Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-05-25
MY NEW MODEL.
By ANNIE MARY BELL.

allONCh lits Dtiu tilF tflkiiOis Il M Ols
to Pentham in two minutes
Nothing wrcng, 1 hope?' I muir
INJURED.
"'Oh, no! Miss Milburne will ex-
plain. / want to say a few words about
your "Fisher-Lad."' / looked appre-
hensively towards Mr.. Rays broad
back. Send it to my place directly it
10 finished, and | win see about send
ing it in, for / doubt whether / shall be
in Stillworth again before the Acade-
my opens. Finish it AS soon as you
can; bM mind-propas work! And
now goodbye;' and away rushed the
Signor, and auntie must needs go
after him down to the gate.
II walked hurriedly to the door; but
Mr.. Ray was before me.
81 beg your PARDON he said, In a
deep voice. Il am very sorry, but |
didn't think. 1t was most ungentle-
manly to do what did The remem-
brance of what he had done was max
ing my cheeks burn like fire. will you
forgive me?'
Il managed to stammer out some
thing about forgiying him if he prom
ised never 10 do it again; but | don't
suppose it could have been in very dig
nified manner, for, when he spoke
dRdlll. IlO lDlIt W do DlUIt titttIlul. dII1
l believe he was smiling.
81 don't know whether I can prom
ise,' he said quietly. But, if the temp
tation is to be resisted. | will do so.
THERE vas feeling inclined TO ask
yorr pardon on my knees two minutes
ago, and, now YOU are here, | feel
strangely tempted 10 repeat my o%tfence.'
WAS not this too bad? All, if | could
only have summoned my dignity, and
crushed him with the weight of my
wrathful Indignation, Instead of 80
doing, | was. standing quite still on the
exact spot where he had stopped me.
hardly daring to raise my eyes, and
feeling miserably conscious that. if my
model did give way to the tempta-
tion. | was powerless to prevent it.
VIII you please let me COZ asked
meekly.
"'But, If you please he answered
gravely, Il would rather keep you here.
Do you know what you look like stand
ing there? DO you know
"He took one step toward me. but
made "A dash for the door, nearly cap
sizing auntie.
Goodness, child, what is the mat
ter! Mr.. Ray, what have you been
doing TO-
Il oldNti w Itdl lO IIOlt. Dll ASlltN
upstairs. and. safe in my room, | did
not again venture forth rashly.
II heard auntie-after a long while il
seemed to m%e-speed the parting guest,
and, TO make doubly sure. | peeped
from II corner OF my window and
watched Mr.. Ray depart. Then the
thought
"'Wha will auntic think of me?'
II bathed my face and brushed my
hair, and tried to tone myself down in
10 the everyday Olive Dallas; but the
burning flush would not leave my
cheeks nor the strange glitter my eyes.
Never mind,' | thought, when
Hannah came to tell me that tea was
waiting. Il must trust To auntie not
noticing
I'm afraid. my dear said my pla-
cid relative. when | took my place al
the tea-table. that wax this afternoon
must have tired YOU
II bent my face over the table. thank
full that auntie seemed too busy with
the teapot TO notice'me.
81 suppose you know Mr.. Ray has
gone away?
Il felt growing warmer and warmer.
and my head went down several de-
grees lower.
"Auntie got up and came behind me.
Then, with a quiet little kiss. she whis-
pered-
~ know all about it. Olive. And
Mr.. Ray told me to give you his love.
"'Oh, auntie, how did you know
cried.
"'My dear child, do YOU think that
because | wear spectacles. | can't see
what is going on Just under my eyes:
And, if | had not liked it. or thought
you did not. | should have sen that
Young gentleman marching long ago.
But, %auntie, | myself only knew
to-day
"'Love is blind. my dear
But | am not in love with Mr.. Ray,
| objected. AT least. -
"'You are next door to it; and. /
sir. Ray were killed in "a railway acci
dent
AUNT Prissy,' | almost screamed
how can you suggest such a thingy'-
and / felt as though my heart haC
jumped into my throat. Then | coy
cred my face with my hands, and be
gan to cry. .
There, there, my pet-don'J cryl
said my repentant relative, holding M,
head against her and gently smoothing
my hair. Il don't mean to pain you
"'Auntie,' | began at last, hal
ashamed of my question, you don
think Mr.. Ray will be killed, do you?
"'Goodness, no. child! Drink you
tea and leave OFF crying. or expec
that young giant will nearly kill me /
he hears what | have done
so | wiped my eyes, and drank m,
tea o~bediently. Certainly ! vas feel
ing anything but miserable; and. "a
the Strangeness wore off, | was strucl
with "A sudden idea-what was my sail
Or-laddie's Christian name? ha'
never heard it. ! asked auntie.
VI have promised that he shall tel
you everything himself so your curl
osity will have To wait.
"And auntie was firm, only teasing
y v~ouchsafing the information that
had heard it often enough.
"The next morning l went into m,
studio to get on with my picture; bu
first | studied the painted face on tn
canvas as il I had not had the origina
before me daily for nearly six weeks
one a however look at the sam,
thing In two different lights, and MIR
Ray, my model, and Mr.. Ray, my lover
seemed two different people.
u had finished my picture by the en'
of the week, and, after carefully pack
ing II, | sent 1t to Signor Tosti; tina
done, / felt my occupation was gone.
could not go on with any of my othe
paintings; | did not feel in the hume
for work; and, after idly moping abou
all one morning pretending to sketch,
made up my mind 10 go for "A good lon
walk and try to pick up "A little energy
! told auntie of my intention, and, di
rectly after our primitive o~ne-o'clocl
dinner, ! sailed forth.
u took my way yer the cliffs, an
recalled the morning on which l ha'
first seen Mr.. Ray, when l had takel
him for a fisherman, and he had helpe'
to deceive me by changing his voic
and calling Inc miss I knew by thi
time that he was not a fisherman, com
mon sailor, or anything else of thei
degree, but | was no wiser as to hi
actual position. knew that he was
gentleman. and that he was wei
Known to Signor Tosti; and l had al
idea also that he was not blessed wit
much worldly wealth. This last piec
OF Knowledge / could not account fol-
1 could not remember any one tellinI
me in so many words tina. ne was poor
but I think it must have been fron
chance observations, made either b
himself OF others, that l had been leI
to that conclusion. He told me once
when I asked, that he was Mr.. Hays
friend, and that Mr.. Hays very seldom
left the yacht, only himself and som
Of the crew eve coming ashore.
1As I wandered ON, recalling first on
thing and then another, l found mysel
- ...-.l p.At ~. arhsak L-