Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-03-07
looked curiously up al

xhe fender, and looked curiously up at
him. "Well9'
"Cliford was here last night. and I
know why you would not 60 there yester-
day. Think again, Bee. You might do
much worse. l have tried to be your
friend, and I must say this much"
ooh, you advise ME to marry Clifford"
For moment her face was ablazc with
scorn, but the next her eyes sought Lepel's
Just for an instant; he hesitated, and
the chance was forever lost to him. No
thing could be more cold and sarcastic
than her next attitude.
"Clifford has genius, Bee, and indus
try; he is struggling bravely for posi-
ton"
81 hate poor struggling men. 1 saw
plenty of them in my childhood. Sue
cess is the one thing forever good. tirhe
successful man is the handsomest IAN
and the wise man; he alone is worthy of
woman's love-
She spoke extravagantly, as was her
habit under excitement, but Lepel was
annoyed at it. 49,.
II don't like your advice" she contin-
ued, angrily. "You favored Montana
because he could cultivate my voice, and
I might thus have career with him; and
now you advise that I become wife to
the poor strug Cling Clifford, in order to
save him the expense Of a model, sup
pose"
"Don't be unjust, Bee. 1 only wished
to see you cared for"
'sThank you; but I have my own ideas
as to what being cared for means.''
"Do you mind enlightening me?"
"Not at all. 1 mean luxurious home,
servants and carriages, foreign travel,
home entertainments, and husband
whose greatest joy is to crafty my wish
es."
Lepel hardly knew whether she was in
Jest or earnest, for she stood up to make
her explanation, and ended it with a
pirouette that brought her suddenly face
to face with gentleman whose amused
expression showed that he had been a
listener to her avowed matrimonial posi-
| ton.
r. Then Lepel turned with bow to his
visitor, and Bee vanished behind an old
oaken screen-a convenient place TOR an
observation, and Bee was not above peep
ing at the intruder. He was man of
about fifty years of age, with fine pres
ence, and that indefnable aurlc atmos-
phere around him which envelopes the
confidently rich man. Bee liked his ap-
pearanee and was rather pleased to OBJ
seAe that he glanced around the room
before leaving it; she was sure that he
was looking tor her.
| There was no more now to be said OF
Cl1ford's hopes, and no more advice to
be given to Bee; Lepel forgot everything
IN his qualification at Mr.. Belmar's visit
and the orders he had given him. These
orders really required some supervision,
but hardly as much as that gentleman
gave them. In few weeks he was
very regular visitor at Lepel 's'studio. He
said he enjoyed theseIvisits, land it IS prob
able he did Bees costumes and charac-
tiers, her sunny good-temper, her queer
criticisms on players, politicians. artists,
and the world in general, made it con-
stantly changing entertainment.
If Bee suspected that she had interest
ed Mr.. Belmar-which it Is likely she
discovered at once-LepeI certainly new
er did. He considered his patron as a
genuine lover OF art, and peculiar ad-
mirer of his own peculiar style and col
oring. That he should admire Bees kit
ten-likc movements, and applaud all her
clever, keen little epigrams, was natural
enough; he did that himself, and every
body else did'it.
| Th,,, ho r,,;o+or ,,oecoI ,,Joocopf1u and
proftably away. Bee had saved little
money, and was taking singing lessons.
eff she was to have career" she said,
spitefully, to Lepel, ''it should not be with
any Montana" So now in her intervals
of rest she sang scales and astonishing
exercises; she said the lofty rooms suited
her, and they objected to her practice in
the clearinghouse. Lepel had no OBJ
jections to her rich musical intervals; be-
sides, it gave him occasionally the pleas
ure of saying, "That is false note,
Bee."
1t was again June, and Lepel had put
the finishing touches to Mr.. Belmar's
last picture. He met that gentleman
one warm afternoon IN Union Square, and
told him so. Then they turned toward
the studio, and went up to look at it. 1t
was an Italian scene, and Bee, dressed as
a Tuscan peasant, with basket of grapes
on her left shoulder, was the only fig
IRE.
'She Is beautiful GIRL" said Mr.. Bel
mar, thoughtfully, "Either as Princess
Bee or Peasant Bee she is perfect. By
the-by, what is her name?'
"Her pame," said Lepel, coldly, sis
Beatrice Erling." ...,
"Erling? Erling? Not Tom Erllng's
daughter9"
tom Erling's daughter. Did you know
Toml"
ave were brought up in the same Con-
necticut village, and went to the same
district school. Tom beat me in all the
classes, and 1 whipped him out of them.
Then he fell in love with my sister-in
short, there was quarrel, and Tom came
to New York. He must be poor, to let
his daughter
"He is dead. His wife was an Italian
singer who died soon after Bees birth.
The poor child has no relatives
II will tell my sister about her. She
is an invalid now, with very few pleas
,,roc or interesfs 7 am sire she will no