Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-05-17

sister who opened it. "Signor Vavasour
has been waiting for you. Are you i'll,
childW she added. How white you
look"
"It is nothing, sister,"
at is well this is the last time you
come" the sister said kindly. 'The walk
here in the heat is too much for you.
But make haste and dress now. Don't
keep him waiting longer"
Nclla smiled slightly as she began to
take her things off. The heat was too
much for hcr-for her, who had worked
in the fields right through the hottest
summer day without feeling it!
Slowly she dressed herself in the cos
tune Mr.. Navasour had chosen for her
as Cleopatra-a costume which showed
her magnificent southern beauty to its
very greatest advantage.
"IIe must love me-he must love me to-
day" she whispered to the brilliaIN black
eyes that looked back at her from the
tiny glass. And 50 she passed into the
cloister.
Gerald Vavasour had elected to paint
her, and to paint her as Cleopatra, with
a great tiger skin at her feet. leaning
against the massive stone carving of the
gray old cloister pillars And she GER
tainy made a vision of rare beauty as
she sat as he had placed her. looking
straight at him, her chin buried in one
shapely hand. the other loosely holding a
huge fan of peacock feathers. And he, as
he looked into those eyes, which, bright
with love or triumph. looked into the
depths of his own, began to think that if
Cleopatra had really looked so, then no
wonder that Antony sacrificed fame and
honor and all for her.
1t had been difficult work to get the
prim old sisters of the convent to let him
paint her there, in the center of their old
gray cloister, but no other place had
made such an ideal background and the
promise of Il large donation to their
school had at length persuaded them.
And, besides, was it not Nella-their
little Nella, who had sung in their choir
since she was child, and whom they
knew to be good and true!
Nella thought it all over in dull me-
chanical sort of way as she sat and
gaZed ut the man she loved this last
afternoon. What would the sisters say
when they heard the end? And she felt
the end was close upon her. That subtle,
heavy presentiment that sometimes comes
over us human creatures that a crisis,
the crisis of our lives, is fast approach
ing came over Nella that afternoon as
she sat in her regal trappings and put a
wistful prophetic look into the soft eyes
and took away her voice, and she sat ST
lent in all her glory.
How quiet you are today, Nella" he
said gently. Are you sorry it's our last
sitting"
Yes, MILFORD" she answered simply.
Are your"
He looked at her. What was that in
her tone, that new softness, that tremu-
lous little break? And as he looked at
her he saw a difference, even from yes
terday-the difference between the bud
and the blossom, the sign of that southern
temperament, that in one supreme mo-
ment changes the girl into the perfect
woman. And she was a perfect woman
as she sat there in half barbaric splendor,
her scarlet lips slightly parted, as though
she would speak, but could not; nothing
but the glitter of the jewels on her arms
and the flashes of her deep eyes showing
she was no statue.
And as Gerald Vavasour looked into
those eyes he understood what had
changed her. He saw her secret, and a
great thrill swept over him-she loved
him, this superb woman, this queen who
looked at him as a slave looks at its mas
ter-she loved him! But his love was
buried in a grave thousands of miles
away, and an intense wave of pity over.
came him, for the look in those eyes was
the look he felt come into his own when
he thought of that grave.
Nella,' he said, going up to her and
taking her hands half unconsciouslv
don't look like that. am heartbroken
never thought
Il will not see you again, Milford. No
l am not ashamed that you know | love
you," she said. evil you kiss me once
before go?"
Her fingers strayed lightly over his
hair, and the touch of her soft, warm
arms around his neck held him for mo
ment. and he laid his lips upon her fac,
and kissed her again and again. Their
suddenly, as a rush of remembrance
passed over him, he put her back almost
roughly and, going to his easel, said
without looking at her again:
The sitting is over. | have fnishedr
=
Nella stopped on the bridge as she wa,
going home half an hour later. In the
dim evening lights she could Just see the
white water lilies at the edge of the
Stream lower down. at would be GOOD
to lie there" she said, below her breath
$50 quiet and peaceful"
A little girl touched her arm. "Comt
quickly HON = Nella," she said, her breatl
gone with RAINING, Lott is come"
Lott! said Nella, passing her hand
over her eyes, Lott come already?'
Then she drew herself up suddenly
THANK you, Comma, for coming to tel
me. Go back and say I'm coming. Here,
my bracelet If you run quickly" and she
took the beads off her arm and gave then
TO her, and the child, with a cry of de
light, was gone in moment.
Nella walked down to the waters edg,
and pushed the great rushes aside. "NC
one shad touch me again." she murmur
ed covering her eyes, "since he kissed
mR-ha ~NN