Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-12-04

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at the half-bared bosoml That small,
shapely head with its rings and rip
pies of tawny gold in charming relief
against the dusky wood-leaning
back with that pretty, stately air that
held perhaps hint Of weariness The
delicate face with the wide, hazel,
'blacll-fringed eyes, the dimpled chin,
the geranium-red lips! How perfect
how entracingly lifelike it all was
He said something Of the sort to
the artist, but the latter scarcely APP
peared to hear him. lie was working
rapidly, feverishly, striving to get
while it lasted the full effect of that
wonderful flood Of light that brought
out unimagined CLEANS in the golden
hair, and made rosily transparent the
slender, ieweled hands.
Patricia" he announced, 81 have
news for you"
"Good news"
"What else? Father had cable
gram this morning from Lord Har-
betson. He has saled-is on the At
lantic by this"
Shestarted, her attitude of naughty
Indifference gone in an instant Her
hands gripped the arms Of her chair
AS though an obliterating sponge had
been passed over it all, the winsome
sparkle and color was swept from her
face.
$50 soon" she whispered.
$50 soon" Her brothers booming
laugh filled the studio. How com
plimented he would be-the bride
groom who comes across the sea.
Eh? What is it, Ainsworth?"
"Nothing" returned Ainsworth,
curtly- lie stopped to pick up his
maulstick which had clattered to the
floor He rose, hastily set aside his
palette on which a wide, blurred
streak of many coloTs betrayed the
random course of a nervous brush.
Nothing. shall not detain you
longer, Miss Reath. The light is
gone"
Tom Reath took MS sister down to
her carriage. He was a cheerful,
prosiac fellow, who had married the
incest girl he knew and was quite con-
tent with her himself and his life in
general. That ';angel, or knight, OF
fairy called Romance" had never
walked with him. He had not beer
conscious of any lack in has practical
lwell-ordered life. Naturally he was
rather dense in detecting or appre-
ciating emotional tragedies in the
lives of others. So it was with the
sensation of having received a phys
ical shock that he listened to Janet
Ainsworth's confidence few days
later. lie had met her in the corridor
leading to her brothers studio.
"When is Miss Reath's wedding to
take placer"
"Patricia's? In October, l be-
lieve."
"And Lord Halbetson will be
here"
"Any day now" He was looking
down into the sweet, spirituelle face
with the anxious, upliftcd eyes.
"Why?"
"NIr. Reath, you are a friend of
Bertram's-you like him?"
''Best fellow l know-bar none.
What Bless my soul, what
Her lips were quiEering-her eyes
were brimming over.
Cant You see, ? she questioned, in
passionate whisper, "that this is
killing him-killing him?"
killing him!' he repeated, blank
ly. what is? | don't understand. 3"
''That portrait-the portrait of
Patricia. You were mad to bring her
into his life, with his temperament,
his ideals, his alteration of beauty
0, it was cruel!
"Pm confounded sorryw stam-
mered Reath. He was honestly try
ing to understand. All at once light
seemed to break in on him. "You
don't mean to say"
30, | do! He does not edt-nor
sleep, He is here at dawn! he is here
till dusk. He does not know when
one speaks to him. He is dreaming.
When he awakes-"