The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-04-21
out, and the light will come in and

"Now, promise me that you will do nothing of the kind-that you will not spoil my negatives-or I shan't take 'em out of the slide at all," said the photographer firmly.
 "Very well-I promise" said Elsie. In her heart she was mortified that Dick should contemplate her possible flight only as so much damage to his wretched plates; she set her teeth and inwardly vowed to smash the mega tive-so soon as it should be finished
 into atoms!
 Dick looked lingeringly at the be- witching crimson face before him. He would have preferred talking with his wood-nymph to manipulating dry plates; saying a certain some- thing-which must out at all hazards during the next ten minutes-to plunging his fingers into his beloved chemicals.
 "Go on" said Elsie, inexorably.
 Dick took up bottle, poured an ounce into a graduated measure, and added an equal quantity from another bottle.
 "This is the developer" he began didactically. "It contains pyrogallic acid, ammonia, bromide of"
 "Oh, never mind the names of the chemicals. Let me see the plate.'
 The artist opened the dark slide and drew out piece of glass coated on one side with thin film. In the red glow it looked like slice of ruby marble.
 "Why, MT. Auburn" cried Elsie, surprised out of herself, "where's the photograph"
 Ut don't make its appearance until 1 charm it with this philter," said Dick, laying the plate in an ebonite oblong tray, and pouring over it the solution he had just mixed. "You will see something on the plate directly" he continued, rocking the tray so that the fluid spread in even waves over the sensitive film.
 (Which photograph is this?"
 "The COW, 1 think. I can't say for certain. But-but please don't speak to me for minute or two, Elsie," said Dick in his artists anxious tone, bending the professorial spectacles close to the exciting tray, insensible alike to ammonia fumes and to the fact that he had called Elsie by her Christian name for the first time in his life.
 "Half an hour-that is, l mean half a minute," Dick replied abstractedly. But even as he spoke he felt shudder of dread pass down his spinal column like lightning down a conductor!
 The cogent solution had immersed the plate already for half a minute, but not the faintest suspicion of out line or detail appeared. A minute-a minute and half-two minutes passed, in terrible suspense for Dick still nothing was to be seen on the virgin pink of the film. Dick mixed a fresh developing solution, and ap- piled it after pouring off the old one. Still no sign of incipient development. Something might have gone wrong with either plate or chemicals-but there was more probable and much more serious hypothesis. After about five minutes Elsie spoke:
 "I thought you had taken a photo graph? If you have, you have utterly failed, for once in a way. I don't think you can be much of a photog- rapher after all Now try the other one."
 "Oh, Elsie, dare not"
 "Dare not! Why dare not?"
 "Because-because it is of"
 "Of what?"
 "Of your'
 Elsie's eyes flashed indignation at the unhappy photographer.
 ESQ.," sine began, "you dared to tell me 1t was view"
 "A view, and of you, sound so abominably alike, you see. 1 an- swered you honestly enough, only you me-" Dick made an intellectual effort to turn it off lightly.
 "Of me! yes, I have known it all along. Then develop it at once, MT. is the least you can do after such an astounding imperti- nencew Her voice was cold and hard, as if she meant every word she ut tered, and her eyes gleamed cruelty like fiery coals in the crimson glow.
 Oh, blessed ruby light, granting color to Dicks bloodless cheeks!
 "Dearest-" he began, in an agony, trying to catch her hand in his.
 She snatched her hand away, but looked him full in the face. "How dare you? You think you'll drive me from the tent by insulting me! But l stir not an inch until you have de- veloped the other plate. Begin this instant"
 Dick looked at her helplessly. An, if she could only know what she was about to bring down on them both? Dick saw certain shipwreck staring him in the face. Yet she drove him onward!
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