Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-08-25
DGFtIIOuF
"oh, yes; mamma and spent almost

OcftlOut
"Oh, yes; mamma and spent almost
year there" was the quick response.
"Have you ever had your portrait
painted2" was the next abrupt question.
Never" said Miss Sevellon, coldly, as
If she observed and disapproved the bad
taste Of this informal catechism.
Nor ever posed for an artist2"
Never" in tone grown positively
icy.
Mr.. Temple looked at her with gaze
OF uncomfortable surprise.
'Most extraordinary" he said, half
under his breath. His exclamation was
not SO low, however, but that Miss Sevel-
Ion heard it, and it did not serve to mod
ify her expression. She walked along at
his side as stately as a white pigeon, her
head alert and her manner distant and
cool.
YOU'D have no motive in misleading
me, l suppose" Temple went on, after
momentary pause, sand I can't help be-
lieving you are playing a trick on me. I"
Playing trick on you, Mr.. Templea"
said Gertrude, Indignantly, show could
such an extraordinary notion ever enter
into my head, or yours, either?"
Temple saw he had given offense, and
when he was forced to recognize the pos
sibility that he might be mistaken In his
surmise, the fact was not hard to account
for. 1t was very hard indeed, however.
to believe in that possibility, and it was
only by Diminishing the subject from his
mind as far as possible that he could
carry on the perfectly conventional con-
versation that he knew to be the only
one which his slight acquaintance with
his companion warranted.
He made great effort to be entertain
ing, and by the time they reached the
house he was able to feel that he had
done something toward celebrating the
disgraceful impression Of his first style of
address.
When the early Sunday dinner time
arrived, and Miss Sevellon appeared with
out her bonnet, having changed her
church dress for more relaxed style of
garment, the likeness to the picture was
stronger than ever. It was not likeness,
it was positive identity; and when, DUR
ing the afternoon, Horace found himself
near Mrs. Savellon, in spite of all good
resolutions he had made, in defiance of
every instinct of good taste, his intense
interest in this matter led him ON until he
had contrived to turn the conversation
on Italy, and he then asked Mrs. Sevellon
if none of the Italian artists had never
prevailed on her daughter to allow her.
self to be painted.
Mrs. Sevellon had just responded in the
negative and was going on to say some
thing more when he became aware that
her daughter was standing near them in
the recess of the window, and that she
heard his question. And this was not
ALL He saw by the impetuous flush that
came to her face, and the look with which
she glanced directly at him for an in
slant, and then away, that she resented
as well as heard.
One evening Mrs. Leaton's guests got
up some tableauX for the amusement of
the company, and Mr.. Temple, who had
declined to act, found himself seated on
the front seat beside his aunt, very list
less spectator. except when Miss Sevellon
figured in the scenes, which was very
often, as she was the acknowledged
beauty Of the party.
He had left his seat and had strolled
over to corner very near the stage,
when the curtain went up for the last
scene. 1t was fortunate for him that
every eye was fixed on the stage, for
otherwise the great start and smothered
exclamation he gave vent to must have
Oeen observed. And no wonder he was
startled, for just below his very eyes, in
Il hammock ingeniousiy swinging in the
midst of clumb of large shrubs that adj
mirably simulated a garden, was Miss
Sevellon in an attitude and costume that
exactly reproduced the picture. He al
most held his breath in the absorption of
his attention as his eager eye took in
every detail, even to the Greek pattern
in the border of her dress and the silver
coins in the bracelet ON her arm, and
yes! there in a little group, near the
rounded elbows, were the three little
dark specks. Could circumstantial evil
dence go farther?
AS soon as the tableaux were over he
made his way to Miss Sevellon's side,
eager yet tfmid. To his delight he saw
that she seemed to welcome him, and he
half fancied from her manner that she
made hasty resolution to let bygones be
bygones, and to make friends with him.
She was 30 flushed with pleasure and an
imation, and SO surrounded herself by
appreciative feeling and praise, that it
seemed difficult to her perhaps to be Sc
we're upon another. She still wore the
beautiful white costume, in which she
looked far lovelier than the picture had
portrayed her, and his delight knew no
bounds when he found himself presently
absolutely leading her to quiet seat in
the hall and supplying her with refresh
ments from the supper room. When
they Were seated together on wicker
sofa, eating their ices in friendly tete-a-
tete, the young fellow became SO embold-
ened by his success as to commit a
grievous faux pas. AS his companion
raised her arm to carry her spoon to her
mouth, her sleeve fell backward and re-
vealed again the three little beauty spots.
1t was too much for him.
''Oh, Miss Sevellon," he burst forth,
"you really must let me explain to you
now why it was that you must have
been mistaken about not having your
picture painted in IT,
He stopped short. Miss Sevellon lad
risen to her feet with a motion of ye-
sentful anger, and, without giving him
time for another word, had joined some
people who were passing on to the ball
room, and left him alone, Inundated and
full Of self reproach. And he could
scarcely wonder at her being resentful
at having her word doubted again in this
bold way; but how could he help it2
What was he to dof He wandered away,
feeling restless and miserable, and took
no special note of his surroundings until
he found himself near Mrs. Sevellon,
who, seated in the doorway, was looking
on at the dancers, among whom Temple
now saw the young lady from whom he
had just been SO ruthlessly parted. To
his delight Mrs. Sevellon received him
more kindly than she had ever done be-
fore, for her manner also had revealed
the fact that she shared her daughters
just indignation. It seemed now, how
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