The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1898-11-22

artist Immediately in front of her, bur
her eyes were fixed not upon him. hut
upon the figure of a young man who
was working hard at the other end of
the room Ever since she first came IN
the studio, just three days before, Adele
had watched the young man very cu,
riously.
His behavior interested her. He
seldom spoke, but worked at his ME
ture with quiet pertinacity. Presently
the young fellow dropped his brush and
walked silently from the room. Adele
turned her eyes upon her companion,
'eWho is your friend monsieur?" she
asked abruptly.
The artist, deeply engaged in his
work, failed at first to notice her ques.
ton
who is hep she asked again,
"He?"
Eyes; the young man who works al
ways and never speaks
"He is a friend.
Naturally, monsieur, since he shares
your studio. But where does he come
from?"
The artist smiled.
'sYou seem curious about him, made
moiselle,' he said. what do you wish
to know concerning him?''
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
wish to know!" she exclaimed ma
fol! l have no wish to know. mon
sieur."
''Then I don't mind telling you. He
is countryman of mine. He was
born in a village near where | was
born. | knew him when he was a boy;
and when he came to Paris a few
months ago, determined to work hard
and compelled to live on slender means,
| offered to share my studio with him.
and he is here. There, you have lost
your fierce look and got quite a tame
one into your eyes. You are no longer
wild creature of the Revolution. You
are also stiff, | perceive. Take few
turns about the rooms, mademoiselle,
then we will go on
The artist walked over to table lit
tered with all kinds of debris, filled a
| well-colored briar-root pipe, and began
to smoke.
He was tall man, slight in build,
rather good-looking, but very careless
ly dressed; when he walked, he did so
with a slight limp, though he appeared
to have welI-knit limbs; and when he
spoke French, he did so with very
strong insular accentuation. From
himself Adele had learned nothing Of
his personal history, for he was chary
of giving that kind of information,
and at times more inclined to work
than talk
Having received permission to rest,
Adele shook herself like a young pan
Their, and leaped lightly from the ros-
trum, while her employer, having lit
his pipe, strolled off and left her in
sole possession of the studio. She
stood for moment to stretch her
limbs, already cramped with posing,
then strolled thoughtfully to the fur
Their end of the studio, where the
younger of the two men had been
working There stood the picture at
cred with a green fold of baize. Adele
longed to have peep at it. She lis
tened; returned to the door; there was
no sound; then she ran lightly across
the room, lifted the loose baize and
exposed the picture to full view.
"Holy MotherH' she exclaimed
starting back with raised eyebrows
and hands.
"You are startled, mademoiselle,
said voice. ''Do you consider the
picture a bad one?'
Adele turned and saw her employer
gazing at her from the threshold OF
the room.
eff you please" he continued, adj
vancing, 1--WE will return to our work
Your face has got some expression
now; the rest has done you good"
Without word she turned from the
picture, mounted her rostrum and fell
into her accustomed pose.
For a time the artist worked again
silently, and Adele, glancirg from hlm
to the picture, seemed celebrating as
to what she should do.
Presently she spoke.
Glow long has he been in Paris!
she said, indicating by sidelons
movement of her head the person VINO
usually occupied the other end OF tn0
room
Several months, as I informeu
you" returned the artist, without look'