Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1912-09-02

fower-like face looked out through
frame of Leghorn straw and pink
roses, tied snugly beneath her softly
rounded chin with the filmiest of long,
floating white wells. You can imagine
the picture she made, there In this
green glade, with her big blue eyes
alight with glad surprise. and the
warm blood suddenly risen In her
cheeks.
You truant!" cried, in ocular rep
rimand. Are you always going to run
away when l visit Cragholt?"
She pouted prettily. | detest a wom-
an who pouts. ordinarily. There is
usually such palpable affectation about
It. But Evelyn's pouting was winsome
as an infants. Besides 1t was only
momentary. Then her eyes flashed and
her foot was planted very hard, for
such tiny thing. on the green grass
blades.
I'm not truant," she declared,
with feigned indignation, land never
thought Of running away. That's Just
your conceited manly imagination.
You fancy that everything ! do can
have but one cause, and that is your
self. How. pray. was I to know you
intended paying us morning CALI"
Tut, tut" caught her up. What
little spitfire We have here! II you
hadn't deserted me so shamefully last
evening. l shouldn't have minded this
morning, so much. AS 1t is. 1t seems
aeons since | saw you"
Now she smiled until her dimples
nestled. That is much better" she
returned. gayfy, "and deserves reply,
just as my action of last evening de-
serves praise, and not rebuke. | sac
rifced myself and my pleasure for one
love"
mot for me, SURELY"
did | use the word conceit a mo-
ment ago? Are you the only man
love?"
II hope So" I answered, impudently.
There Is another" she confessed,
in mock tragedy Behold his facet"
| had not noticed that she held
little roll in her hand, for my eyes had
been ever on hers; so, when abruptly,
she spread out and held before me the
missing head from Cameron's portrait,
was doubly unprepared. ] know /
was startled She said afterwards
that | went very white. | suppose
did; for with the rush OF realization
came such a chain of supposition as to
drive me momentarily dizzy. For
second or more | stood dumb, while
my hand went out in eager reach for
the scrap of canvas, which, l had OBJ
served, instantaneously, bore four per-
forations, all of size-the size of
rife bullet. With that discovery had
required the shots | had heard; and
following this, came maze of con-
lecture, going back to that first letter,
then to the paintings mutilation, and
on through devious ways to the morn
ing's target practice; and always with
one or another OF Cameron's trusted
servants as the chief actor
When | recovered my composure /
found Evelyn backing wilfully away
from my covetous hand.
at is the picture of the man love-"
she was saying. teasingly. "A very.
very good man"
"But where did you get II" aaked
seriously. do you know where it
came from ?'
Suddenly she was as grave as ]
could wish.
81 found it nailed to tree" she an
swered. Wasn't 1t odd? How do you
suppose it came there? 1t looks like
the portrait that hung in Uncle
Roberts study. Do you suppose he
grew to dislike it. and cut 1t up and
threw it away?"
Now I found myself in some little
embarrassment If l was ia obey
Cameron's injunction I could not tell
Evelyn the truth. Yet | was In nc
position to make light of her find. On
the other hand | must learn from her
just where she had come upon 1t, and
so trace, If possible, the person who
had fred the shots which riddled It,
Continued tomorrow