The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-07-18

shafts of light, and across the far-stretch-
ing shadows of the cotton woods. In the
midst of Il lazy silence they were presently
conscious of distant, monotonous tnrob,
the booming of the up boat on the river
The sound came nearer, passed them, the
boat itself hidden by the trees, but Il traliils
cloud of smoke above cast momentary
shadow upon their path. The girl looked Up
at Jack with Il troubled face. MI. HanA'h
smiled reassuringly; but III that lnstall NE
had made I'D his mind that 1t was MS lhoril
duty to kill Mr.. Edward Stratton.
PARTIV.
For the next two months Mr.. Hamlin was
professionally engaged in San Francisco
and Marysville, and the transfer OF Sophy
fected without his supervision. From letters
received by him during that interval IL
seemed that the young girl had entered en-
crgetically upon her new career ana that
her artistic efforts were crowned with sue
cess There were few Indla-lnk sketches,
studies made at school and expanded i'll her
own studio" which were eagerly bought
as soon as exhibited i'll the photographed $
window. notably by ford and martistlc
bookkceper, an old negro woman, Il siahSy
painted female, and the bearded see
ond officer of river steamboat, without
hesitation and without comment. ms
rs Mr.. Hamlin intelligently pointed out IN
a letter to Sophy, showed IL general ana o.
versified appreciation ON the part OF me
public Indeed, it cmbodened her III the
retouchng of photographs to offer SittlnSs
to the subjects, and to undertake. even
large crayon copies, which had resulted III
her getting so many orders that sue was
no longer obliged to sell her drawings, but
restricted herself solely TO profitable por-
traiture. The studio became known; even
its quaint surroundings added to the popu-
lar interest, and the originality ana lhde-
pendence of the young PAINTER hcipeu hef
to Il genuine success. All this she wrote 10
Jack Meantime Hannibal had assured MN
that ne had carried out his instructions by
Informing Missy" of his old masters real
occupation and reputation, but that the
young lady hadn't took no notice Yer
tainly there was no allusion TO IT. IN her
letters nor any indication Ill her man
npr Mr.. I!amlin WAS @rcatly-and 1t
seemed to him properly relieved. Ana ne
looked forward with considerable satisincc-
lion to an early visit to old HannlbalS
laundry.
1t must be confessed also that an
other matter-a simple affair OF gal
unusual unexpected and absurd annoy
ancn-which he had never before per
mittcd to such triv.aihs In a recent
visit 20 Il fashionable watering place he
had attracted the attention of what ap-
pcared to be Il respectable. mattcr-of-tact
woman. the wife of a recently elected rural
senator She WAS. however. sngularly beau
tiful. and as singularly cold. It WAS, per
hapS, this quality and her evident annoy
ance at some unrrasonn$ prepoSScsSihS
which Jacks fascination exercised upon
her that Frightened that reckless desire
for risk and excitement which really made
I'D the great ter part of his galantry. Ncver-
thcIess uS WAS his his habit ne had treated
her always with a charming unconscious
ness of his own attentions and u franklleSS
that seemed inconsistent with any lnNldlolS
approach. In fact. Ar. Hamlin seldom
made love to anybody. but permitted it
to be made to him with good-humored dcpre-
cation and cheerful skeptlclsn. lie hau
once quite accidentally while riding, come
unoa her when she had Straycd from her
own riding party and had behaved Win
such unexpected circumspection and pro
priety, not to mention 4 certain thoughtful
abstraction-it WAS the day he had received
Sophy's letter-that she was constrained to
make the first advances. This led TO 4
later innocent rendezvous in which Mrs.
Camnery was impclled to contdc to Alr.
IIamlin the fact that her husband had
really never understood her. Jack listened.
with understanding and sEmpat thy.
And so eventually this ycarning for sym
patty dragged Mrs. Campcrly's clean skirts
and rustic purity after Jacks heels iuto
50 clean. rural or innocent; made her miScr-
ably unhappy in his absence and still more
misrrably happy in his presence; gave her
two distinct lives. but so unreal and fever
i9h that with 4 rocklessneAs equal to his
own she was at last ready to merge them
into HIS For the first time in his lfe,
Mr.. Uamlin found himself bored at the
beginning of the affair. actually hcsitated,
and suddenly disappeared from San E'fan-
CISCO.
He turned up a few days later at Aunt
Chloe's door with various packages of
presents and quite the air of returning
father of family, to the intense delight
of that lady and to Sophy's proud gratiica-