The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-03

eyes open. Moreover, the queen can
do no wrong. 1t isn't your selfishness
that impresses me. It's your audacity
in proposing to make use of me-
Pooh! You're only Dick = and
printshop.''
Every good. That's all am. But,
Maisie, you believe, don't you, that /
love you? l don't want you to have
any false notions about brothers and
sisters"
Maisie looked up for a moment and
dropped her eyes.
Its absurd, butt believe, wish l
could send you away before you get
angry with me. But-but the girl that
lives with me is red haired and an i'm.
pressionist, and all our notions clash"
$50 do ours, l think. Never mind
Three months from today we shall be
laughing at this together"
Maisie shook her head mournfully.
II knew you wouldn't understand, and
1t will only hurt you more when you
find out. Look at my face, Dick, and
tell me what you see.''
They stood up and faced each other
for moment. The fog was gathering,
and it stifled the roar of the traffic Of
London beyond the ratings. Dick
brought all his painfully acquired
knowledge of faces to bear on the eyes,
Mouth and chin underneath the black
toque.
Its the same Maisie, and it's the
same me-" he said. We've both nice
little wills of our own, and one or
other of US has to be broken. Now
about the future. l must come and see
your pictures some day. suppose
when the red haired girl is On the
premises"
Sundays are my best times. You
must come on Sundays. There are
such heaps of things l want to talk
about and ask your advice about. Now
must get back to work"
TRY to find out before next Sunday
what l am" said Dick Don't take
my word for anything I've told you.
Goodby, darling, and bless YOU"
Maisie stole away like little gray
mouse. Dick watched her till she was
out of sight, but he did not hear her
say to herself very soberly: I'm a
wretch-a horrid, selfish wretch. But
it's Dick, and Dick will understand"
No one has yet explained what actu-
ally happens when an irresistible force
meets the immovable post, though
many have thought deeply, even as
Dick thought. He tried to assure him.
self that Maisie would be led in few
weeks by his mere presence and dis
course to a better way of thinking.
Then he remembered much too dis
dnctly her face and all that was writ
ten on it.
eff 1 know anything of heads" he
said, there's everything in that face
but love. shall have to put that in
myself And that chin and mouth
won't be won for nothing. But she's
right. She knows what she wants, and
she's going to get it. What insolence!
Me. OF all the people in the wide
world to use me! But then she's Mai
sic. There's no getting over that fact,
and it's good to see her again. This
business must have been simmering at
"a
use me as l used Binat at Port Said.
She's quite right. 1t will hurt little.
I shall have to see her every Sunday.
like young man counting a house
maid. She's sure to come round. And
yet that mouth isn't yielding mouth.
shall be wanting to kiss her all the
TIME, and l shall have to look at her
7 -hof o,.f
of work she does yet-and | shall have
to talk about art-woman's art! There
fore, particularly and perpetually damn
all varieties of art. 1t did me good
turn once, and now it's in my way.
I'll go home and do some art
Half way to the studio Dick was
smitten with a terrible thougn.. The
suggeste(sit.
'tShes al alone in London with a red
haired impressionist girl. who probably
has the digestion of an ostrich. Most
red haired people have. Maisie's bill
ious little body. They'll eat like lone
women-meals at all hours and tea
with all meals. | remember how the
She may fall i'll at any minute, and
shan't be able to help. Whew. This
is ten times worse than owning wife"
Torpenhow came into the studio at
dusk and looked at Dick. with his eyes
full of the austere love that springs up
between menswho have tugged at the
same oar together and are yoked by
ctf,sl and hn inf; Of
toll. This is good love, and, since it
allows and even encourages strife, re-
elimination and the most brutal sim
cerity, does not die, but increases and
is proof against any absence and evil
conduct.
Dick was silent after he handed Tor
penhow the filled pipe of council. He
thought of Maisie and her possible
needs. 1t was a new thing to think of
anybody but Torpenhow, who could
think for himself. Here at last was
an outlet for that cash balance. He
could adorn Maisie barbarically with
jewelry-a thick gold necklace round
that little neck, bracelets upon the
rounded arms and rings of price upon
her hands-the cool, temperate, ring
less hands that he had taken between
his own.
1t was an absurd thought, for Maisie
would not even allow him to put one
ring on one finger, and she would laugh
at golden trappings. 1t would be bet
ter to sit with her quietly in the dusk,
his arm round her neck and her face on
his shoulder, as beftted husband and
Tc,napboxxv,c boots crao lyad that