The Portland daily press., 1895-08-03

seemed to her. AS months passed Philip
complained that her letters were cold
and accused her Of having ceased to
care for him. This made Mildred angry,
and she wrote sarcastic letter in re-
Ply All this she confided to her aunt,
and that lady felt that her opportunity
had come. She quietly tossed all let
ters which came from Philip during the
next two weeks into the firs, and at the
expiration of that time she wrote home
glowing letters full of accounts of Mil
dred's social triumphs. The London
season was on, and Mildred really was
the recipient Of much attention. She en-
tered into the gayeties with a feverish
spirit caused by Philips cruel neglect
of her, as she supposed A certain scion
of an old French house was very devoted
to her, and Mrs. Montrose did all in her
power to aid and abet his cause. She
believed that Mildred's infatuation for
Philip was a passing girlish fancy, and
that marriage between the two could
only result in misery. She felt justified
in making this lovers quarrel a final
rupture. A poor artist was bad enough.
but when he added to his poverty dis
position of jealous tyranny it was time
something was done to save Mildred be-
fore it was too late. Well, the ''some-
thing" was DONE
1t was June when Philip heard the
news of Mildred's titled admirer. Six
weeks had elapsed since her last sarcas.
tic letter came to him, and there had
been no response to four of his penitent
epistles. So this was the end of his
dream. He packed up his belongings
and set out for the "wilds of Maine. :"
He did not care where he went, only to
get away from the roar of New YORK
and the eyes of curious people-that
was all he asked. He had thought of the
| Maine woods, but the thirst for the salt
sea grew upon him as he journeyed, SO
| he found himself one June night set
tied in fishing hamlet with his tent
pitched just out Of the reach Of the
waves at high tide and sheltered by pic
turesque rocks on one side and a glimpse
of spreading country fields on the other.
| A few rods distant was the cabin Of
Claiming jack where he took his
repast. Suzanne was Jacks daughter, a
veritable fisherman's daughter. and the
handsomest creature it had ever been
Philips lot to look upon. Medium
height, of perfect shape and almost
faultless features, she possessed that
wonderful complexion SO often found
near the sea, and which might be re-
| deotion from the lining of seashells, so
similar is it in ooloring Her thick soft
hair was the hue of ripe wheat and fell
to her knees when unbraided. "a glo-
rious model" Philip thought only, and
straightway asked her to serve in that
capacity, offering what seemed. for
tune to the simple girl-50 cents an
hour.
So Suzanne passed many weary hour
for him and marveled at the sight of
herself upon canvas. And while she
posed Claiming Jack" would row
ashore with Dick Dunning Of the fish
ing scow Black Minnie, and the two
would stand awestruck behind the artist
gazing at the wonderful things which
grew beneath his hand. Then Suzanne
would have to be freed from her strange
new role of artists model and go and
spread the family repast.
Dick Dunning lived with Claiming
Jack and his daughter during the fish
ing season. In the winter he worked at
odds jobs about the neighboring towns.
A good fellow in his way, with dog
like fidelity to his friends, an honest
eye, and willing open hand, so open
that it never held the pennies that he
earned until they grew to dollars. That
Dick loved Suzanne was as plain to all
the world as that the waves ran up to
man honestly, there is that in his eye,
when it falls upon her, which no OBJ
server can mistake, but with women it
is different, and none could say if Su-
zanne loved Dick. Philip from sheer
weariness in thinking SO hopelessly of
his own heart affairs fell to wondering
about Suzanne's, and then it was that
he began to look upon her as woman, not
merely model, and he thought what
desecration it would be of beauty such
as hers to give itself to rough handed,
uncouth Dick Dunning. 1t was not long
after this thought first entered Philips
mind that Claiming Jack was brought
home dead He had carried load Of
freshly dug clans to the neighboring re-
sort five miles away, as was his custom
each Friday, and he had been killed by
the Portland express as he essayed to
cross the track
1t was all SO terrible and tragic and
when Philip saw Suzanne wringing her
hands over the dead body Of the fisher
man who made her whole world, and
when he heard her cry, "Oh, father, IA
ther, what shall do. where will 60?
had no one in the whole world but
you," he reached out his arms and said:
Dear, you will come to me. You will
be my wife. will take care of you. !"
And then before the strangeness Of his
own words had ceased ringingin his ears
he was startled into something like ter
rur az tne lmpassloned weeping OF Che
beautiful gi,l in his arms, and the wild
broken phrases she whispered as she
clung to him. Darling, darling. she