The Opelousas courier., 1901-02-02

I suppose I'll have to help you write
your letter to-day" he said, but there
was an unnatural sound in his voice,
and Jean looked up hastily through
her tears.
Johns face was grimly set, however,
and told her nothing.
"Let me sect was Hinsdale, ]
think you said," be went on, still with
that grating sound in his voice.
eyes," she said, miserably, again
having recourse to the crumpled sash.
"And I think we told him in oar
last that we'd be o sister to him." he
proceeded, nibbling at the end of his
pen.
"Something of that sort" And she
flushed warmly clear up to the curly
waves of dark hair ON her temples.
Evidently the SISTER racket won't
go down with Hinsdale," he said re.
fiectiyely, "You might offer to be
his maiden aunt, you know"
"There! I knew you'd be horrid!"
she exclaimed Indignantly.
"It's a delicate job" he went on re-
flectively. "Are you quite sure you
mean to refuse him this timer"
"Of course, T am" she burst out
Indignantly. "You don't suppose I
could care for q boy like him, to you?"
"He has a nice eye for color" pro-
ceeded John, drawing faces on the
margin of the paper-faces that had
big, soft eyes and pouting lips, strangely
like the girl on the hassock, "ana his
drawings are wonderfully strong.
He's a gifted fellow. is Hinsdale-the
best pupil I have"
"Yes, he's gifted enough" she as
sented.
"I've often wondered why he fancied
you," said John.
"Oh, indeed!" she exclaimed, flush
ing once more.
Eyes. He's q dreamer, you know
an idealist-and it seems to me
some angelic creature q little too pure
and good for human natures daily
food and that sort of thing would be
moro in his line than a little human
bundle of naughtiness like you." went
on John, cheerfully. "You'd make a
fellow like Hinsdale unutterably mis-
cradle, you know"
You're very kind" exclaimed
Jean, crimson with vexation, ''but I
shall not make Mr.. Hinsdale miser.
able. I have not the slightest inten-
ton of aver doing So"
"Ah," replied John, coolly. "then
the sooner we write the letter the bet
ter. Now what do you want to say to
him?''
"Oh," she cried, struggling with her
anger. "You are so disagreeable. I
hate you, but I've got to have some
body to help me with that letter."
"Of course. And you really want to
refuse him-for good and all?"
Certainly I do. I want him to un-
derstand definitely that there is abso-
.lutely no hope of my aver caring for
him in-in the way he MEANS" and
once more she broke down, blushing,
but defiant.
t'There's only one way to make a
man understand that" said John
meditatively.
Anything, SO long as he under
stands and leaves off being-heing
silly" she cried, impatiently,
John made no reply to this, but
after a moments deep thought COM
menced to write rapidly.
Five minutes passed, during which
Johns pen scratched industriously
over the paper and Jean sat bolt up
right on her hassock, staring OF the
picture on the canvas. 1t was o pale,
watery sunset that shed green CLEANS
of light on q wide lonely landscape,
in the centre of which q woman stood
gazing with de~solate, hopeless
eyes at the ~retreating figure of a man
on horseback. It was painted with
skill and O strange, wild
power kthat made John Steele the
most lannon's Of the younger school of
painters. What an artist he was and
what o friend he had been to her!
And now she must 60 away and per-
haps see him again, except in
the class with the others. All these
hours of merry comradeship were over
never to come again, all the sweet
work and play together. A great sob
came up in her throat, but just then
John threw down his pen, and she
choked the sob and, rising, reached
out her hand for the letter.
But he did not give it to her, as she
expected.
sit is q difficult thing to do" he
said. "To make a man understand
that, no matter how much he care for
you, you a never care for him."
"Yes, I suppose it u.s." she assent
ed. "But you have done it, I'm
Indeed, I may say there's only one
way to convince a fellow OF such an
fact" he went on.
"But You employed it2" she asked
eagerly.
ayes. You may think ii an ex.
IRENE measure, though. TIL read it
10 you." And he read aloud:
Dear Mr.. Hinsdale: I thought I
had made it quite plain to you when.
several weeks ago, you asked me to be
your wife, that such o thing was quite
impossible. I certainly tried TO have
you understand It, and I deeply re.
greet that I did not succeed, because
his removal Of your offer can only
in added pain to both OF as.
Believe me, ] am deeply grateful for
your preference, but yon will realize,
[ am sure, how hopeless ii is for you
IA ask for ndnra than nnv AskeAnn whan |