TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES: —Obvious print and punctuation errors were corrected. —Bold text has been rendered as =bold text= “SHORT SIXES.” [Illustration: _LOUISE._] “SHORT SIXES” STORIES TO BE READ WHILE THE CANDLE BURNS BY H. C. BUNNER _Author of “Airs from Arcady” “The Midge” etc._ ILLUSTRATED BY C. JAY TAYLOR, F. OPPER AND S. B. GRIFFIN PUCK KEPPLER & SCHWARZMANN NEW YORK 1891 Copyright, 1890, by KEPPLER & SCHWARZMANN. [Illustration: LOGO] TO A. L. B. CONTENTS. PAGE I. The Tenor 1 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ II. Col. Brereton’s Aunty 23 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ III. A Round–Up 39 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ IV. The Two Churches of ’Quawket 55 _Illustrated by F. Opper._ V. The Love–Letters of Smith 71 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ VI. Zenobia’s Infidelity 89 _Illustrated by S. B. Griffin._ VII. The Nine Cent–Girls 111 _Illustrated by S. B. Griffin._ VIII. The Nice People 129 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ IX. Mr. Copernicus and the Proletariat 147 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ X. Hector 165 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ XI. A Sisterly Scheme 181 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ XII. Zozo 199 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ XIII. An Old, Old Story 217 _Illustrated by C. Jay Taylor._ THE TENOR. [Illustration: _“‘I kill hare! give me my knife—give me my rivvolvare!’”_] THE TENOR. It was a dim, quiet room in an old–fashioned New York house, with windows opening upon a garden that was trim and attractive, even in its Winter dress—for the rose–bushes were all bundled up in straw ulsters. The room was ample, yet it had a cosy air. Its dark hangings suggested comfort and luxury, with no hint of gloom. A hundred pretty trifles told that it was a young girl’s room: in the deep alcove nestled her dainty white bed, draped with creamy lace and ribbons. [Illustration] “I was _so_ afraid that I’d be late!”