The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-09-05

1t, and took away some OF tne HARNESS
from the one he had painted. I" 1t is
too white" he whispered, and she
writhed. Slowly she rose, and going to
her cloak felt in its pocket.
Monsieur" she asked, sis it too late
to paint this collar round my throat? 1t
is gray squirrel, and l have possessed
it many years" His eye fell on it, and
with a little start he turned away.
1t is too late" he answered firmly,
and deepened the line about the mouth.
You work so quickly" she pleaded:
paint it in, monsieur. You have been
hard TO me-" The last words were al
most whispered. "But now this last
sitting you will be little gentle; we
shall never meet again." she added
sadly in voice that sounded prophetic.
"There is no time" but he seemed
wavering.
" But the portrait is nearly DONE"
she said; "see, will fasten the collar
here" and she put it round part of the
enumeration on the back of the chair
on which she had been sitting. "Try
and paint it, monsieur, while / rest a
little, for l am tired and cold" She
seemed weary. There was something
| slowly towards one of the chairs by the
little table. Perhaps it softened him,
for he began to paint in the gray SPUR
rel. A long silence. Once his eyes
wandered to her as she sat over the fire,
her face turned from him, but her beau
tiful figure thrown into relief by the
blaze from the logs. Presently she got
up, and walked around the studio, and
again he listened gratefully to the rus
tie of her dress, it was so unusual a
sound in that room.
l." Monsieur" she said, there is a
canvas behind the portfolio in this cor
ner. 1t has its face turned towards
the wall, but if there is picture on it,
may l see it?"
eff l wished it seen, its face would
not be turned towards the wall; there
fore, madame must excuse it," She
moved away, and stood by his side, the
left side, close to the hand that held the
palette. He went on with his work al.
most as if he did not know she was
there. The gray collar was nearly
finished; but he fingered over the pic
ture, touching it here and there, with q
little stroke, almost as if he were dream
ing. He brushed away wrinkle thai
showed in the throat above the fur
She went little closer.
Henri" she said softly, I" the chest
nuts are falling in the forest of Marly;'
the brush nearly fell from his hand
Yes" he answered; they are fall
ing, and the leaves lie dead, as al
things lie dead sooner or later" His
voice had lost its harshness.
The summer is over, but il is no
winter yet, and all things are not dead
All! 60 on, like to watch you. Th'
little gray squirrel makes me think
"Why did you keep it?" he asked
through his teeth.
"TO emember-though it was no
possible to forget" she answered
"Give it to me; let me put it arount
my throat"
!" Madame will be seated again." hi
said, trying to fall back into his forma
manner.
No, let me stand here, you have 81
nearly finished, and do not want me tt
sit again? Thank you, monsieur" ant
she put the collar round her throat. {"
love it," she whispered. "No, dom
STOP" she went on, hurriedly, "ant
don't look at me, there is no necessity
you do not forget my face"
"No, do not forget" he answered
with his eyes on the picture.
"Surely that chin is a little heav,
above the collar. Nay, feel it-yes-
yes, just this once" She rested he
face on his sleeve for a moment, anC
softly pulled his right hand toward tn,
palette, and then the left one TOWARD
her chin. "The touch of the fur, doe
it make you remember" she asked, a
she raised her head.
{" have never forgotten" be an
swered, with a little break in his voice
and the chin on the canvas grew rount
again, and the lines about it wer,
smoothed away.
She spoke again, hardly above he
breath:
so often think of the Forest" sh
said, land the path towards where tn
fountains had been: we played our littl
play"
" 1t was only play" he half turne'
his head towards her; but softly sh
put up her hand and pushed it from
her.
No." she said, "think of the cir
who was, Henri" her voice was almos
tragic in it's sweetness; "and how sh,
and you pretended they were back il
the days of the queen. You were walk
ing with me en- poisson, and | was
court lady in the habit de Morly."
1t was only play" he repeated.
" 1t was much more to me-" she an
swered. "You said once when the wine
blew among my hair that it was like tn,
marriage of the sunshine and the wind
Take away the smoothness there" (sh
nodded at the picture), "and put in
suggestion of the wind, 50 that l ma,
remember"
a" 1t is too ate," he said bitterly, a
he took up some color from his palett
of brighter hue than he had alread
used, and worked it into the hair. :"
was like gold," he said to himself. Sh
was almost bitter when she spoke again
I" can see your face as if it wer
yesterday, but you have forgotten.
The reproach seemed to sting him.
"Never." 1t was like cry of pain
She gave long sigh and went on
a n ...1r