The Red Cloud chief., 1912-06-20

on her coat. n she delayed. Goldsby
might change his mind With face
averted. for she could not meet the In.
nocent eyes OF the Dream Child. she
walked over to the canvas, and took II
from tho easel. Soberly. as IL IL were
a sacrament. she laid one kiss on the
little girls soft hair. then hurried over
TO Goldsby's Office, A few minutes
later she stumbled out. with tear.
blinded eyes. and $500 in her pocket.
David would not take the money
from her, she knew, but he had
queer old cousin. Baxter Arden. who
worked for a meager pittance In a
downtown Office Alice had always
liked this shy. crumpled little man,
and she was sure that she could per.
suade him to send the money to David
In his name She would tell him II
was loan. which David would not
let her repay. Y
At Baxter's lodgings. however. she
was disappointed. Mr.. Arden was
out Of town and the landlady did not
know when he would return. There
was nothing to do but walt. so Alice
spent three miserable days with
Goldsby's check burning in her purse
like blood money. She could not bear
the emptiness OF her room; she wan.
dered In the parks all day. and at
night kept up her courage by writing
love letters to David.
David was not allowed to write
often, but the third day she received
an answer from him, letter full OF
frank alteration. he had been receiv'
Ing Ave or six love letters a day from
a sweetheart who was usually rather
neglectful. and he was fairly maudlin
with 10y. For pages he raved. but at
| the very end Of the letter he gave i'm
portant news Old Baxter Arden was
there on visit And he's pathetic
ally proud Of my work." wrote David
cuts out all my illustrations and
saves them. You ought to hear him
speak Of my cousin. the famous Illus
TRAITOR And here's the wonderful
thing, Alice. the old man has saved
up quite small fortune by the sim.
pie method Of never spending any.
thing. and he offers 20 lend me all
need. I'm to stay on here. and the
doctors tell me I'll be we'll before
many weeks. So get your wedding
dress made. for when do get up you
can't put me on again"
| Then David did not need the money!
Alice saw that al q glance She sprane
up and ran dizzily. wildly. for her hat
II was not too late to compete for the
Daneletgh medal she would give
Goldsby back his check. ehe would
snatch her little dream girl from the
polluting gaze Of the vulgar herd that
filled hts ONCE and carry her to the
lofty atmosphere of the Worton ga,.
| iertes.
She hurried through the streets. 80
intoxicated with her new happiness
that she was quite unconscious Of the
attention her breathless haste attract.
ed Near Goldsby's oflice she was
forced to stop A sign paster was put.
ting up q poster and crowd had
gathered efore It. They we're shabby.
ordinary people. but they stared at
the picture in dumb admiration. Even
the policeman on the beat was steal.
ing a peep at 1t. With sudden catch
at her heart. Alice made her way to.
ward the billboard II was a very
simple picture. yet II seemed as n one
turned from the din and NTH Of the
street into the haunted forest There
beneath moss.hung oak. knee-deep In
bracken and fern. stood a little girl
with wide eyes and expectant face.
But she would never see the fairies,
that child. though she knew that
fairies really lived. for all day and all
night the street before her was filled
with the roar of traffic. and the pave
ment echoed with the footsteps Of the
worldly wise. the weary. the sinful
So poignant was the appeal Of the mp
turned face that you would not notice
that she held small object tightly
clasped In one hand, would not notice
It until the sign paster. with a last
sweep Of his brush. stuck a lurid cap
tion beneath the picture "Have you
used Lavina? The purcst soap on
earth"
For long time Alice gazed In a.
lence. then she smiled. though there
were tears In her eyes. you'll never
see the fairies" she whispered TO the
child. but you'll see great deal OF
life, my little dream girl. and real peo
pie are better than make. believes. As
for me. I'll use the money for a trous
seau. Anybody can try TO be an art.
list. hut only one woman In the world
can be David Arden's wife"