The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-07-23

x
hold of it,; but of course it is absurd to
think that, among the thousands of lace
hats sold, he should buy the one with
my silly note in it. l should feel pretty
cheap to have him get hold of it. He
has the keenest pair of blue eyes ever
saw-not bit dreamy. like the ideal
artist who was to wear it, and he's aw-
fully old-thirty at least; so, of course,
/ couldn't fall in love with him. Aunt
thinks he's handsome. l don't. He
goes sketching every day and has some
lovely pictures in his room"
swell. how do you like them?'
Lottie darted a startled, guilty glance
at Carl Clayton as he came softly up the
carpeted stairway and caught her
standing peeping through his half open
door at the pictures placed round the
room in different positions. Bold ma
rine sketches, most of them green. white
capped waves, amid which fearless
bathers plunged, dark tempests and
tossing ships, golden sunsets over a
mirror like sea.
"You need not feel so shy" he said,
giving her queer glance from beneath
the shadow of the ARTIST hat that
had been tormentipg her for weeks. Il
like to have my sketches admired.
Please step inside; have particular
one to show you"
Lottie followed him shyly as he threw
the door wide open, but somehow she
could not meet the keen, blue eyes that
always made her heart flutter, why, she
did not understand. From remote
corner he took large mounted canvas
and held it before her for a moment.
with his eyes fixed upon her face, then
turned it round suddenly. There was
her own face, sweet and lovely; with
the brown hair ripping over the low
white brow, a dainty flush upon the soft
oval cheek.
The dainty flush deeped until GRIM
son tide overspread her face. The first
swift, pleasurable surprise that bright
ened her soft brown eyes made Carl
Clayton's heart leap with delight. Her
lit face was study.
80, Mr.. Clayton!'' she faltered, in
sweet. girlish confusion. 'I-I-did
not think you--you had painted me-"
'sBut | have you see." Then their
eyes met moment. but something in
his hand made her want to get away
from him. She murmured something
about her aunt wanting her, and stole
off to her room.
ssWhat little fool 1 am! How my
cheeks burn; and my heart is all in a
flutter," she thought. 81 wonder how
he came to paint my picture. Iwonder
if ever looked as we'll as that glanc-
ing in the mirror, which gave an affirm
alive answer.
"a shy little bird after ALL" Clayton
thought. as he put away the picture,
"but I'll cage her yet"
But he did not find it so easy a matter.
He asked her to walk with him. but she
had some pretext for refusing. She
made point of evading him every
where, and never again yentured near
his door.
He watched his chance one day when
she went out for lonely ramble along
the shore. She grew tired after while
and climbed to a nice seat on some
rocks, where she could look out upon
the billowy waters rejecting the after
noon sunlight. He had followed at a
safe distance, and now came upon her
suddenly.
why, Mr.. Clayton" she said, in
surprise, rising to her feet, while the
blood rushed to her face.
He placed his hand on her shoulder
and gently forced her back to her seat,
taking his place by her side.
"What makes you avoid nae. Lottiep"
Her head dropped lower. Her fin
gers traced a confused pattern on the
rocks. but she did not answer.
He put his hand beneath her chin and
compelled her eyes to meet his, only for
a moment. They travelled up to the
brim of the Artist hat, then futtered
and fell again.
''Lottie, l love you. Won't you be
my little wife?n in a tone that sent a
thousand eddying pulsations over her.
But who of womankind is too unso-
phisticated for coquetryp 1t comes by
intuition to all of Ewes daughters.
She lifted her eyes to his, brimful of
laughter. l do not love you," she
said, and snatching away her hand from
his, she sprang off the rock and was
away before he could recover from his
surprise.
Before long he followed the same
path home with curious expression in
his deep, handsome eyes.
She did not appear at the table until
he had left it for the next two days.
On the third afternoon, as he was step
ping down the front stairway, he caught
a glimpse of her. gliding into the cool,
darkened parlor. The house was very
quiet. Ten minutes later he opened
the door softly and closed it after him.
She started up from the sofa with lit
tie cry as she saw who had cornered
her.
He sat down beside her and took both
her hands in his. with q firm clasp.
Lottie tried to free them, but she felt
her strength going. She began to real
ize that she was to be mastered at last.
He waited till she was quiet, then
said: " Lottie, want an answer to the
question lasked you three days ago."