The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-13
THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURY, PA.
to see him one afternoon.

to see him one afternoon.
Look here, old fellow" he said,
whats the matter2 know was
ungentlemanly about the handkerchief,
but that is no reason why you should
cut us all this way. Can't you for
get about it?"
"Why, Jennings, old boy, I haven't
cut anybody"
NO, but you're tired of us, and you
can't hide It, Come down the river
with us tonight. The fellows have
got yacht, and we'll have supper on
board, with penty of champagne.
Won't you Gomez
Jennings" he said, "do look like
man who would make good company
at a champagne supper? You know
what's the matter with me. Why don't
you just sensibly drop me?'
Jennings begged and mocked and
bullied, all In good natured way, but
his friend was firm. When he went
out Hayward locked the studio door
and drew his half finished picture from
behind curtain.
"She was right" he said to himself.
Constance sailed. He dreamed of
his picture as being hung in the Salon
and of her seeing ii there. BY and by
1t was finished. II crossed the water,
and the dream he had dreamed came
true.
When Constance looked upon Hay
wards painting her heart leaped as
though 1t would leave her breast
White, radiant and glorifed, it was
she herself who stood in the center of
the picture. That selfreliant, fearless
pose seemed to radiate an infinite
calm. Behind her ragged the powers of
darkness, utterly helpless to pass the
line on which she stood. Her face
seemed to illumine the shadows
around her; her figure was instinct
with grace and strength. Below the
picture was the name: "A White
Shield"
The beauty of the conception dawned
upon her slowly. Pale and trembling
she stood there, forgetful of place,
and the things around her. At length
she knew what she meant to him; that
his art at last rang true because he had
loved her enough to be a man for her
sake.
She dared not linger before II then,
but she came again when the place
was empty, and stood before her low
er's work like one in dream. The
fends in the shadow showed her the
might of the temptations he had fought
down. She gazed at her own glorified
face until her eyes filled with tears
With a great throb which was almost
pain, Constance woke to the knowledge
that she loved him, even as he loved
her; well enough to stand between him
end danger till she herself should fall.
The old gray guard, passing through
the room, saw her upturned face in
that moment of exaltation. 1t was the
same that he saw in the picture above,
and he quietly went away TO wait un-
til Constance came out, her face
flushed and her eyes shining like stars
before he locked the door.
That night the cable trembled with |
message to America. 1t reached |
Hayward the next morning as he sat |
reading the morning paper. The en-
velope fiuttered unheeded to the floor, |
and his face grew tender as he read the |
few words which told him that his |
picture had rewarded his love.
wait" he said to the messenger
boy. Hurriedly he wrote the answer:
sail next steamer''-then utterly |
oblivous of the additional expense, he |
added another word, which must have |
been very expressive, for Constance |
turned crimson when it reached her
perhaps because the discerning genius |
who copies cablegrams in typewriting
had put the last words in capitals, |
thinking that the message came from a
Mr. Darling