Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-01-31
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her hat in hand.
LeOa stood waiting, with a smile.
4 am very much obliged to you"
said the young really very
much obliged. You have made my
picture, you have, indeed; it would
have been nothing without you, your
figure and face, | mean. And I'm
afraid was very rude and" -
paused, his habituaI shyness growing
at LeoIa's calm composure.
But Leola's frank smile aispelled
lis uneasiness.
You have no need to he so CRATE
ful," she said; "a few minutes are
very little to give anyone"
They wouldn't have been of much
use without yourself" said Lord
Beaumont. merely speaking artistical-
" and meaning no compliment.
Leola laughed her sweet. natural
laugh.
Il am glad have been of some use"
she said, for once in my life"
Come and see" he said, motioning
to the easel.
Leola came rOund-he mad 10 give
her his hand through the thick places
and uttered an exclamation Of ad-
iniration
It was a beautiful sketch of thai
part of the lake in front of which she
had stood; and very cleverly he had
dashed in her figure. The face was,
CT course, unfinished.
Perhaps" he said, looking wistful-
ly at her, you will let me complete
the picture-I mean the face ITS
a pity, he added. thoughtfully, that
you were not sitting on that tree
overhanging the water What q fine
scene for an Ophelia!"
Leola laughed quietly
Il could hardly be expected TO climb
trees without a purpose. The picture
is very pretty"
Pretty" he repeated, with a sigh;
yes and that is all. There is some
thing higher than painting pretty
pictures"
Leola looked at him curiously. He
looked sad, dissatisfied, and thrust his
hand through his long, wavy hair
But it is more than pretty" said
Leola, gently. Look at those water
lilies-they are beautiful; they seem
to be really floating on the water"
Don't say SOL" he said, earnestly.
How can you say so? Look at tha
! originals themselves and he pointed
to a cluster under the overhanging
tree. "See how fresh, look at the
beautiful white, the dead yellow, and
/ now look at my miserable mockeries
| Why and he grew fiery and hot with
/ impatience at his own incompetence,
'See-wait till I get you one and
/ he sprang to the tree, threw himself
across it, and leaning over caught the
/ finest of the lilies. Now, to all
| who have ever made acquaintance
with this charming and obstinate
flower, it is well known how 'ughly
and tenaciously its blossoms Chg to
/ their stems.
As an artist Lord Beaumont ougnt
to have known this; perhaps, in his
/ eagerneas, he had forgotten it. AT any
rate, he pulled at the flower, and the
! flower. apparently. pulled at him. for
without a word or a cry, he Slid head
| foremost off the tres and into the
water.
; For :, moment Leola felt inclined 20
! laugh; it was 50 sudden and comical
a disappearance. But in a moment
as the pale, fair face rose to the sur
face, she saw that the water was deep
and that he could not swim
In an instant she soraug 10 the tree
/ and screamed for help
But although she bent down as fal
as she could, she was not long enough
in the arm to reacn the struggling
man. He went down twice-she
ceased to scream, feeling faint with
horror-then, suddenly, as she her
self was about to fall, she felt a pair
of hands seize her and almost throw
her on the grass, and then, with q
| splash, some one dived into the lake.
The next instant there We're two
faces on the surface--Lord Beau
monts and-Cyril Kingsleys. Before
she could thoroughly realize the fac
of his presence, the two men were CT
the bank, and one was kneeling over
her.
She rose, feeling slightly giddy, anC
was conscious that a strong-and !
wet-arm was round her waist. 1t was
Cyril Kingslcy's.
Did hurt you?" he said. Forgive
me"