Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-04-02

shadow perfectly"
He turned his head rs she spoke to lI
and saw her looking round her easel witt
mock air of petulance.
do YOU think Soo' he asked, leaning
back q little to cltch the effect of the com
mended shadow.
''Perfectly," she said. y have been trying
to steal from you, but ! cannot catch the
tone at ALL"
This was as gool as an appeal for help,
and Arthur, rising from his own seat walk
ed to where she sat. She offered him her
palette and the sheaf f brushes she held in
her hand. As he took t IN he touched her
fingers, and this mere lnomentary contact
thrilled him all over. lie feigned to examne
her work, and looked as cool as cucumber,
but he had hard work to maintain his aspect
of Indifference.
II want the work to be MY own, and you
must not do too much of H. Il. lawrence
said Olivia, "but do please W me that lit
tie bit of shadow"
She arose from her seat and motioned him
to take it. He obeyed her. and she stood be-
hind him, with both hands on the rail of the
chair. She leaned over him, and he could
feel her breath warm upon his cheek. He
concentrated himself resolutely upon the
bit of shadow, and succeeded so perfectly
to her liking that she clapped her hands.
He gave her back the palette and brushes,
but kept his eyes the while upon the picture,
not trusting himself so far as to look at her.
He was genuinely ashamed and angry.
Il may tell her some day." he thought to
himself. But how dare | want to make
eyes at Il girl whom l have only known for
a fortnight?' He felt that if he looked at
bar or hot p,npon+ his crlopo., would b,+,,,,
him, and in his own mind he was thorough
ly persuaded that it would seem like an in
suit to her if he should suffer passion of
such sudden growth to declare itself. It was
unfortunate that young man of his ideas
should have fallen in love so hurriedly, but
then these things happen in their own way,
and Love, no more than other fevers, de-
mands, the permission of patient before
making its attack. II haven't seen Chi Lung
to-day" he said, still staring at the picture,
with his head held deceptvely on one side,
as if it were studying its color and proper
tions.
Nor l." said Olivia. "Shall we go to see
him? The doctor says he is greatly better"
Now Lawrence had had no other idea in
his mind in mentioning Chi Lung than to
procure an excuse for being out of Olivia's
society for little while, so that he might
discipline himself. At first this inexperienc-
ed young man had doubted the solidty of
sentiment inspired by few chance ex-
changes of the eyes, and then he had resolv-
ed that an inquest into the lady's spiritual
graces should at least be made, before love
was permitted to grow any further. Now
he was fully decided that her mind and
heart were as unrivaied and as beyond
rivalry as her person, and still he was no
better satisfied with himself. "A little pot
is soon hot" he would say to himself, tigur-
ing by his vulgar proverb the rapid beating
of his own heart. Surely no sterling nature
was ever thus atfec ed. He went on theo-
riZing in this manner, though experience
had long since knocked his theory to pieces.
But the experience seemed to do no more
than demonstrate the extreme shallowness
of his own nature.
When Olivia proposed to accompany him
on his visit to Chi Lung she intruded her.
self, without in the least thinking of it, be-
tween the picture and his eyes, and he could
not help looking at her. His eyes wore
commonly thoughtfA look of kindly
gravity, and were by no means difficult for
man, woman, or child to meet. But Olivia
meeting their glance was abashed without
knowing why, for they held a yearning.
hungry look which she could not under
stand. She could not understand either the
singular sensation which this glance awoke
in her own bosom, but she blushed and
dropped her eyes, and looked and felt self
conscious. This was new thing in her ex-
perience. No young man had ever looked
at her so before. There was a pause of two
or three seconds-altogether a gulf of time.
''Shall we go and see Chi Lungg' said
Lawrence feeling this silence growing more
and more awful.
"If you like" she answered, shylv,
81 have frightened her." said Lawrence.
miserably to himself "She will never be
at ease with me again." He had felt how
impassioned his own gaze was, and when
she blushed at it, there had been such q
downright physical aching in his breast ant
arms to caress her and comfort her in apolo
gy for his fault that it was hard to resist it
though he felt this inspiration to be nothini
more or less than madness And if youni
man has really offended pretty girl bl
staring at her, aciU he mend matters by thu
offer OF such an apology as Lawrence's hear
prompted him to make?
Olivia was not offended, but she was Ger
Italnly little puzzled and alarmed. He
heart beat, her color came and went; sh,
,cOuld not nave told, mad the world been of
fered as prize for the solution of this prob
lem whether she were pleased or dspleas
ed.
The granary, where Chi Lung lay, was ap
preached by long corridor on the ground
floor, with flight Of steps at the end of it
Olivia, not yet recovered from the effect O.
Lawrence's singular glance, led the wal
along this corridor, and the young man fol
lowed, bitterly aggrieved at himself. an(
none the less disposed to renew his offens,
on that account, as he recognized with in
ward groanings. They entered the room OF
tiptoe, and it was plain to both of them that
for the first time, the patient recognized hi
visitors The spectacle of Chi Lungs at
tenuated face and eyes of suffering cam.
like tonic to both man and maid, anc
steadied the tluttering nerves; for they be
gan instantly to think of him instead of
thinking of themselves.
Poor old Nebuchadnezzarp said Law
renee. "He has found his wits again."
Olivia leant above him and looked at his
wan face with pity. He was not at all de
lightfnl to look at, at the best of times and
now he looked like deaths head desienad