The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-07-26

laid it beside your plate, and then for
gotten it. Very luckily I CHANGED to
look down" @ --sf'i
|, : "How can I ever thank you; sirp'
Nan exclaimed; while the servant gave
Curtis slv wink, and discreetly kept
all knowledge of the little ruse to him.
self. So long as he was paid, it was no
business of bis from whose pocket the
money came.
But a iiligent search on Mans part,
aided by both the waiter and Curtis,
brought no purse to light, and she was
compelled to go home without it. How
the money could be there and not the
purse was mystery she was unable to
solve.
Only day or two later, Curtis was
passing Harrison's book-shop, when a
painting in the window attracted his at
tention. Its execution was graceful and
vigorous; but it was the central figure
in it that he noticed. 1t was the very
girl whom he had met at the cafe.
Il am foolr' he thought, as he en-
tered and askedthe price of the picture.
But for all that he bought it, paying a
handsome price for it, though Mr. Har-
rison declared that the artist would be
satisfied with a lesser sum.
every fine, indeed" Mr.. Harrison
said volubly, glad of q chance to make
a bargain, even If it had brought no
money into his own pocket, ''and per-
feet likeness of the artist, Miss Kendall,
sir. If she wasn't poor as u church.
mouse the world would have heard of
her long ago, I'll be bound"
Curtis thought so too. and wanted
very much to know Miss Kendall's ad-
dress, but he did not say so.
.'My mother has long wished to have
her portrait painted" he said artfully;
''but she wants it to be the work of a
lady's brush. Do you think if l sent
Miss Kendall her photograph, she would
copy an oil portrait from itp'' 5
..She would be only too glad, 1
guess,'' said Mr.. Harrison effusively;
'and you couldn't get a lady better fit
ted for the work than she.'
And Nan worked diligently and hap
PLY on her first order, never dreaming
by what chain of circumstances the loss
of her shabbypu had brought all this
good fortune.
She knew nothing about Mr. Curtis,
except that he had purchased ''Under
the Lilacs," and was so pleased with it
that he wanted his mothers portrait
from the same brush.
81 hope he will like it," she said, on
the very afternoon when Curtis was
coming for the finished pictured. Il
have certainly done my best"
Mr.. Curtis did likeit, and he liked the
little artist, too, so well that he came
again and again, on one pretext or an
other.
And before many months he had ask
ed Nan Kendall to marry him, and she
had answered "Yes."
'.Nan," said Curtis quizzically one
day, ''did you ever lose five pounds?"
Nan started and laughed.
"What do you mean, Curtis?" she
said. mo; but I thought I did, last
spring"
Thought you didp" Curtis exclaim-
ed. why, didn't you really lose
Curtis, you are not the gentleman
who"
Nan stopped.
eyes," nodded Curtis, with smiling
lips.
81 have sometimes wondered where l
have seen you before. Oh, it was mon
strous of you to deceive me as you did!
l don't think can ever forgive you"
"Oh yes, you can!' said Curtis con-
fidently. "But how do you know ever
deceived you?''
"Mr. Harrison sent me my purse tho
very next day with the money intact. I
had left it on his counter. / felt very
angry with you then, and if l had known
you would have sent the money you
gave me right back"
"And now that you do know me, you
are going to give yourself to me in
stead!' exclaimed Curtis triumphantly.
sit was only a loan, you see. :"