The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-24

fore her.
It is quite jaunt from Manhattan
to Manitou.
What color there wasi The earth
seemed hung in some rarer medium
than common air. The yellow cactus
blossoms were like flakes OF flame. A
scarlet flower fairly burned into the.
sight
Grace developed new enthusiasm
every day and piled her palette with
cobalt and chrome. Even Fleming.
who had preceded them. smoked trif1e
faster than usual and grunted out now
and then: Put in your color pure
Make her jump"
So they painted from morning till
night, keeping two or three studies
under way at once-putting in blues
where Woodson saw green's, and pur-
pies where he saw nothing but monde
script sand, and doing all the inexpi-
cable things that should be done &C
cording to the gospel of the luministes.
Woodson sat by and chafed. He
couldn't paint He wouldn't smoke.
He parted Grace's occasional inquiring
chances by explaining that he was me-
gotiating to 60 into the cattle business
"a man was going to bring him herd
on trial
Meanwhile he arrayed his shapeiy
figure in cow boyish top boots, blue
shirt and SLOUGH hat, which became him
immensely and made a sinister impress
sion among the blazers and tennis suits
of summering Manitou.
Grace was absorbed and satisfied.
One day an idea struck Woodson.
.'Grace," said he. 81 found little bit
down here the other day that I'd like
to have you sketch-to send home, you
know. You'll do it, won't you?"
why, of course. I'll speak to Mr..
Fleming"
ooh, hang Mr.. Fleming" Woodson
broke in "Flening's ali right in his
way, but I want you-your sketch, you
know"
The place was quite distance away,
over the mesa. They set out for it tho
next day.
Here it is" Woodson exclaimed,
after quite tramp, pointing over the
burning plain to where row of cot
tonwoods were banked against the sky,
tremulous in the vibrant air.
''There, do that; call it "A Hundred
in the Shade,' or something like that. :"
ut doesn't seem to compose very
WELL" Grace murmured, holding the
tips of her fingers together and inclos-
ing thu picture in q rosy frame through
which she gazed. half shutting her
eyes in truly artistic intentness.
"Well, never mind that; get the
character of it. You know Flem-
ing says the characters the thing.
That's what I want-the character
the true character of this beastly coun-
try"
So Grace donned her big blue apron
and set to work with her biggest
brushes.
But somehow she had trouble. The
quality of that shy, burning with light
and yet deep in hue, did not seem to
reside in cobalt, however fresh from
the tube. The value of the stretch of
plain, tremulous under the haring
heavens, disturbed her, too, and when
she came to put in the airy wall of cot
tonwoods along the horizon the whole
thing ended in a PANTY muddle.
''Oh, can't do anything to-day"
Grace exclaimed petulanNy, wiping
her troubled brow with the back Of
her hand and leaving streak of blue
on her forehead that intensified her
puzzled look.
"Why don't you put those trees in
green?" Woodson asked with serious
concern, as Grace renewed her strug-
gle with the regulation blues and
puppies.
"But don't see them So" she MUIR
INJURED, in a moment Of absorbed
effort.
Grace" he blurted out almost be-
fore he knew it, II don't believe you
see anything. Excuse me, but I don't
believe you ever did. / don't believe
in your art; 1 don't believe in your
career; l don't believe in your indie
pendence. You're simply spelling the
incest girl in the world with it. You
see things blue and purple because he
does; and newell, he sees things that
way because some fellows over in Paris
do. and / don't believe in it. There,
now, I've said it; come"
But it was not arranged that he
should finish what he had to say. He
had looked down to the ground where
he sat as he spoke of Fleming. When
he looked up Grace was several feet
away from him, hurrying down the
hill with her head bowed.
I'm brute--a miserable brntey"
Woodson remarked to himself with
considerable force as he watched her
striding toward the half-dry creek.
There was plum thicket along the
creek. and after watching Grace dis
appear within it Woodsou set about
picking up her stretching kit. This
be a proper pennance on his part to
wash her brushes-he had always hated
dirty brushes SO. Gathering them up,
he started toward the creek.
When he got there he could see no
signs of Grace Could it be that any
thing had happened 70 her? The
thought made him catch his breath for
pulsive-capable of any rash move in
a moment of excitement Then he
heard stirring in the plum thickec
and came face to face upon her in a
little opening. crying softly 70 herself
Grace" he called. Why, what's
the matter? / know I'm brute, but l
didn't think you'd take it So
'Oh, can't you help me2" she pleaded.
and began cropping about and feeling
aimlessly with her hands