The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-01-08

tired, good huh:ored croWd, MS
box under his arm. The dancing
girl had told him the truth, and
he was on his way to apologize to
her!
As yet, his plans went no fur
Their than that errand, but he felt
a content as soothing as sleep.
When he reached the street
where she lived, most of its bust
ness places were closed, and the
pouring stream Of workers had
flowed out, to be dissipated in a
thousand directions, like a river
flowing into sand. Still, enough
people were passing to give the
street an air Of animation.
Noel climbed the steps OF the
house, and received his first sur
prises. The heavy old door stood
partly open. He saw into a vestl-
bule, floored with squares Of black
and white marble and panelled
with black walnut, highly carved.
In odd contrast to this old fash
toned elegance, a row Of brass mail
boxes and push buttons was
affixed to the wall. The one time
mansion was now inhabited by
several families.
While he hesitated before this
new situation, a woman came
down the curved stairs-a fat
woman who looked like a middle
class dressmaker. She was hurry
ing and painting with heat and
exertion.
"Arloff?" she answered Noel's
inquiry. "Second floor"
She hustled out, and he used the
implied freedom to go up without
further ceremony.
On the second floor the door op-
posite him also stood ajar, with
only a curtain drawn across. No
doubt the heat had prompted any
measure which promised a current
Of air. Between the folds of drap-
cry Noel saw into the room be-
yond. Involuntarily, he remained
at gaze.
The room was furnished as a
drawing room, but in the center
was a table laid for two. At one
place stood a glass of milk and
some thin slices Of bread. At the
other place was a plate of clear
soup, and arranged around this
were two chops with brave collars
Of pink paper, two cream cakes on
a standing dish, and a frosted COB
let Of claret. In the center of the
table, a slender vase upheld that
single stalk Of gladiolas which the
dancing girl had taken from the
hotel board the night before.
Opposite the plate of bread and
Of milk was seated the young
girl herself. At the place across
from her sat the most dazzling old
manmNoel had ever seen Or imag-
ined.
He was not old. Noel withdrew
that term a moment later. His
crisp, white hair curled around a
dark, vivid, virile face without a
mark Of age. All the fire, the en-
ergy, the swift changing play of
expression that makes youth beau
tiful, were still his. There was
even youth s touch of spoiled AFRO
gance in the curve Of his lips, and
more than a little Of youth s sweet
ness.
He was a small man, rather less
in stature than the average Angio-
Saxon; yet he gave the observer
an impression that he was pos
sessed of unusual strength.
While Noel, unseen, arrested,
stared at him, the man spoke in
English perfectly constructed, yet
delicately foreign:
"You like the gift Of your poor
papa, my child7"
ooh, yes!" the girl answered,
her voice gaily %caressing. She
raised from her lap the French
doll Of the dancing contest, and
with a delightful gesture of CO.
quetry pressed it's rosy bisque
cheek and yellow curls against her
! own white cheek and curls Of
bronze. "HIt was adorable Of you
to give her to me, good papa. But
she has not a name yeti"
"Vraiment? What, then, shall
we call her?"
The girl considered. @
"Salome, perhaps?"
bah! Salome was a vixenl"
"But she danced on her own
heart" she murmured, with a
faint sigh. "Shall it be Carmen
cita, papas"
0Or Anitra, who was an en-
/ chantrnss9,1