The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-04-21

"Did you?" replied Miss Keswicke, and there was something in her tone which sent Dicks heart down from his mouth to his tennis-shoes.
 An awkward pause followed, dur ing which Dick played nervously with corner of the curtain.
 "Tell me what you have been talk ing," said Elsie presently in friendly interested tone, which at any other time would have launched Dick into an exultant, enthusiastic exposition.
 "Oh, you know, Pve been taking a cow-an Alderney cow-oh, and calf too, by- the- by-for friend of-o
 "Ah'' interrupted Miss Keswicke, chillingly. "But you have been talk ing photograph just nowl The camera didn't come from MT. Par tridge's on it's legs, you know" point ing to the tripod; "moreover, I can see the dark-slide in it still. What is the photo of-or, perhaps I should say, whom have you taken?"
 What fool he had been not to put away the camera at once! Here was direct evidence that a photograph was newly taken-she might want to see the negative next! Dick shifted ner- vously from one foot to the other, and then she understood him to reply, though he mumbled the word rather indistinctly:
 tits view"
 Really, you are very vague! I can see you don't want to be bothered with me, so I shall go. And it is the last time ever I shall show curiosity about your odious, contemptible art, as you call it. Be quite sure of that"
 She managed the tone of pique with such elocutionary perfection, and fin- ished SO near to whimper as she turned away, that it was more than poor Dick could stand. He sprang forward, and, with sudden access of reckless foolhardiness, took her hand in his.
 "Don't go," he cried excitedly, "please don't go, Miss Keswicke! Stop and see me develop these negatives. I want you to see them particularly-I do indeed"
 Elsie withdrew her hand but she looked unresentingly and with an as- stunned frankness straight into Dicks honest spectacled eyes-for they did wear an honest expression now that he had determined to have the worst out. A wicked triumph thrilled the girls heart. She breathed the first sweet incense of revenge already!
 "I can't see you develop through fhot harrs1 ~lo o1 pouting.
 "But suppose I fix the thing up so that you can see-will you let me show you how to develop negative them"
 "I may" dubiously.
 "Then hold on a minute !" and he dashed into the house.
 When he was out of sight and hear ing, Elsie laughed gayly to herself. Here was promise of quite delightful little game of cross purposes Dick had photographed her while, Gas he thought she was unconscious; and now he was going to develop the neg ative before her eyes, doubtless in- tending it as huge surprise, if not actually to lead up to-well, never mind to what. For her part she had resolved to let him know that it was no surprise; to smash his negative nip in the bud the sequel he had in view-and leave him heaped with con- tumely and utterly annihilated. So much for her scheme of just vengeance. But Elsie had yet another end in view an end she would scarcely have owned to herself; and that was, to find out whether Dick really cared for her whether, after all, it was not sim ply his so- o-called art that he was in love with? In either case he should find himself only very much the worse off for the mean advantage he had dared to take.
 Dick came back carrying a dark yellow curtain with a square hole in the middle, exactly like that which already formed a part of the "dark tent" Without word he took off the side of the black box opposite to the already open side, and fastened the second curtain in precisely the same manner as the first SO that there was clear passage through the box but for the curtains which fell over each open side.
 "There! That's my own patent," said Dick, with jealous pride, "my very own! made it up at home, so that Flo Chats my sister) could help in the developing when we went trips with the camera, just as she did in the permanent dark room at home. It's the only double dark tent in the world! You'll be Flo, while develop these two negatives, won't you? It will only take minute or two and, you know, you almost promised just now"
 Elsie looked up at the windows; the major had gone up to town for the