Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-10-03

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The beloved OF his friend-the friend
who had done everything for him
who had benefited him beyond any.
What a traitor he would appear, OF
course, his love-making was the merest
joke-nothing but a pretty game,
played in an idle moment; and when
he started it he had not known ii was
she who lay at the root and source of
his adyenturei His love-makingi He
almost laughed aloud at the thought
OF it Why. it was only in fun And
undoubtedly the Madonna Lady had I'M
derstood it so. It was impossible that
she was seriousi 1t was quite useless
for her to be so, at any rate. Pedro
was no lover for her
At the thought he laughed merrily.
But Hill could not know that Sup
pose the painter were to hear of his,
Pedro's. attentions to Miss Wander
pool,
Well. now that the little society item
had revealed the true state of affairs,
there would be no more flirting, that
was assured. But a friendship was
surely another matter He liked her
so much, Next to Leigh, she appealed
to him more than any of his new &C
quaintances. He really must get to
know her better. Then there was that
exquisite line of her throat; he simply
must paint it-a real Madonna, with
blue draperies about her head-a leaf
out of the book of the old masters, yet
quick with life
Just as he reached this amiable con-
clusion the studio door was flung open
to admit the vivacious figure of
young woman, all gold and pink and
white, from her fluffy head to the hem
of her frilled apron of lawn
This young person was Mss Cassie
Goodell, from the floor below-the
young lady of the violets.
'Mornin', Pedro" she greeted him.
I've come to do your rooms"
''Impertinenti" he gasped. closing
the door behind her. How many
times have 1 told you to knock before
entering. eh?"
las often as I come upi" she ad-
nitted, making a raid upon the cigar
cites.
Some day you may be sorry" he
warned her. Suppose 1 were not
clothed?"
Lord bless you, Pedro dear" she re-
piled amusedly, 7 shouldn't die of the
shock, having posed in a pleasant
smile myself for over five years.
We'll, you knock next time!" he
said excitedly. 4 care. if you don't
She finished with the dishes and set
herself to making the bed, after, as
usual, vainIy searching for toilet ar
ticles to put away As ever, she mar
veled anew at the nicely with which
his personal belongings were kept in
contrast to his shabby housekeeping.
She soon finished what there was to
do and returned to the studio, just
pausing to prink bit before the mir
ror- AS she entered, Pedro beckoned
to her
Hold out your arm a minute. Cas-
sie," he babe her, speaking without
coming out of his absorption. mol
so; the shoulder a little higher. That's
it,"
Then he worked violently for a few
moments.
Rest" he said, then: That's ALL
I'm not going to work this morning.
I've got an engagement for the noon
meal
She turned to go. gathering up her
gaiIy checked dish-cIoths At the
door she paused.
rs she a goodIooker. the lady you're
going to lunch with she asked mis-
He wheeled toward her in surprise.
"Ah, I did not say I was going to
lunch with a ladyl' he exclaimed
so she is pretty said Cassie. with
a pse&do-melanchoIy sigh "Ah, mel"
Then she was gone, closing the door
softly behind her.
HUM" said Pedro. staring at the
floor Il invited that, 1 must be be-
coming as awkward as "a"
Here he stopped abruptly; put a
hand upon his lips, warning himself to
streaked with brown paint, and
fell to washing his be-
smirched countenance with soap pow
der of peculiarly cleansing sort
ff
An hour later he was sitting down
At '-the noon meal with Iris
For" she said. father is never
punctual; if we waited for him we
might wait until night
In the cold light of day, and in the
more formal setting of her own house,
iris was finding it somewhat difficult to
continue the romantic impetuous at
which had come so naturally
N the semi-darkness of the Milligans'
balcony He fascinated her beyond
any of her acquaintance. Indeed, she
had begun to consider him even more
Then there was that minia-
lure in her fathers desk Where had