Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-24

'.Now that,'' laughed Agnes, lis. not in line with the polite things you have been saying"
 T did not mean to say anything rude, Miss Murdock, but call on your reception day is a call on you- guests. Surrounded as you are on such occasions, one has barely chance to catch a glimpse of you, much less to speak with you"
 "We are always glad to see our friends at other times than on our reception days"
 Do you really mean t?" asked the artist eagerly. May 1 call on you sometimes when the crowd is not there?"
 "We shall be happy to have you call at any time, MT. Sprague."
 Sprague thought he detected a slight emphasis on the pronoun.
 But it is not we I wish to call on. It is you, Miss Murdock."
 Once more the young girls express i've eyes fixed their gaze upon the del icate hands in her lap, and once more there was scarcely perceptible hut ter beneath the lace which lay upon her white throat.
 The aftlSC sat Wlln intent eyes fixed upon her.
 ''Of course I shall be pleased to have you call at any time, MT. Sprague," she said, after a brief in- stant.
 What more could any sane man ex- pect a modest girl to say? It is not so much the words spoken as the manner of their utterance that conveys mean ing. But it is truism that lover is not a sane man. Sprague was not yet satisfied. He was about to speak again, when a knock sounded upon the door.
 It was the hall-boy with a letter.
 Miss Murdock?" he inquired, glanc- ing in the direction of the young girl.
 For me?" exclaimed Agnes, sur prised.
 "Yes, miss; gentleman left it for you"
 Agnes took the letter, inspected it curiously for an instant; then, eX- cusing herself, she tore open the en- velope and unfolded the note which it contained.
 At once deep flush suffused her face, and an expression of annoyance passed over her features. She glanced up hastily at Sprague, who was ap- parently hard at work upon the back ground of the picture.
 The hall-boy was waiting expect antly.
 ''There is no answer" said Agnes quietly.
 And as the stern mandates of fash ion either forbid woman to wear a pocket, or else decree that it shall be located in some particularly inac- cessible position, the young girl dropped the letter and it's envelope into her lap and resumed the pose.
 Sprague tried to renew the conver- sation where it had been interrupt ed; but his efforts were in vain. Both he and Agnes were preoccupied dur ing the balance of the sitting.
 When at last the time came for Miss Murdock to leave, Sprague ac- watching it uEtil it disappeared around the corner, he returned mood fly to the studio.
 As he entered the room, his eyes fixed in a vacant stare upon the floor, he caught sight of something white "a sheet of paper-resting there. Me chanically he pushed it to one side with his foot.
 The sunshine seemed to have gone with Agnes Murdock. A gloom had fallen upon the place and its occu- pant. The artist tried to work; but he was restless and depressed. At length he threw down his brushes; and rising from the easel, he put on his hat and coat and started out for a walk, in the hope that exercise would drive away the blue devils whose grip he felt tightening upon his heartstrings.
 Meeting some friends in the course of his aimless wanderings, he was persuaded to spend the rest of the day in their company, and returned to his backelor quarters late in the evening, tired enough physically to obtain that healthful sleep which is the boon of strong youth
 Gro be Continued)