The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-09-03
A MODERN GALATEA.
Hearts Have Changed Little
Since PygmaIion's Time."
By cRlTTENDEN MARRIOTT.

ACB you, Oh course.
Wykoff did not seem any better
pleased at the meeting than did the
speaker. "Humphr he remarked dis
gustedlV. II might have known I'd
ind you here. Meredith"
tits mutual" returned the other.
with gesture of resignation. Il cant
for the life Of me see how you can nj.
ford to neglect business this way. old
man. Maybe, though, you have seen
Forbes this morning"
Wykoff shook his head. He did not
seem In the least interested.
HE was looking for you" went on
Meredith. 81 don't know what he
wanted. but | imagine from his man
ner that 1t was something important.
He said he would be at his ONCE TIL :.
O'Clock. It's nearly that now, and you
had better hurry If you want to see
him."
FORBES can wait. Look here, Mere.
dithl I'm tired of seeing you hangiu.
around here all the time. wish
Before Wykoff could explain WIN
he wished girl swept into the room.
holding out her hands IN grave wei.
come. How do you do, Mr.. wykoffY
she said quietly. How do you DE-,
Mr.. heredith9 / seem to be honorcd
this afternoon. VIII you ring for the
tea, Mr.. Meredith? Sit down, Alr.
Wykoff. You look troubled. HOY
nothing is wrong" Her tones were
calm. Any one could see that she took
little interest in the affairs Of others.
"Wykoff isn't troubled, Miss Curtis
That's his way Of expressing extra
agant 10Y. He was just saying how
pleased he was to see me here"
The girl glanced at WykoH. who was
plainly seeking for some retort-and
finding none. Airy perslGage was no;
In his line.
'You must not tease Mr. Wykoff.
she said gently. when is that sister
Of yours coming to see me. Mr.. Wy.
koff7 | want
The sentence was never finished. for
with rush small girl bounded into
the room and flung herself on Wykon
"Oh. Mr.. Wykonw she cried "Cour
right out and sculp my snow man. You
promised you would" She caught hl
hand and tried 20 drag him TO the
door
Bessie! Let Mr.. Wykoff alone" {
terposed Miss Curtis. You ought in
be ashamed Of yourself"
A CLEAN came into Meredith's eyes
"out of the mouths OF babes and suck
llngs." he quoted gayly. "Positivcly
you are getting quite a reputation.
Wykoff! Keep on and maybe you'l
get n real client some day--somebody
who wants to be 'sculped' in marble.
10 adopt Miss Bessie's charmlngly OK
presslYe word"
Wykoff WINGED. No one knew better
than he that so far he had not made
moDeyed success In his art; sculptors
have little honor In western Americ
He had known Meredith ali his life
and, being tongue tied himself, bad
greatly admired the others glIbDess
until he himself had become a target
for 1t. He hesitated now, angry NJ
through. but fearing II he spoke at all
he might say more than he intended
Little Bessie however, had no such
scruples. Deliberately she fixed he
eyes on Meredith Il don't like you
she deposed positively.
''Bessier Miss Curtis was scandal
lied.
81 can't help II, Sister Mary. / don'i
like him. SO thereP' She turned
Wykoff. "You promised" she relter
NaI xutgt IIu tsrn not
pile all built and
Reluctantly Wykoff rose. ~ reall'
did promise, Miss Curtis" he declared
"and | suppose must keep my word
He spoke sorrowfully, for he hated
to leave the Geld 10 his rival, even
though all he could do was to stand
and take punishment and pretend h"
liked It,
But If Meredith expected to profit by
the others disappearance he reckonee
without his host-or his hostess Miss
Curtis talked on in the grave, quiet
way that had stirred the heart of more
than one man. but she gave him ~
chance TO bring up the question which
lay nearest TO his somewhat sophlsti-
Gated heart-the question he had come
resolved TO ask before be left Finally
when the conversation began TO Ian.
guish, she rose. declaring that The
house was abominably hot. She H.
sisted on going out TO see what Mr.
Wykoff had done with the snow man
Meredith made no demur. Wise ~
the ways of women he knew better
than TO try TO force the conversation
In the girls existent mood he did not
fear Wykoff and welcomed rather than
otherwise the chance to break same
shafts Of wit on what he deemed that
gentleman's sluggish intellect. Wy.
koff, he thought, afforded an excellent
foil for his own brllliancy.
When he and Miss Curtis reached
the front door neither Wykoff nor M.
tie Bessie was in sight A line Of foot.
steps, however led across the snow
to where a clump Of evergreens stood
in the corner Of the lawn. and toward
these the girl led the way.
Her feet sank soundlessly In the deep
carpet of snow, and they rounded n
bush and came upon Wykoff before he
heard them.
Bessie had disappeared, and Wykoff
was alone for the moment-and yet
not alone. Before him rose spien-
did fi2ure-the figure of goddess or
of woman Of heroic size, on whose
exquisite features, smoother alADfair-
er than ever sculptor cut from & ing
marble, rested look that made Mary
Curtis catch her breath-the look of
one who, capable of all things, was
yet imprisoned in an icy shell from
which no lovers kiss had called her.