The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-09-06

take pot-luck, as the English call 1t,
this evening"
But it is so late, monsieur" said
Marjorie. "How will you get back to
Dumfries?"
did you not know?" returned the
Frenchman, smiling. 81 am taking a
leetle holiday, like yourself! l have
engaged bed at the inn and shall not
return till the beginning of the week"
They entered the manse together, and
Caussidiere joined them at their sim
pie evening meal.
When tea was over they sat round
the hearth. The minister lit his pipe
anG his guest cigar. They were chat
ting pleasantly together, when Solo
mon Mucklebackit, who had been UP to
the village on some household errand,
quietly entered.
johnnie Sutherland's at the door.
Will you see him."
Marjorie started, for she had an in
stinctive dread of a meeting between
the two young men; but the minister
at once replied:
''Show him in, Solomon" and as the
sexton disappeared he said to his guest,
ga young friend of ours, and school
fellow of my foster-daughter.
The next moment Sutherland APP
peared A look of surprise passed over
his face as he saw the stranger, who
rose politely, but, recovering himself,
he shook the minister warmly by the
hand.
Welcome, Johnnie" said Mr.. Lor-
raine. ''Take a seat. Do you know
Monsieur Caussidiere? Then let me
introduce you.
Sutherland nodded to the French
man, who bowed courteously. Their
eyes met, and then both looked at Mar
jorie.
Monsieur Caussidiere is my French
teacher" she said smiling.
Sutherland looked somewhat puzzled,
and sat down in silence. After an awk-
ward pause, the minister began ques-
tioning him on his London expert
ences; he replied almost in monosyl-
tables, and was altogether so bashful
and constrained that Marjorie could
not avoid drawing an unfavorable COM
parison in her own mind between him
and the fluent Frenchman.
can artist, monsieur" said the lat
ter, presently, having gathered the fact
from some of Mr. Lorraine's questions.
Il used to paint, when I was boy,
but, finding I could not excel, | aband-
oned the attempt. To succeed in your
profession is the labor of a life, and,
alas! so many fail
"That's true enough" returned Suth-
erland, "and when 1 see the great pic
lures, [ despair"
cried Marjorie, eager to praise her
friend. Does he not, Mr. Lorraine?"
The minister nodded benignly.
*Ah, indeed" said Caussidiere, with
a slight yawn. ''The landscape, mon
sieur, or the human fgure?"
Il have tried BOTH" replied Suther-
land. 81 think I like figure painting
best"
Then you shall not go far to find
subject exclaimed Caussidiere, way
ing his hand toward Marjorie. ''Ah, if
| were an artist, | would like to paint
mademoiselle. have seen such face,
such eyes, and hair, in some OF the Ma
donnas of the great Raphael
Marjorie cast down her eyes, then
raised them again, laughing.
He has painted me, and more than
once; but I'm thinking he dattered the
sitter. Miss Hetherington has one of
the pictures up at the Castle"
Caussidiere fixed his eyes suspicious
ly upon Sutherland.
"Do you work for pleasure, mon
sieur, or for profit? Perhaps you are
a man of fortune, and paint for amuse-
ment only?'
The question tickled the minister,
who laughed merrily.
''I am only a poor man. answered
Sutherland, land paint for my bread"
cit is an honorable occupation said
Caussidiere, emphatically, though not
without the suspicion of a covert sheer.
cat one time the artist was neglected
and despised; now he is honored for
his occupation, and can make much
money"
The conversation continued by fits
and starts, but Sutherland's appearance
seemed to have quite destroyed the gay
freedom of the little party. At last
Solomon reappeared and grimly an
nounced that it was nine o'clock
I'VE keep early hours explained
Mr.. Lorraine, land are all abed at ten