Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-16

ties with what he thinks is his reputation. f"
"Alreadyl By Jove, he has cheeki 1
don't know about his reputation, but he'll
come cropper if he tries that sort of
thing"
$50 1 told him. 1 don't think he be-
believes it.
ssThey never do when they first start off.
What's that wreck on the ground here?"
Specimen of his latest impertinence. I"
Torpenhow thrust the torn edges of the can
vass together and showed the well-groomed
picture to the Nilghai, who looked at it for
moment and whistled.
"It's a chromo," said he-"a chromo-
ELECTROMAGNETIC fakel What possessed
him to do it? And yet how thoroughly he
has caught the note that catches the public
who think with their boots and read with
their elbowsl The cold-blooded insolence of
the work almost saves it; but he mustn't go
on with this. Hasn't he been praised and
cockered up too much? You know these
people have no sense of proportion. They'll
cali him a second Detaille and third hand
Meissonier while his fashions lasts. Its
windy diet for a colt.
II don't think it affects Dick much. You
might as we'll call young wolf lion and
expect him to take the compliment in ex-
change for shin bone. Dicks soul is in
the bank. He's working for cash"
"Now he has thrown up war-work, 1 sup
pose he doesn't see that the obligations of
the service are just the same, only the pro-
prietors are changed"
Chow should he know? He thinks he is
his own master"
''Does he? 1 could undeceive him for his
good if there's any virtue in print. He
wants the whip-laSh."
clay it on with science then. I'd fay
him myself. but 1 like him too much"
"I've 40 scruples. He had the audacity
to try to cut me cut with a woman Cairo
once. forgot that, but 1 remember now"
"Did he cut you out?"
'You'll see when 1 have dealt with him;
but, after all, what's the good? Leave him
alone and he'll ceme home, if he has any
stuff in him, dragging or wagging his tail
behind him. There's more in a week of life
than in lively weekly. None the less I'll
slate him. I'll slate him ponderously in the
CdtaclySn." 4
"Good luck to you! but fancy nothing
short of a crowbar would make Dick vince.
His soul seems to have been fired before we
came across him. He's intensely suspicious
and utterly lawless.'
"Matter of temper" said the NiIghal.
"It's the same with horses Some you wal
lop and they work, some you wallop and
they jib, and some you wallop and they 60
out for walk with their hands in their
pockets"
'That's exactly what Dick has DONE"
said Torpenhow. "Wait till he comes
back. In the meantime you can begin your
stating here. I'll show you some of his last
and worst work in his studio"
Dick had instinctively sought running
water for a comfort to his mood of mind.
He was leaning over the embankment wall,
watching the rush of the Thames through the
arches of Westminster bridge. He began
by thinking of Torpenhow's advice, but, as
of custom, lost himself in the study of the
faces focking by. Some had death written
on their features, and Dick marveled that
they could laugh. Others, clumsy and
coarse-built for the most part, were alight
with love; others we're merely drawn and
lined with work; but there was something,
Dick knew, to be made out of them all. The
poor at least should suffer that he might
learn, and the rich should pay for the out
put of his learning. Thus his credit in the
world and his cash balance at the bank
would be increased. So much the better for
him. He had suffered, Now he would take
toll of the ills cf others
The fog was driven apart for moment,
and the sun shone, a blood-red wafer, on the
water. Dick watched the spot till he heard
the voice of the tide between the piers die
down like the wash of the sea at low tide. A
girl hard pressed by her lover shouted
shamelessly, "Ah, get away, you beastl"
and shift of the same wind that had opened
the fog drove across Dicks face the black
smoke of river steamer at her berth below
the wall. He was blinded for the moment,
then spun round and found himself face to
face with-Maisie.
There was no mistaking. The years had
turned the child to . woman, but they had
not altered the dask-gray eyes, the thin
scarlet lips, or the frmly-modeled mouth
and chin: and, that all should be as it was
of old, she wore a closely-ftting gray dress.
Since The human soul is finite and not in
the least under its own command, Dick, ad-
vancing, said, "Halloop' after the manner
of school boys, and Maisie answered, "Oh,
Dick, is that you?" Then. against his will,
and before the brain newly released from
considerations of the cash balance had time
to dictate to the nerves, every pulse of Dicks
body throbbed furiopsly and his palate dried
in his mouth. The log shut down again,
and Maisie's face was pearl-white through
it. No word was spoken, but Dick fell into
step at her side, and the two paced the en-
bankment together. keeping the step as per-
fectly as in their afternoon excursions to the
mud flats. Then Dick, little hoarsely:
"What has happened to Amomma?"
HE died, Dick. Not cartridges; over
eating. He was always greedy. Isn't 1t
funny?"
"Yes. No. Do you mean Amomma?"
"Ye-es. No. This. Where have you
come from?"
"Over there" Dick pointed eastward
through the Jog. "And you?"
"Oh, I'm in the north-the black north,
across all the Park. 1 am very busy"
"What do you do?"
81 paint great deal. That's all I have
to do"
"Why, what's happened? You had three
hundred year"
81 have that still. I am painting, that's
ALL"
"Are you alone, then?"
There's a girl living with me. Don't
walk so fast, Dick: you're out of STEP"
"Then you noticed it, too?"
"Of course did. You're always out of
STEP"
$50 am. I'm sorry. You went on with
the painting?"
"Ot course. I said I should. was at
the Sade, then at Merton's in St. Johns
Wood, the big studio, then pepper-potted
Il mean went to the Natlonal-and now
I'm working under Kami."
"But Kami is in Paris, surely?"
mo; be has his teaching studio at Vitry-
sur-Marne. work with him in the sum-
mer, and live in London in the winter.
I'm householder.
'Do you sell much?"
Snow and again, but not often. There is
my bus. must take it or lose half an
hour. Good-by, Dick
"Goodby, Maisie. Won't you tell where
you live? l must see you again; and per-