The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-10-21


fractions of the club; and Peg OReiiiy
had not been one of the family many
days before the artist noticed her ap-
pearance.
Who's that girl that brought in the
glasses just now, Ruthven?
only a kind Of sub to Mrs. Garrett,
who's getting too old to do all my
work.
Where did you pick her up"
why do you want to know
Because it's in my mind to borrow
her. Will you lend her to me-"
AS model. Of course"
Yes. For my new picture. She has
just the face want"
rs there anything in it, them
There is everything in it. 1t is
wonderfully expressive
Il must look att next time she comes
in"
And her eyes are beautiful. Large,
iimpid, and almondshaped. She would
be useful to me in a dozen ways"
Il had no idea she was wonder.
Make what arrangements you like with
Mrs. Garrett, Addison. Whenever she
can spare her, the child is entirely at
your service"
Mr.. Addison secured the housekeep-
er's good will on behalf of his project,
and for some days Miss Peg ORellly
visited his studio, and sat. mute with
establishment, whilst he made various
studies of her face and figure. At the
end CT that time he repeated the ques-
ton ne had first put to his friend
Where on earth did you pick UP that
child, Ruthveng' And Ruthvcn also
repeated:
Why are you so anxious to know" I
Because am sure she is not of COM
mon birth. The contour of her features
and the formation Of her limbs, tell me
so. She has the most de.icately formed
little feet, and her nails are filbert.
shaped. You will never make me be-
lieve that girl was born of roughs."
Did / ever try to make you believe
it,"
ter altogether, half suspect, you old
dog, you know more about it than you
choose to say"
IF it's come to this" said Ruthven
of it. have only kept silence for the
child's sake, so you must respect my
confidence, The fact is, picked her
up in r5lfte court, where she was
charged with stealing onions"
Was she Innocent"
Il never inquired. saw she was
starving, and she told me she was
friendless. So I paid the fines, and
brought her home to Mrs. CARROTS
care. If she turns out we'll, she will
want to forget the police court, so I
thought it best to keep her counsel
There is the long and the short of it,
'Ruthven, l have always said you
were the best fellow in the world; but,
mark my words, that child is better
born than she appears. Can't you
find out anything about her antece-
dents?"
Well. to tell the truth" replied
Ruthven, shamefacedly, Il have tried,
without success. Mrs. Garrett told me
the girls mother had died in a certain
work-house, so / went there to gain all
the information concerning her could.
But they had none to give me. 1t was
the old story A woman who called
herself Nan O'Reilly, had come into the
house some ten years ago, in dying
condition, with this child in her arms,
and the authorities, knowing nothing
further, were compelled. on the moth
er's death, to bring her up. Three
years ago they drafted her out into do
nestle service, from which she ran
away, and they had never heard of her
again till | came across her in court.
Depend upon it, the child is nothing
more than she seems"
II don't believe it. Besides she
doesn't seem so. She is starved and
pinched at present. but she will be a
beautiful and graceful woman some
day"
Poor Peg! Ireaiiy must have a look
at her by and by replied Ruthven
quietly amused.
But the look resulted in a wonderful
change for our little heroine. Ruthven
observing that his friend Addsons
opinion was correct with respect to her
personal qualities, had talk with Ham
ilton Shore on the subject, when the
lad assured his uncle that Peg showed
such aptitude for learning that he be-
gan to think he should be doing her
an injustice by bringing her up in a
mental capacity.
'Thern ia no doubt She will haun