The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-12-24


have added, the first woman he ever
loved, since she had awakened In him an
interest as new as il was strange.
Through the next week her face
haunted him. Then they met again, and
not define it; he scarcely acknowledged
it to himself; only away from Miss Rey-
burn he was restless and uneasy, until he
again found himself within the scope of
her destinations.
Yet her nature remained an enigma to
him. Although SO young in years, SO
beautiful in form and feature. she seemed
cold even to haughtiness, retlcent almost
to scorn
1t was rs though some exquisite mar
BILE statue had risen III his pathway,
which might some day warm into life.
She welcomed him whenever they met
with manner which, while it gave him
no cause for complaint, yet chilled the
hope springing within his breast.
One day, on going to her home, the
servant met him at the door with the an
nouncement that she was very i'll. This
knowledge brought other knowledge
the fact that he could no longer conceal
upon his hope of winning her hung his
LIES happiness.
He went back to his studio, wretched
and despairing, and seated himself at his
easel. He had not meant to paint her
face-his brain seemed unconscious OF
his fingers's toil-yet, when the morning
broke, it was her features smiling upon
him from the canvas, and he remembered
the words his hostess had uttered on the
night he first had met her-that thus he
should render himself immortal.
He grew pale and wan in the days of
anxious suspense, when those who were
watching over her couch knew not which
would conquer, the angel of life or death
But there came an hour, never to be for
gotten, when he was admitted into her
presence.
She was very white, very fragile. but
more beautiful than in the coloring of
perfect health. A new expression, too,
was i'll the violet eyes raised to welcome
him.
81 am very glad to see you again"
she said, gently. 81 hear you have
been anxious about me. You were very
kind"
Then the words he had not meant to
speak burst from his lips.
"Anxious?" he said, "can man, Miss
Reyburn, perishing of hunger, hear of
the famine without shudder am pre-
sumptuous, you will say. 1t is true.
What is my life with its many settled
pages in which your eyes could never
look, that / should dare to offer it to
1
would try to make it more worthy. Tell
me-answer me! If 1 serve as Jacob
served for Rachel, is there hope that l
may win you! Ny darling! My dar-
ling! cannot live my life without you!
Will you not share it?'
Lower and lower dropped the lids, un-
til the long dark lashes swept the marble
cheek, while the sweet mouth trembled;
but the momentary weakness passed as
she spoke: Forget all that you have
said, Mr.. Clayton. 1t can never be. ;"
"You do not love me?" he questioned
sadly.
Again that swift expression of pain
fitted across the lovely face.
81 shall never marry" she answered;
but" and in her voice crept an almost
pleading tone, 81 need my friends very
much, Mr.. Clayton. Do not desert mel"
IT cannot" he replied. To desert you
would be to desert the hope of one day
forcing you to unsay those cruel words
the hope which will go with me to my
grave.
What was the barrier between them?
This was the question ever ringing in
Harold Clayton's ear. AS she looked
when she pronounced his doom, so he
had fancied she might have looked when
the statue warmed into life.
Since then, she had been colder, more
distant than before; but he caught the
momentary expression, and transferred
1T to the picture on which his every
leisure moment was spent.
He was thus engrossed one morning,
ever striving to add new beauty to his
almost perfect work, when low knock
at the door aroused him.
Come I'M" he called, then bent anew
to his task, without SO much as raising
his head until low, laughing voice
sounded close beside him.
1--WE were caught in the shower, Mr.
Clayton; and l persuaded Margaret to
seek shelter with me here. I did not
dream she would find herself forstalled"
1t was Mrs. Somers who spoke-the
lady who had first presented him to Miss
Reyburn-whose instruction he had, I'M
known to her, carried out.
Margaret" she asked, turning to her
friend, ''you have been sitting for your
portrait, and did not let me know. why
have you kept it such secret?"
He had now sprung to his feet in time
to see the rosy tide spread over Margaret
Reyburns face.
ut was liberty 1 took without Miss
Reyburn's knowledge, Mrs. Somers," he
explained 81 assure you have never
been SO fortunate as to secure sitting"
"Well, you shall have one now, and
you must thank me for it, she rejoined,
while Margaret turned away to examine
the sketches and studies lying about in
profuse confusion.
"Here are some sketches taken while I
was studying abroad, Miss Reyburn,"
said Harold. Will you amuse yourself
by looking at them?
81 will return in few moments, in
terrupted Mrs. Somers. "Wait for me,
my dear"
A word of expostulation rose to Mar