Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-09

n further bond between Richard and
the girl. Reused by the battling
strength Of his starving affection But.
Ter was desperate to save his friend
for himself. Material advantage
counted for nothing in the issue. On
the contrary, he would have welcomed
physical or pecuniary disaster that
brought him the chance to slave for
Thorne, to devote his life to him. What
he was trying for was to keep his hold
on him against the woman-the world
against his very self. This he would
do at any cost, even II It came to vio-
lence. Such resort had befriended him
in the past; why should he hesitate to
use 1t now i'm his extremity?
! Next day their easels were set UP in
the Dudley cottage, under the glass
roof at the far end of the semi-circular
| library, and the slttings were arranged
for the morning until luncheon, which
the artists enjoyed with the ladies'.
Miss Dudley declined to look at the
canvases until they were practically
finished, and 1t was full four weeks
before her self-exile was over and
Thorne invited her into the library for
criticism.
She stood for few moments before
his easel first and then faced him with
surprised but illuminated smile.
1T is very beautiful, Mr.. Thorne.
You are an Oedipus. You have guessed
the riddle of the sex. 1 congratulate
you on such a success!"
Success is of two kinds, Miss Dud-
ley Which do you mean"
"The kind that succeeds, Of course.
You have captured what you wanted!'
turning to Butler.
Not sound broke the silence in the
library as they stood before the pic
ture
Miss Dudley was awed as the aver
age human, sensitive to the Towering
of great achievement must always be
before a masterpiece. Her eyes filed,
and she grasped the artists hand in a
swift impulse, not daring to trust her
voice. His eyes met hers like smolder-
ing fires, though he seemed out of the
flesh until Thorne's grip on his shoul-
der recalled him.
LET me be the first to proclaim YOU
hors concours, old man! This wins the
gold medal next spring. How did you
do it?" with laugh to break the
tension.
Merely some tricks with burnt
sienna, vermilion, rose madder and a
good dash of flake white!"
"My dear Mr.. Butler, protested Rose,
laughing, "you talk as if 1 were only
pigments on a palette-so much white
so much brown-red, so much pink, 1
present you Rose Lathrop! Now, you
do think there Is more to me than just
color?"
He studied her indifferently.
II have always supposed pretty women
were three-fourths flesh tints, Miss La
throp"-
"Oh, my dear boy" broke in Thorne,
affectionately. you are not such a
pagan! What about their hearts?"
, There is no question of painting
them!" covering his canvas.
You are incorrigible, Mr.. Butler!"
Rose laughed again, and, tucking her
arm through his, led the way to the
do for the rest of the day?"
Paint. 1 want to finish the picture!"
"Ah, no. It's too beautiful to stay
indoors. Come with us for a picnic
in the woods?"
you are very good to ask me, Miss
Lathrop, but the portrait must be done
tonight. I leave for the city Monday"
why, I'm dreadfully disappointed,
Mr.. Butler. 1 thought we were all
going to spend happy Christmas at
Lakemere!" exclaimed Miss Dudley.
You are very kind to want me, Miss
Dudley" The dwarf liked this cheer
full middle aged spinster. you would
make it a real Christmas for me, 1
know, if 1 could stay"
"Then give me chance to try. Fin
ish the picture if you must but promise
me to stay and help me light your
candle in the gladness of a merry
heart"
But the dwarf only smiled and went
back to his work and painted feverishly
until a storm that had been gathering
for some hours broke over the cottage
with a bowling gale and forced him
to put up his palette. So ghoulish a
night was it the artists were not able
to leave the house, for the wind and
rain gave no sign of abating, and a
fitful roar like a pulse beating against
the shore gave warning that the lake
had burst it's banks.
From the butler who showed him his
room the dwarf learned that both his
and Thorne's overlooked the porch that
projected beyond the left wing over the
porte cochere around the angle of the
house This led to Rose Lathrop's
apartments. He was careful to locate
this before he dismissed the servant.
Long after he got to bed Thorne
heard the shambling tramp of the
hunchback, and fell asleep wondering
at the state of mind to cause such
rastIass tboughta Whan tba IiOhf dia-