La Junta tribune., 1905-11-29
A sep;a Sketch

Miss EAstNlcks coat fell % -
the floor, and. bending forward .
her shimmefing satin goUn, -
kissed the pictured face before her.
II Was q ceremony gone through
every night, Is il had been for thS
last ten ysars. In the early dsyA
with silent tears, IN . lsSeadS8
scented attic, now electric light
MAS switched on in the bag studio u
Washington, where Harry IAvto0S
picture hung in its silver frame -
inspire the psstels and dainty minio-
tures which had brought lsohal
Eastvlck fame.
Ten years ago young LAYTON had
called for South America, SovinE
a. soon IS he had = home to Oder
her to return and claim lsobea's
promise TO wait for him.
Miss Eastwick Mas nothing IL not
COMMUNICATING if not fsnciful.
her friends said. though they did not
guess at the romance Of her life, aaA
she had cherished the memory ef
those promises and the hope that
one day her lover would return.
Paul Maitland Vas one Of the fsU
people who knew the whole story,
and in spite of that he had ssks1
her to marry him
The question had grieved Aiss
Eastwick's soul. II seemed to b Q
reflection on her constancy, and she
was not little afraid that this un-
expected Development might end
their friendship.
But he had spoken strongly,
great deal too strongly. on the sub
iect of wasted affections, pink and
white boys, etc.-he who vas really
iInpossibly ugly. And yet
A. though to convince herself Of
his impossibility Miss Eastwick
picked up sepia sketch Of = rnan's
hesd-it was an ugly face, With the
determined jaw and deep set syes-
and laid it for q moment beside the
water color in its dainty silver
frame She laughed. The contrast
was too funny.
Miss Eastwick stood painting N
her studio before an easel, making
the most Of the early spring suD-
shine. The many successful por-
traits at last years exhibitions he'd
brought her more work than she
could do. and she rose early and -
bored hard for love Of her art.
Paul Maitland had sometimes
brought his fiddle and played to her
in the afternoons when her visitors
had departed, but today he had not
come, and she missed his dark, ugly
face. his deep, refined voice eIpress-
ing her own half formed, wholly in
expressible thoughts.
All! There WAS . knock. 1t must
be he! He would not stay away
simply because she could not marry
him. A faint, becoming blush rose
To her cheek. Yes. it was . mans
tread coming upstairs. but not Matt
lands surely! This va heaviss,
and this red faced, red bearded man.
with meaningless light eyes! Who
could he be? Who? And then in
moment she knew.
Harry"
"My gracious! What elegant
quarters! Belle, you are . psach!"
A t~ang that might have been cut
with knife!
Miss Esstwick vas speschlsss.
She glanced from the uncompse-
missing figure OH the hearth rug to
the water color on the wall, and
only a sickening dread that he had
come to claim her promise kept her
from bursting into uncomfortable
laughter at the shattering Of her
idol.
"I've times and times seen your
name in the illustrated papers we've
had in Lima" he was saying, paint.
ing daughters and wives Of millioa-
aires, duchesses and lords and evea
a royal princess. Haven't the boys
stared when I've told them how you
and l were going to b married
when my ship came in"
You spoke of me like that!'
Miss Eastwick thought. And il
was for you that l sent away Paul!
And I thought it mattered what Q
man looked likev
You're an elegant little WOMAN
enough" Mr.. 1Awton continusi
condescendingly. Eliza, nov, u .
different build Of . woman. Would
make three Of you"
Who could Eliza be?
'She was q bit Jealous Of you, l
can say. I've often laid it on Aev
pretty and dainty you vers to rils
her, but I'd alwsys bring her arounA