Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-04-16

pounded loud tattoo on the door.
In emergencies men think quickly.
Langlade reflected that if Shelton en-
tered the room first he would, on Miss
Morrison's arrival, retire to the corner
by the window awaiting an introduce
ton, and would inevitably see the tidy.
On the other hand, if he should conceal
it first, he could probably find some
chance of replacing it after Shelton s
departure. He twitched the tidy back
into it's bag, shouting "Come in" at the
same moment. The door did not open,
and with a gesture of Impotence, he
Shelton was nowhere to be seen; but
pretty Mary Morrison, alone and all I'M
conscious of the unconventionality of
the proceeding, stood demurely waiting
on the landing, with color heightened
by her morning walk.
Wasn't it strange ?" she began, not
noticing Langlade's embarrassment.
"a great giant of man bounded up the
stairs ahead of me and pounded on your
door, but when he saw me he just
lodged into the studio across the land
ing. SO didn't knock. for l knew you
must have heard him. | came for a
moment only, to say that mother is i'll
to-day, and it will not be possible for me
to sit this afternoon. Why, Mr.. Lang
lade, you've put that miserable tidy on
the back of your chair. It's a horrible
thing, anyhow. Let me take it off"
And before he could think of what to
say she had reached the fateful corner.
Langlade looked with despair in his
heart. The back of the chair was
slightly turned toward the door, and on
it was seen broad triangle of gay colors
peeping from the edge of the pocket he
had so cunningly devised. In his hurry
at Shelton's knock he had pulled up one
string faster than the other end, and the
tidy had not sunk evenly into total
eclipse.
"Why, what queer way of fastening
it on - began Miss Morrison, pulling
at the exposed corner. Then she be-
came suddenly, gravely, ominously ST.
lent. She stood for moment regard
ing the chair. and then taking the
strings slowly lowered the mosaic of
impossible colors out of sight.
81 think | understand" she said in a
low tone scarcely above whisper, fix
ing her eyes upon Langlade. Her face
was strangely set and pale.
81 do not believe you can guess he
began with difficulty, chow sorry l am
this has happened.
''Why aren't you sorry you made 1T
possible ?" she demanded. "The thing
is ugly. know it. That's one of the
many things l have learned this winter.
1t has been an eyesore to me for some
time, and have longed to take it off.
But why didn't you say in the first
place that it was ugly?'
II did not wish to offend you,' SAID
Langlade more steadily. 81 had my
reasons for not wishing to do So
~,H,o L. l. L., b
me- If you had told the truth, / would
thank you for being kind to me this
winter, and for teaching me many things
that | am glad to know. But you might
have spared me this humiliation. |
think | will not claim my last sitting.
You can easily finish the picture with
out me and send it to Shoal Rapids"
stop !" cried Langlade, desperately,
as she moved toward the door. 81 will
not let you 90 so. | did wrong, l am
sorry. | have been punished more
than that can't be said. | was fool
because loved you. love you-can't
you see ?-and l will not let you put me
away. If you go to Shoal Rapids with
out letting me see you again, l will
follow you there"
"And | forbid you to follow me ~
she STOOD by the door, nOldlng the KNOB,
her Lead thrown haughtily back, her
eyes flashing. A moment she looked
defiance. Then change came over
her countenance. A smile conquered
her face as April sunshine chases away
the clouds. "It's a great house," she
went on in a altered tone, "and it's full
of easy chairs from top to bottom. Ev-
eryone of them has tidy like this, or
worse, and all the big ones have two
er, Amy and made them all. If you
should see them, your sensitive organi-
zation would never survive the shock.
You mustn't go there. But you-you
may write me n'-Kate Fields Washing
ton.