The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-08-23


full suggestions. lie admitted TO him
self that she really inspired his pencil.
He looked forward with eagerness to
her visits. Not that they were part
icularly lively affairs. Miss Blackwood
spoke only as occasion demanded, and
Lacy was not one of those artists who
can talk and work simultaneously.
From chance remarks he gathered
that she had no relations, and that she
lived with friend older than herself,
who was also a model, and who had
persuaded her to follow the same call
ing. He also learnt that his was the
first studio in which she had sat
One day when she came he was nj
most Frustrated by more than un-
usually severe headache, complaint
from which he frequently suffered In
the middle of the mornings work she
suddenly jumped mp.
Why, Mr.. Lacy -ou are i'll j." she
cried.
"Only one of my headaches" he
said, family and wearily. You know
l often have them. But think will
sit down bit"
Then he tainted.
When he recovered consciousness he
found himself lying on the only couch
which the studio boastcd, while Mary
Blackwood stood over him with bot
tie of smelling salts.
Whore do You keep the tea?" she
asked, with smile. 81 must make
you n cup at once"
He pointed to II cupboard.
Years afterwards he remembered
the quiet Joy with which he watched
her quick, graceful movements as she
set about preparing that tea. To II
man accustomed to living alone and
"doing for himself" nothing is more
delicious than the sight of a charming
md sympathetic woman performing
those simple domestic offices which an
unkind fate has compelled him to do
(how clumsily) for himself.
"By the way," Lacy said as he con-
tentcdly slipped the ten, how came L
on this couch?"
6 carried you there" said Mary,
with suspicion of red in her cheeks.
"Oh -- er j see !"
l nursed my mother for three years
before she died, and know what to
do; and you aren't very heavy"
" Far too heavy for your strength. "
he said. And then he thanked her
quite prcttily, and she said that really
il was nothing.
Really it was very great deal
From that day they we're no longer
artist and model, but close friends.
Richard suddenly discovered that it
was necessary for Mary to sit four times
Il week instead of three. He explained
that if she did not he would have a
difficulty in finishing the drawings by
the appointed time. Then he said he
weuld like to paint her portrait as
"Clair Iugelow for the Academy,
which would open in couple of
months.
"But how about finishing the draw
ings for the book?" she questioned,
with n laughing glance from beneath
her long eye-lashes.
"Well, think that painting por-
trait of you would help me considerably
with the black-and- white work. It's
rather difficult to explain" he added,
after pause, "but I'm sure it would
help"
"Quite so. / think 1 understand, "
she replied, sweetly.
No doubt she did,
IL Wub uboHi tllS tlliit tIlhu
found he could talk and work as WELL
They discussed everything; and the
man discovered to his surprise that in
all domains of knowledge outside art,
the woman was his equal. 1t was re-
mnrkable that their discussions never
ended with the sittings Richard said
that perhaps if he took more exercise
he might have less headaches, and so
he fell into the habit of escorting her
to her rooms, and even at her door he
remembered many things that he want
ed to say. During one of these walks
Mary remarked that the portrait was
nearly completed.
"Of course you will call it "Clair
/ Tn0alowpn she sail