ine. They seemed to bore like gimlets
into my very soul. A thrill ran through me like the shock from an
electric battery, and in an instant I seemed bound hand and foot to
the fortunes of this strange woman. I felt myself being dragged along
as the Roman Emperors were wont to draw their captives through the
streets of their capital. I fluttered for a few seconds like a bird
in the fowler's net and then I gave up. The contest was too unequal.
God help me! The eyes had conquered and I lay panting at the feet, as
it were, of the conqueror. I have only a hazy recollection of what
passed between us after that; but I call to mind that she asked
me to insert as an advertisement a paragraph from a Grass Valley
newspaper to the effect that the mine (the name of which I forget)
was a failure and that shares could be bought for two cents.
When she took her leave I promised to call upon her at the hotel.
When the "child" extended a cold, clammy hand in farewell I felt like
giving him a kick--he looked so grim and ugly and patronizing. I
gazed into his eyes sternly and read there deceit, hypocrisy and
moral degeneration. How I hated him!

* * * * *

The pair had been gone several minutes before I recovered my mental
balance and awoke to a realization of the fact that I was a young
fool who had sold himself (perhaps to the devil) for a few empty
compliments and a peep into the deep well of an artful woman's
blazing eyes. I was inwardly cursing my stupidity while pacing up and
down the floor of the "den" when I heard a timid knock at the door.
In response to my invitation to "come in" a young lady entered. She
was pretty and about twenty years of age, fair, with dark blue eyes
and light brown hair. A blush suffused her face as she asked for the
editor. I returned the usual answer.

"Perhaps you will do for my purpose," she said timidly. "I have here
a piece of poetry."

I gasped as I thought, "It's an ode on winter. Oh, Lord!"

"A piece of poetry," she continued, "on Britain's Queen. If you will
read it and find it worthy a place in your paper I shall be glad to
write more. If it is worth paying for I shall be glad to get
anything."

Her hand trembled as she produced the paper.

I thanked her and telling her that I would look it over she withdrew.
I could not help contrasting the first with the last visitor. The one
had attracted me by her artful and flattering tongue, the skilful use
of her be