The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-04


half-aloud.
'Lovelier than ever. What a mad fool
1 have beeni's
His picture was very close to where
ne stood concealed, and above the babel
Of voices he could distinguish her re-
marks to a man so very assiduous in his
attentions to her.
For once really believe the critics
are right, and Mr.. Clayton's painting is
the best Of the exhibition" she said
Undoubtedly it is. in my opinion.
That girl is very lovely, don't you
think? They say it is a portrait, and he
was all the summer in the wilds of
Cornwall working at it,
A shade of something like annoyance
crossed her face, and half petulantly she
turned away.
''Indeedi' she said, and then added,
Il wonder if you would be kind enough
to see whether mamma is in the sculp-
ture room, Mr.. Varconlbe. I think she
must want to go nome by this time.
will wait for you here
Mr. Varcombe bowed and departed,
somewhat reluctantly, on his errand, and
the slim gray-gowned figure came slow
" in the direction of Randolph Clay
tons hiding place.
The crowd had thinned considerably,
and as she moved nearer he stepped out
directly in her path.
''sheilaY' he murmured below his
breath
Rather should I say, you herei
"Oh 1 came to see your picture.
have heard nothing else since we have
been in town.
And does it come up to your expecta-
ton ~
Perfectly The girl is as beautiful as
they say she is. Who IS she?"
There was only the faintest possible
pause before his answer came.
"A fishergirl got to pose for me
down in Cornwall
The sound that escaped her lips great
" resembled a sigh Of relief, and she
dropped her eyes from questioning his
face.
''Sheila, come with me. The next room
is almost empty We can talk there
But l told Mr. Varcombe I would
wait for him here. He is gone to find
mamma"
do you particularly wish him to hnd
you. as Well?''
NO
Then come with me-" II.
1t was much later, and the great gal
leries were almost deserted, when these
two emerged from the. temple of English
art into tn cold glare OF the electric light
without, and Randolph hailed a hanson
and drove with Sheila Trevarion to her
home, to explain matters to mamma
Evidently the explanation was reeeiv-
ed in good part, for the artist remained
to dinner, and went on to a dance with
the two ladies.
Mr. vareombe, who also foregathered
in the same ballroom, was inclined 10
be aggrieved at the fair Sheila's deser-
ton of him in the afternoon, and at the
number of times the initials r. c.
appeared on her dance card. But Miss
TrevariOn only laughed.
1T is not at all the proper thing to
announce ones engagement like this, 1
know she said, but, you see, I met Mr.
Clayton after you had gone this after
noon, and-and-two years ago, you
know, we were engaged, and-we are en-
gagged again now,and mean it this time
Down in the old-world Cornish fishing
village, where the scent of the snowy
hawthorn was almost overpcwering the
briny OdOr of the deep, the girl who had
been the summer passion of the famous
artist was waiting for the letter from
her lover that would tell her what the
great world said of his picture, and that.
be$ter still should tell her the day when
he was coming to fulfill his promise.
The old postman was coming across
the distanthelds from the post town with
his scanty mail bag. How slowly he
walked! She fastened up the road in
the glad May sunshine to meet him.
Have Zee got anything for me today?''
she called, as soon as she was with
in earshOt, and the old man shouted
back,
.'Iss, fay. my deear. A fine an brave
letter for zee from Lunnon''
In a few minutes time she was stand
the precious missive in her hands. But
but what was this2 What did it mean?
Randolph not coming down! Her Ran
dolph-the man who had vowed he loved
her. and would never forget her-prom-
ised to marry a lady to whom he had
been engaged years before!
She must forgive him, and be a brave.
true little girl and marry Will Polglase!
Her heart beat madly beneath her cot
ton bodice, and the hot tears rushed into
her eyes Randolph, the man she loved.
idolized, false to her! OH the pity, the
agony Of it ALL Why had she ever been
born to be brought to this bitter. bitter
trouble?
At the straight stone quay the boats.
one by one, were landing their nights
spoil, for the wind had been fresh. and
by-and-bye VIII Polglase sturdy, rudy
of cheek and honest Of glance, came
along with a hugh mawn of glitetring,
silver-scaled fish.
The mawn was dropped in a moment.