The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-11-11
CHAPTER II.

of all the beauty surrounding him.
CHAPTER III.
| From behind the bole Of a large tree
| Jack Dornton was being narrowly scan
ned by young lady, who seemed well
pleased with the inspection. She watch
ed him at work for some minutes with a
| decided look of admiration in her eyes.
She turned from her survey presently,
| and STOPPING down, crept away slowly
among the brushwood, making a det0ur
with the evident intention Of reaching
| the spot again.
| In the meantime Jack, stretching HIM
| self after his spell of work, noticed q
| small natural mound covered with soft
| velvety grass. The more he looked the
| stronger became the temptation to take
| ten minutes rest. He yielded at last,
and found the mound an excellent pillow.
Before he had enjoyed two Of the al
| lotted ten minutes rest, his open locket,
| containing a portrait Of Ethel, dropped
| from his hand, and a myriad of gnats
buzzed and whizzed In happy freedom
| round his head. Jack Dornton was fast
| asleep.
At that moment a woman came Gid
ing by in full view Of the easel. She
was woman of SURPRISING loneliness,
| tall, stately, with mass Of golden plaits
| coiled round and round her head, full
melting brown eyes and ripe red lips, a
| skin rivaling the peach in its delicate
| coldring, and a carriage queenly in its
every movement. Her dainty cambria
| gown, cunningly made to more express
| than hide her FORM" trained carelessly
! among the ivy roots and brambles be-
| hind her. Her simple straw hat she car
| ried in her hand, and her whole air sug-
| gested the pretty maiden meditation
| fancy free"
She gave a well-feigned start when she
| had come well in view of Jacks easel.
| It VISA not pleasant to watch the swift
change that came over the beautiful face
as she marked the vacant seat and
| thought herself alone. 1t revealed un-
| mistakably the defects Of her character
| as indicated in the cruel little curves at
| the corners of the mouth, which were
generally concealed beneath the pretty
| confdiag smile that from long practice
| had become habitual with her.
Advancing cautiously, she glanced
around, and soon discovered Jacks
| whereabouts. She went quickly to the
easel, and critically examined the morn
ing's work. Turning aside, she remarked
| to herself, with such decided talent
and such an appearance, he would be
| sure to succeed if he were properly taken
| up" She then walked on tip toe to
Jack, and scrutinized him quite as crit
| ically as she had scrutinized his work,
and evidently with as much approval
Then her quick eye detected the open
locket by his side.
She looked carefully at the sleeper and
| having assured herself Of the soundness
of his slumbers, went down upon her
| knees by his side, the better to examine
| the portrait.
She started visibly when her eyes fell
upon the sweet face smiling at her from
| the tiny trinket. She rose quickly and
! walked away few yards.
$50 she Is this landscape painters
| village maidenv" she muttered vindic-
lively. Surely there il some fatality in
his coming here! I can't be mistaken,
| it is the same insipid babyishly pretty
face that Lord Summers pointed out to
me in the park the other day. And she
| loves this Apollo, does she? And per-
haps he thinks he loves her. Well, we
| shall see what we shall see!'
| There was a significant glitter In her
| fine eyes, and an instantaneous tighten
| ing of the red lips seemed to tell Of a
hard, cruel heart beneath the fair ex-
terror. But tho expression of her face
changed as If by magic when Jack roll
/ ed over on to his side and showed signs
of waking. She had posed gracefully
| before the easel, and awaited him.
| Il believe I've been asleep" he MUIR
| INJURED drowsily, raising himself on one
| elbow, when his eyes fell upon the daz-
cling loneliness Of the girl so earnestly
rega riding his picture; and in the frst
glimpse of Pauline Mailing, Jacks senses
and artistic perceptions were alike rous-
/ ed, and, springing to his feet he went
toward the easel.
/ II beg your pardon for the liberty
have taken in examining your picture"
murmured the woodland nymph melodi-
ously. Il hope l did not disturb you.
May be allowed to continue my inspec-
tion?
| Jack, hardly awake even yet NUT
tered something about ''too much hon
or"
| You are Mr.. Dornton, are you not r.
she continued, still looking at the pic
ture, and giving Jack time to pull him.
self together. Lord Summers told me
he was going to ask you to make 4 pic
ture of my house."
1t was Miss Mailing then, and nc
woodland nymph, after all. Jack felt dis
appointed, though he could not tell why
II suppose you will remain here fol
some days. May I-offer you little hos
pitality during your stay? The village
inns arc, I believe, wretchedly uncomfort
able, and should not like friend Of
my guardians to be driven to their shell
ter while am at home. We are two
lonely women just now, and but dull com
pany, fear; but We will do our best t.
make you comfortable for this week q
. least Next week / am Of again until
/ the end Of the season, and shaH hav'
. to leave you to the nsrcies Of the seF
= wants. Say you win como"
Thank you very much, " Jack begal
hesitatingly; '.but I did not anxfeiPate
: in fact. made no prsparatioa