The Irish standard., 1893-09-02
sound. SO he continued:

sound. SO he contlnued:
Perhaps, now you have come, you'll
be good enough to step round, that !
may continue my work. l am longing
to refresh my memory with a sight OF
your face, Matt!''
"Well, you can t, . said Matt; they're
locked up!'
''Eh-what's locked up-my memory
or your face?'
It was clear Matt could not appre-
ciate banter She saw him smile and
guessed that he was laughing at her,
and her face grew black and mutinous.
She would have skunk off, but his voice
stopped her.
J, Come here, Matt,'' he said. t'Don't
be silly. child; tell me what's the mat
ter, and-why, what has become OF
your resplendent raiment-your gor-
geous Sunday clothes?'
Didn't tell you? They're locked
up"
"Indced?'
,"Yes. William Jones done it cause
he told him. He don't want me to
come here and be took
"Oh! Tell you what it is, Matt, We
will have our own way in spite Of
them. For the present this picture
shall be put aside. If in day or SO
you can again don your Sunday raj
ment, and sit to me again in them-if
not, dare say shall be able to finish
the dress from memory. That portrait
shall give to you. In the mean time,
rs l want one for myself, / will paint
you as you are. Do you approve?'
Matt nodded her head vigorously.
every well,'' said Brinkley. ''Then
we will get on"
He removed from his easel and care
fully covered the portrait upon which
he had been working. Then he put up
. fresh cardboard, and sat down, in
viting Matt to do the same.
With the disappearance of the Sun
day clothes the girls stiffness seemed
to have disappeared also, and she be-
came again a veritable child of nature.
She looked like shaggy young pony
fresh from race on the mountain side,
as she threw herself on the ground in
an attitude which was all picturesque
ness and beauty. Then, with her
plump, sunburnt hand, she began to
carelessly pull up the grass, while her
black eyes searched alternately the
prospect and the painters face.
Presently she. spoke:
''He says you're pryin' scoundrel," !"
she said.
Brinlzley looked up and smiled.
"Who is he, Matt?"
'Mr Monk she repliAd, and gave a
Jerk with her head in the direction of
Monkshurst.
"Oh, indeed" said Brinkley. ''It is
my amiable equestrian friend, is it?
I'm sure I'm much obliged to him.
, And when, may ask, did he bore you
with his opinion of me?'
"Last night, when he come to see
| William Jones. He said [ wasn't to be
took no more, cause You was scoun'
drel poking and prying.'
Brinkley began to whistle, and went
on for awhile vigorously touching up
his work: Then he looked up and re-
garded the girl curiously.
''Mr. Monk seems to be very much
interested in you, Matt"
The girl nodded her head vigorously;
then, remembering the odious caress
to which Mr.. Monk had subjected her,
she began to rub her cheek again.
'Why is Mr.. Monk so interested in
you? Do you know?'
'.P'raps it's cause he found me when
/ come ashore"
"Oh, he found you, did he? Then
! why doesn't he keep your
"He do, only live along O William
JONES' ....
Again Brinkley began whistling
lightly and working away vigorously
with his brush. Presently the conver.
sation began again.
Matt, what things did you come
ashore in?''
II Dunno
"You have never heard whether any
thing was found with you which might
lead to your finding your relations?"
"No; no more has William Jones.
He says maybe they'll find me some
day and reward him. but MIR. Monk
says they were all drownded, and
amt got no friends cept him and Will
Lam Jones'"
"Well, since he found you suppose
he ought to know; and since you have
no relations Matt. and no claim upon
anybody in the world. it was very kind
of Mr.. Monk to keep you instead OF
sending you to the workhouse, as he
might have DONE
On this point Matt seemed rather
skeptical.
"Wen," continued Brinkley, as he
went on lightly touching his work.
perhaps have done my equ estrian
friend wrong. Perhaps his unamia-
BILE exterior bellies his real nature; per-
haps he is good and kind, generous to
the poor, willing to help the helpless
like you. for instance"
"Is it him?'' exclaimed Matt;
''Monk, of Monkshurst! Why, he
don't give nothin' to nobody. No
fear"
"And yet, according to your own
showing, he has helped to support you
all these years-you. who have no claim
whatever upon him."
This was an enigma to which Matt
had no solution. She said no more,