Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-07-26
HER PROTEGE.

stence'-
"And you mean" she interrupted, with
Il cruel little laugh that if / were to ac-
cept you, and the uncertainty were over,
you would be rid of the thought of mep
"Clare!'
BY the bye, l haven't seen you in the
row for the last-I don't know how long. F"
"No; found 1t too expensive.
"Poor boy! feel inclined sometimes
to marry you for the sake of your poverty.
My money welded to your genius
would make q nice scandal for the
busybodies 1t is your wealth, Glare, that
reconciles me to your GOODNESS at times.
| Oh, my dear, wish you were penniless,
and had the right to earn for you.
"Now you are beginning again, she
| frowned "and it is all nonsense. l
shouldn't be in love with even love in
cottage, assure you"
At the foot of the stairs he ran against
| Sir John Darton.
"Ah, StockdaleP' the baronet cried,
| with assumed cordiality. "Been to see
| Claree Is she in? And how goes the pic
| turef''
ooh, suppose twill be ready" Stock
dale answered.
"Hope it will be hung on the line-de-
serves to be, I'm sure!'
"You are very kind"
| The baronet shook hands with a little
patronizing nod, and the footnan closed
the door upon the artist.
Glare Darton would never marry him.
And what presumption ever to have aspired
to her! What was he but poor, unknown
artist, to whom the most beautiful, ac
/ oh fhu hoiTa ha6
kind during an intoxicating season in
| Italy, where, with the usual unconven-
tionality Of English folk abroad, they had
formed an intimate acquaintance and she
had given him frank friendship in re-
turn for this burning admiration that
grew to consuming passion?
Yes, that was all, and yet not quite all.
She believed in his art. She had called
him genius, and she WAS not mocking
when she said it.
He found his boxing friend had not
turned up, and he took his studio key
from the wall where it hung and went in.
The canvas before him represented the
Greek muse Erato crowned with roses and
myrtle and holding a Tyre in her hand.
The subject had occurred to him one day
in Italy when he was standing with Glare
on a flower terrace at sunset. In his pic
ture he had represented the very scene
her attitude, the surrounding beauties of
warm southern coloring, and he had
caught the inspiration on her lovely face,
though he had not dared to portray her ex-
actly.
In the meantime Sir John Darton had
reached his niece's drawing room with a
cloud of annoyance on his face
$50 you have had your protege here
again, Clares" he began, refusing her offer
to ring for fresh tea.
eyes" she said carelessly. "That has
been my one excitement How did you
get on with my lawyersP'
''Matters are az bad as they can be.
shall go on fighting the case of course"
''Oh," she interrupted, "why do you
bother so much, unclef l am very CRATE
full, but can but marry If the worst comes
to the worst.
"My dear, your future depends on your
marriage. If you marry with my full
sanction l leave all my property to you,
and your fathers estate can go to the vul-
; | lures tomorrow"
"And what is your sanction?" she
smiled.
"Surely, Clare your woman's quickness
has grasped why encourage Lord Arthur
Bradley SO constantly"
"Lord Arthur Bradley The little lame
man with the squint?'
The case was this: A few months ago
her father had died in Italy, and by some
blunder of a lawyers copyist her name in
the will was omitted, SO that the prop
erty could be and was claimed by some
elder children, her stepssters, who had
] treated their father abominably.
, Mark Stockdale had a great name to
make, and she, who gloried in his gifts MS
much as she loved him, was not the one tc
mar his future. She let him think her
rich, luxurious and heartless rather than
tell him the truth, to be conquered by his
} passionate love.
, Well, the night of the academy soiree
came at last, and Glare Darton and Sir
John made their way up the wide staircase,
to greet the president standing at the top.
'sI think we have done we'll this year, "
he said to Sir John. Don't forget to no
tioe an Erato by Mark Stockdale. 1t is the
best thing hung g-absolutely the hest thing.
,, We shall have to elect him. Paris must
not snatch all our young geniuses, and !
hear he is equally we'll represented in the
, salon. "
A crowd was thronging the picture when
they reached it, and Sir John stopped to
speak to several friends. Glare found a
/, seat little apart and sat down to watch
her opportunity of getting near the picture.
1t was not long before the artist discover
ed her.
cat last'' he whispered. II have beer
hunting for you the whole evening"
owe have only just come" she said.
'"Have you no congratulations for me-
Il Clare?'
: "Why should you care for themF" she
smiled. "You have the president and the
\ whole academy at your feet What can II
matter what simple friend thinks9"
"It matters the whole world to me-
"Then I am glad, Mark; very. very
glad
You are SO good to me tonight" /" hi
said softly. "My cup seems almost toe
full, Glare"
"Then we will DISH it from your lips,
she laughed.
"No,'' he said; "this hand shall not bt
ruthless tonight '--and she let him take II
unhesitatingly in his" whatever the NOR
row may bring.
"The morrow Shall tell you what i
+ will brings"
Eyes," he answered, taking possession
Of the other hand. II can bear anything
In this moment"
'Then, Mark, listen. Tomorrow you
r Erato will don her Cinderella garments
| and weep for the glass slipper. Mon ami
| heard today have not penny In tn
world! I have foreseen 1t for months, bu
: wouldn't tell you before. Now you ar
famous have nothing to fear. My-my
!. love can't harm you now. London News
And the Sun Made the Rays.
eyes" said the man who had been tax
ing drawing lessons to no purpose al
- niUht uthe only firah in the whole 1Ong