The Washington herald., 1913-07-27

MISS LinQStfom. IT'S great! Sufran.
here, has been telling about you"-he
looked fustered for a minute-"and
it's great stuff But we don't want
these State papers to get in on this until
we spread on it Sunday-understandl
Don't let 'em get your picture, or buzz
you. And we got to make that II 40
train from the Junction'-he looked at
his watch-"and Max wants to sketch
you. We're going to run three-color
border on the sup that's a pippin. Wait
till you see that Carmen effect of
yours in the Chronicle layout. It's go-
ing to make 'em sit up"
She didn't understand a word of it.
She looked appealing at Mr.. Curran.
Then she was conscious that Max, the
artist, was sketching her swiftly, 81
lently, glancing first at her and then
at the light in the News dingy win
dows, and then at his board.
Say went on the assistant Sum
day editor, "l'm mighty glad you got
il. Ni-- Lindstrom. You see the
ChronicIe contest was straight-it was
no frame-up for one of these show
girls, who are always butting in on
these things. / tell you l never was
so pleased at anything as to find you
didn't know a thing about it!
Not a blamed thing" cried Mr.
Curran, It'll l told herl Why, even
forgot l ever sent those. pictures in.
The most beautiful woman" He
stared at her, and then broke off
mournfully: Say, Dickinson, the gro-
Ger, telephoned in this. morning with
an awful roar. Pulled his advertising
out Of the News and stopped the pa
per, because | sent in his girls pic
turel And she didn't get a look-in"
The Sunday editor chuckled. Max
smiled ironically. He came TO Aurelie
with deft, firm touch of his white
fingers. "a little more to the light,
Miss Lindstrom. Just that-there."
He stopped thoughtfully and looked
down again. Your hair-you couldn't
have it done better on Michigan Ave
nue. Some women can, you know. and
some cant-some can't even buy it."
He went back to his sketches. There's
a curious trick about you" he began
to work, and then stopped and laid
down his pencil.
What's the matter, MAXI grunted
the newspaper man.
Max was watching her strangely.
He muttered; then he said. without
regard to his companion: Miss Lind
more than anything I've done since
did some girls in Algiers. YOU
there's bit of the Orient about you
or Mexico"
I'm a creole, think she said PEN
sively. That's what Uncle Michigan
said"
The two Chicago men exchanged
glances. "Oh, yes" the editor put in
-"Curran was saying. Your story
romantic, Miss Lindstrom. I've seen
girls like you on Royal Street. Not
many, but once in a while a Creole
with beautiful face. But your story,
Miss Lindstrom-great stuff we're
going to flash it big" He looked at
his watch busily. Max, you better
kick in hard"
And in the silence she discovered
again that the artist had stopped to
watch her and his ironica smile vas
gone. Presently she heard him mutter
and resume work, but ever and again
he stopped to study her dreamily.
Got Max going" drawled the Sum-
day editor, "and they don't pass bad
ones on Max. And the chaps who
picked your picture, Miss Lindstrom,
out of all that bunch-thousands and
thousands of 'en-why, they're no
slouches, either. There was Pixley, OF
the Art Institute. and Martineau, who
has charge of the Philadelphia collec-
ton, and Benny Booth. who does that
girl stuff for the syndicate. Three
guys who ought to know. And they
picked your
She sighed luxuriantly and said
nothing. Wiley was aghast at all this
complacence. He followed her eyes,
which were fixed on the morning peace
of the courthouse lawn under the ma
whites calling, and the gleam of
doves wing came before the window.
The most beautiful woman!
One does not easily grasp If, If one
has lived an obscure life of common
duties in gray little world; at times
hungry, chilled, hurt with rebuff, un-
dershot with sadness. One may wan
der the world striving for gain or
fame, dig for treasure, grow old, dim
eyed, seeking applause, admiration,
love-but here, at once, without ask
ing, seeking nothing. knowing nothing,
the jinnee had come and broken the
magic vase at her feetl
She sighed again her luxurious
peace. The garrulous Sunday editors
voice came family through her dream.
When you come to Chicago the pa
per will entertaip you. The old man
himself is crazy about that picture
wants a special wire as to what Max
thought of you. When you get some
r-Miss-Miss-"
Not Bit" retorted Max. 1T would
be sin to put anything on her. Look
at her! In the door-frame-the ma.
plies on the bluff beyond her-the sun
on that sumacl That little gown, the
circlet in her hair, the fower-good
God. girl, did you get yourself up for
this?"
She smiled complacentiy. "They
make fun of me-" she murmured, and
Max growfed an unintelligible anath-
ema on Rome, Iowa.
And while she sat there. with the
eyes of the silent men upon her, a
step sounded upon the sidewalk. Har-
Ian came past. Her face grew rigid
when he saw her. He appeared about
to swing into the News Office in his
old genial fashion to see Wiley. Then
he met Aurelie's blank gaze and gazed
as blankly at her. She saw his big,
sensitive nose quiver; he stared furi-
ously at Max and his work, so furi-
v.r L4k L. f.