and youf inl-
lials IN tho corner OF the canvas.
That's what brought mo back there
Ibis afternoon, The man said it would
be In the days snle. Now, you tell me
lust how bad d hole you're IN. Come
sai fess up"
Fhs glrf traced a whorl in the pat