The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-11-13

Hcdfiy gave nltBelL away NHtA Laticu
her Cecily." He gazed wistfully al the
picture. Il wonder II ] was wrong to
do it?'' he pondered A willful attempt
70 awaken hopeless memories. They are
very sWeet-but they hurt too
He shrugged his shoulders. pushed back
the easel against the wall, then took his
hat and went out.
An hour and a half later two visitors
were shown up to the studio. Mr. Neither
by not being there, but expected back
shortly, they decided that they would
wait. One was an elderly lady OF CON-
Portable proportions. the other d slim
/ dark girl, very smartly dressed.
The elder woman sank into an easy
chair and famed herself vigorously. 'I'm
so hot. Cecily," she said. dolefuhy, and
It's such climb up those stairs. Why on
earth you couldn't have written TO Mr..
Netherby and told him you wanted 10
make up the quarrel. instead of coming
I here. is more than I can understand
don't call it dignifed. / really don't
There never was such an impnisive girl
as you, Cecily."
Il know I'm a queer person, Aunt
/ Emily smiled the girl, but then, you
see. since / was at fault I'm the one TO
make peace Now tell me the truth, Aunt
emmy tic EAAas WIZ lV1At0 AA&it III AL ,
cool in her white frock,- placed her hands
behind her back and stood directly In
/ front OF her aunt Don't you think
behaved like a little cat?'
| Perhaps you did. my dear" acquieseed
the other, hopping her brow. Lady Nor
/ ing was the sort of woman who always
acquiesced. II saved trouble.
Yes. ] was a little cat" repeated Ce-
/ ely with conviction. since Arthur and
! were engaged he had a perfect right to
/ object to my flirting with Major Caring
/ ton. Arthur said that he wasn't a proper
sort OF man for me TO know. and events
I have proved that Arthur was justified.
/ just got into a hun, Aunt Emily, and
that's the whole truth Of the matter.
! told Arthur that l was tired Of him
which wasn't a bit true. and when he
offered to release me from the engage
/ ment handed him back nay ring. Wasn't
! that silly Of me?
Yes, dear, | really think II was" said
Aunt Emily. At the time she had cor
/ daily agreed that her niece Was acting
wisely in breaking OF her engagement.
/ ''Of course resumed Ceeily, and
behaved more disgraeefuliy still when ]
/ tore up Arihur's letter-the letter in
which he asked me 10 forgive him-to
! forgive him-when II was ] who was al
/ falkland never condescended 10 give
! him any reply at all And I've let the
quarrel last FOR six mOnths-ail the time
/ that you and I have been travelling
abroad. Oh, ! can't tell you how cross
am with myself. II VIII serve me right
4 II Arthur has fallen IN love with some
+ body else. as he may very well have done
+ But OH I shall be so unhappy. so very
unhappy. II he has
She began 10 walk restlessly up and
down the studio, allowing her eyes "a
/ rove over everything. taking in every
small detail and talking all the while
half 20 herself and half 20 her aunt
1T seems like old times being back here
I in the studio, doesn't IL, Aunt Emily
/ And all these roses, t0o-why, it's as II he
was expecting US. Don't you remember
/ how he used 10 decorate his rooms with
them when We came 10 tea? Just be-
cause he knew ! loved them.
/ Presently CecIly came 10 halt before
T the easel. Il wonder what he's been al
work upon" she murmured. Il must
I really have a peep"
/ The next moment she sent up a little
cry OF establishment and delight My
own likeness, Oh, the dear. dear fellow
/ To think that he should have occupied
1 his time Ike that. How he must have
cared. and what little fend l have been
10 him." Her dark eyes were moist, and
/ she claspeS her fingers nervously 10
I gether. come and look, Aunt Emily
YOU really must"-this as the old lads
painted 10 her side-"he's done it ali from
memory-it's as the Italian fower-gir
/ In those tableaux. you remember-he
I loved me in that dress-and with my haiI
down-and he said how much he ike q
paint me just as I was then. but
wouldn't let him-I couldn't give up The
+ time TO it--wasnt il selfish of NEE
She stood rejecting for a moment. then
suddenly she eiapped her hands and heI
7 eyes sparkled delightfully."-. Il SNOW what
! I'll do. Aunt Emily" she exclaimed. The
I portrait isn't quite finished-i cans see
/ that-so III SIT 10 him for the las
/ touches. Won't Il be q lovely SURPRISE
! When he comes in he shall find me here
I ready 10 pose on the platform. waiting
I for him There are the flowers IL The
basket-yes"-she hunted feverishly about
/ the room-"and here's little red shawl
/ the very thing
Really my dear exclaimed Lady
t Moring. Il wouldn't do that If ! were
! you. It-it-isn't dlgnifed. is it, She
raised her hands protestiBgly.
II don't care bit about dignity. Aunt
Emily" was the quick reply. Il want tC
/ do something to please Arthur. Oh dear
( oh dear! here he comes. I can hear his
/ step upon the stair" She. was letting
! down her black tresses as she spoke, and
| in imagination Of the portrait arranging
| a red rose over her brown and white One
/ in the bosom OF her dress. He musn1
| see YOU here, Aunt Emily, she went or
hurriedly; with which she took her aunt
/ by the hand and incontinently bundled
/ that good lady, in spite OF her protests
/ into the adjoining room. Having done
/ this she closed the door. and. smiling Il
herself at the cleverness OF her idea, she
mounted the little platform and posed
/ herself as nearly as she could in the atti-
/ tude Of the girl in the picture.
| II was Rosie who entered the studio
/ She uttered a sharp cry or surrrise-al-
most OF fear-When she saw how her
place had been taken. She was carrying
one or two small packages, and these fell
/ gathering to the ground, As for Ceeily
/ the smile faded fram her lips-the smile
+ which she had assumed 10 welcome
Arthur-and presently. realizing some
thing OF the situation, she broke into a
nervous laugh.
I'm afraid / made a mistake" she fal-
tered Il thought that II was MIR. Neither
| by who was about 10 come in. IL meant
TO take him by surprise"
| What a CHASTITY mistake it was, How
utterly she had deceived herself. She
pushed back her chair with an angry I'm
patient gesture, and began tugging at the
red shawl IN nervous efforts to unfasten
/ it.
| Ii was not her portrait that Arthur had
/ been painting after all He had found
another glri-one who was little more
/ than a. chlld-who resenbled her very
/ closely. and it was to this girl that he
+ had transferred MS affections. Surely
/ that fact was self-eyident. Poor Cecfly