The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-05-29

oht hhay hafp ooA
first few moments of interest.
Booth caught the angry flash in her
eyes, preceding the flush and unac-
countable pallor that followed almost
Immediately. He felt guilty. and at
the same time deeply annoyed with
Leslie. Later on he tried to explain.
but the attempt vas a lamentable fail
ure. She laughed, not unkindly. In
his face.
Leslie had refused to allow the
sketch to leave his hand. If she could
have gained possession Of 1t. even for
an instant. the thing would have been
torn to bits. But It wen back into his
commodious pocketbook, and she was
too proud to demand 1t Of him.
She became oddly sensitive to
Booths persistent though inoffensive
scrutiny as time wore on. More than
nee she had caught him looking at
her with a f~lxedness that betrayed per-
plexity so plainly that she could not
fail TO recognize IN underlying motive.
He was vainly striving to refresh his
memory: that was clear to her. There
is nc m%istaking that look in a persons
eyes. 1t cannot be disguised.
He was as deeply perplexed as ever
when the time came for him to depart
with Leslie. He asked her point blank
on the last evening Of his stay II they
had ever met before, and she frankly
confessed to q short memory for faces.
1t was not unlikely. she said, that he
| had SaQn hny IN nndnn ar In pQ ria
but she had not the faintest recollec-
ton OF having seen him before their
meeting In the road.
Urged by Sara, she had reluctantly
consented to sit to him for a portrait
during the month OF June. He put the
request In such terms that 1t did not
sound like a proposition. II was not
surprising that he should want her for
a subject; In fact. he put it in such a
way that she could not but feel that
abe would be doing him q great and
enduring favor. She imposed but one
condition: The picture was never to
be exhibited. He met that, with bland
magnanimity, by profering the canvas
to Mrs. Wrandall, as the subjects
next best friend" to have and to
hold SO long as she might live" free
gratis" with the artists compli
ments," and so on and 60 forth, in airy
good humor.
Leslie's aid had been solicited BY
both Sara and the painter in the fna
effort to overcome the girls objec
tons. He was rather bored about 1t
but added his voice to the genera
Glamour. With half an eye one coult
see that he did not relish the idea o
Hetty posing for days to the hand
some, agreeable painter. Moreover,
meant that Booth. who could afford tt
crafty his own whims. would b.
obliged to spend a month or more fl
the neighborhood, so hat he could dc
vote himself almost entirely to th
contamination OF this particular under
taking. Moreover, 1t meant that WV
ans portrait was to be temporary
disregarded.
Sara Wrandall was quick to recof
nize the first symptoms of jealousy o
, the part Of her brother-in-law. TIL
new idol OF the Wrandalls was In low,
| s~elfshly. insufferably IN love as thing
; went with all the Wrandalls. The
. hated selfshly, and SO they loved. He
| husband had been their king. BIZ
. their king vas dead. long live tn
! king! Leslie had put on the famil
crown-a little jauntily, perhaps
cooked over the eye a bit. so to spea
but It was there just the same, al
noyingly plain to view.
Sara had tried to like him. He ha
been her friend, the only one she coul
claim among them all. And yet, b
meath his genial allegiance. she coul
detect the air Of condescension, tn
bland attitude OF a superior who d
tends another's cause for the reaso
! that 1t gratifes Nero. She experience
a thrill Of malicious Joy in contempla
4 ing the fall of Nero. He would brir
Y down his house about his head, ar
, there would be no Rome to pay Il
J fiddler.
.
Brandon Booth took a small cottal
on the upper road, half way betwc'
the village and the home of Sa
Wrandall, and not far from the q
horred back gate that swung In L
teeth of her connections by marrial
h He set up his establishment In half
day and, being settled, betook hims'
= of to dine with Sara and Hetty 4
r. his household cares. like the wor
rested snugly on the shoulders Of
lg Atlas named Pat, than whom the
was no more faithful servitor in
ut the earth. nor in the heavens, for tt
!. matter, II we are to accept his o
IT. estimate OF himsSaf. In any event,
ls- was a treasure. booths house was
ways in order. Try as he would,
he couldn't get it out of order. Pats W
N. saw to that.
* Az he swung ~jauntily down the tr
he lined road that led to Sara's ports
he Booth was full OF the Joy OF livi
IT. Sara was at the bottom of the I
race, moving among the flower beds