New-York tribune., 1889-10-20


OF don't you care about going, even 10 see her?'
I'm not keen about it, repeated Hugh.
Neither Lady Fielding nor her daughter looked
surprised when hemp delivered HughS polite
message and apologies. The former, indeea ap-
peared 10 be decaeuly relieved, and IL was easy 10
see that Miss Daisy seldom permitted herself any
freedom Of expression or utteEance which she was
not certaul would receive parental sanction. She
was more than ever like the picture, now that her
hat was removed; though her strangely fair hair
was arranged with more regard Tor the prevailing
fashion than IT had been when she sat for her
portrait She very SILENT and Kemp thought
the dinner the slowest and longest he had ever
tried to sit through. There was another man
present, with his wife; but they had evidently
only been asked for the look of the thing, and
seemed too much IN awe of their hostess 10 TAX
However, after dinner Lady Fielding called her
ghter TO her SIDE and bade her take Mr.
Kemp round the conservatory and, though Kemp
felt that the girl would rather not he still hailed
the suggestion as a relief
Can't we sit down and stay here little
wmlc? he ventured to ask, when they came
suddenly upon two inviting looking arIa-chairs
at the end OF the little hot-house He really saw
no reason why he should avail himself OF
few of the good things in the net spread plainly
in his sight
Oh yes, if you like" said Daisy, colorins
painfully, but seating herself on the nearest chair
You gave me quite shock to-day" he began.
." | had been looking at your face on the wall,
and then turned round suddenly and saw it at
my sidel"
Yes, you must have been surprised she an
swercd. Her voice was low ana gentle, and, like
her eyes, had. touch of wistfulness in it: but
her manner, in spite of an evident effort, was
un9d with Indifference
How do you like being hung up there and
gazed at all day long ?" he asked He had some
how conceived a deep pity and interest for this
little pale, shrinking girl.
=" don't mind" said Daisy in the same tone
i" dare say good many people don't see the
Likeness, and most of them don't know me; so
it doesn't matter
Who first thought of the idea p Kemp asked.
" Mr. Floyd himself We met him somewhere,
and he asked mamma whether he might paint
me. She said yes, and so ne did,
Didn't you have anything to say in the
matter ?' said Kemp, smiling a LITTLE.
Daisy gave him a quick glance. No" she
said. I didn't care
I'm afraid you're ungrateful!' said Kemp.
Nest ladies would be llattered 10 be the centre
of 50 much admiration"
" didn't mem 10 be ungrateful! !" replied the
girl rather eagerly. mean-I thought it very
kind Of him; but don't think care very much
about that sort of thing
What do you care abOut? ?" Kemp couldn't
help asking, rather boldly.
But Daisy hardly seemed to notice the bold
ness. 1t struck him that she regarded him as a
comparatively ola man in whom It would be quite
safe to conide. She turned 10 him with a sudden
movement Of childish abandonment.
d" l don't lnow" she said impulsievly; I
don't believe / care for anything.
A woman might have felt impatient at euch
confcs ion, and would very likely have expressed
her opinion in terse emphatic language to the
effect that Miss Fielding wanted " good shaking"
or something 10 cry for" man of the world
would have concluded instantly that the child
| imagined that she cared for nothing because she
really cared very much for something which she
could not get But Kemp was not a woman, aud
had had very lttle experience Of women. and tho
childish plaint found its way straight 10 his heart
p" But that's very wrong state of thing" be
said kindly. " WHAT'S the matter? What makes
you so Indifferent? You are too young 10 say
that, you know; and much too young to feel it
But do feel it." said tfe girl, turning away
her head and speaking less distinctly
/ He was silent for moment, hardly liking TO
take advantars of her confidence TO ask further
/ questions. He could well imagine that Lady
Ffeldiags daughter might not have particularly
happy lfe but he could not expect her to admit
the fact in so many words
" I used to have fancies of that sort" he said at
! did You p7 said Daisy quickly, looking at him
| with q more personal interest than she had yet
displayed. And did you lose them? Did they
{" OF course they did" replied Kemp, deeply
touched at her pathetic eagerness. You didn't
because you feel miserable at-at eighteen, did
yOu p
She was silent; her sensitive little mouth quiv-
Did you ?" he repeated as gently as possible.
Sometimes" she answered at last sadly
enough.
Indeed YOU WON'T he assured her earnestly.
" II win all pass, and you will wonder that You
ever cared at all Things do come right, even in
real lte.'
It seemed 10 him that she started sliahtlv AT
his words and the look which she wore rs their
eyes met was 50 exactly that Of the picture that
he almost fancied she would mt her appeal into
words and ask something of him. Instead how
ever, she said, after q little pause: " Was Mr.
Julian really obliged TO 60 10 the other end Of
London this evening""
Kemp felt confused and surprised at the sud
den question that he Stammered honcleSSlv over
his answer: hut Miss Fielding though she could
no longer doubt that the eXcuse was made M did
N1,nuv
with the feathers of her fan for a moment in
hestatinC sort of manner and thrn got IN and
said that they must 60 back to the drawing-room
" haven't said anything that You mind have
." he could not help asking as they va lke1 bach,
"Oh. nor she cried eagerly. You've been
very kind. I don't know how to thanl, you"
You needn't thank me-" said Kemp. If yon
think kind that's all I want