The Afro-American advance., 1899-10-14

true, but without apy hesitation.
Then she tapped huinbly and waited.
Addie heard heavy footsteps inside
and the next moment hand was on the
door knob, and the door opened wide.
Inside was a man with beard on his
face and a saucepan in one hand.
"Come in, said the man with the
beard. $50 you've got here at last. I've
lost whole morning waiting for you.
Come in. Shut the door after you"
And the man with the beard stalked
away, ahead of her, into room full Of
a litter Of portfolios, hanginRs. camp
chairs and drawing boards, with little
platform up in one corner and an easel
in the other.
She was seriously frightened. This
man was certainly not Wat. II she had
obeyed her instinct she would have
turned and run away..But then this
must be Watts studio, so she had her
mind made up not to be frightened by
the bearded intruder.
Sorry to-" she began, advancing In
TO the room.
''Oh, that's all right" the bearded
man interrupted her.,'I didn't mean
TO be cross. you know. Suppose there
must have been some mistake. Guthrie
said he would give yoh my message, but
| suppose he bunged it-aIways does
bungle things. Let's begin"
This bearded man was In a hurry.
Addie had no idea what he wanted 10
begin.
smy brother here % she stammered,
hardly knowing what she was saying.
or she would have put the question in
another way.
"Your brother?" said the bearded
man. putting down the saucepan and
looking up at her with look of sur
prise.
Yes" said Addie. III expected to
find him here"
What for? only wanted you to PCT
on sLubonnet and sit for the head.
There's the sunbonnct over In the cor
ner by the chair"
He could say "the chair" without be.
Ing ambiguous, for there was only one
chair proper in the room; the other
seats were only folding stools.
II don't know anything about your
sunbonnct," said Addie, beginning TO
be angry. II came here to see my
brother. Mr., Walter Andrews. This is
his studio. isn't itY'
"ohl" the bearded man exclaimed,
jumping out from behind the easel
which he had begun to push into the
right position for sketching in the head
with the sunbonnet. "Oh. sect lisa
mistake, then? You're not the model2"
NO, I'm not the model" said Adde,
very plainly. I'm Miss Adelina An
drews."
well, I'm very sorry. I'm sure. You
see. I've never seen the girl myself.
That idiot Guthrie undertook to get her
for me said she was fresh blond
just what / wanted for my sunbonnet
picture. That's what comes of letting
another man get your model for you"
"Yes. but where's my brother?" Addie
persisted.
"Your brother? Oh. Andrews? He's
on the third floor. you know"
Isn't this the third tloor2" Addle de.
mandcd, strong ia the certainty that
she had made no mistake ia counting
the floors
mo, this is the second" the bearded
man promptly answered. "rhe third is
the floor above. II you'll wait a mo-
ment I'll run up and see II Andrews Ia
In. I don't believe he II. though"
II don't see how could have made
any mistake about the floors" Addie
persisted. as II she more than half sus-
pected the bearded man OF prevarica-
tion. Il counted the toors~onc door
on each aoor."
"Then you must have counted in the
ground floor" said the man.
"Of course did, Don't your"
mot in this house, You see, the door
IL on the level OF the street"
whats that got to do with itp" Ad-
die asked, severely.
quite great denl Perhaps you
don't live In the city? We don't gen
orally count In the ground floor, you
know. In fact, IL isn't a floor; it's the
ground"
"IIuhl That's funny way of looking
az IT," said Addie.
III expect 4, is," said the bearded man,
looking thoughtfully and critically at
Adde'S face. But II you like I'll just
run up and see II your brothers in his
room lie generally goes out in the
afternoon"
IL wish YOU would" said Adde, sit
ting down very composedly In the ehnir
that WAS waiting for the model on the
little platform.
The bearded man ran out. leaving his
door open. and Addic heard him skip
up the stairs aud begin very lively
pounding on the door above,
"Andrewsi oh. Andrews!" came the
voice OF the bearded man down the
stairs In succession of long drawn
and very distinct walls.
Thcn followed a pause. after which
there was more pounding on the door
of the sacred shrine aud more bawling.
Addie felt a chill so over her while
this uproar continued, Such an exhibit.
ton ol familiarity at the door Of the
shrine Of Wat impressed her as down
right profanity.
Then another voice came up from be-
low; "IIi. Clitheroe, Shut up that row
or the fire engine will be here In an.
other minute. andrews went out two
hours ago"
Down came the bearded man and into
hls own room.
"I'm very sorry" he said. "Your
brother seems to have gone out--two
hours ago. 1 eNprct he'll he hnck he.