The Forrest City times., 1914-04-24

 hand.
 Much obliged" he murmured, with a slight twist of his head in the direc- tion of Hetty, who was giving orders to the chauffeur.
 You're quite welcome" said Sara, with smile of understanding. She's lovely isn't she?"
 "Enchanting!" said he, almost too loudly.
 Hetty walked up the long ascent ahead of them. She did not have to look back to know that they were watching her with unfaltering interest. She could feel their gaze.
 Absolutely adorable" he added, en- larging his estimate without really be- ing aware that he voiced 1t.
 Sara shot a look at his rapt face, and turned her own away to hide the queer little smile that fiickered briefly and died away.
 Hetty, pleading a sudden headache, declined to accompany them later on in the day when they set forth in the car to pick up" Brandon Booth at the inn. They were to bring him over, bag and baggage, to stay till Tuesday.
 He will be wild to paint her" de- clared Leslie when they were out of sight around the bend in the road. He had waved his hat to Hetty just be fore the trees shut off their view of her. She was standing at the top of the steps beside one of the tall Italian vases.
 I've never seen such eyes" he ex. claimed.
 She's darling" said Sara and changed the subject, knowing full we'll that he would come back to it before long.
 I'm mad about her." he said sim ply, and then, for some unaccountable reason. gave over being loquacious and lapsed into a state of almost lugubrious quiet.
 She glanced at his face, furtively at first, as if uncertain of his mood, then with prolonged stare that was frankly curious and amused.
 Don't lose your head. Leslie" she said softly, almost purringly.
 He started. "Oh, l say, Sara, I'm not likely to-"
 Stranger things have happened" ," she interrupted, with a shake of her head. T can't afford to have you making love to her and getting tired of the game, as you always do, dear boy, just as soon as you find she's in love with you. She is too dear to be hurt in that way. You mustn't"
 Good Lord." he cried; what bounder you must take me for! Why if l thought she'd But nonsense! Let's talk about something else Yourself for instance"
 She leaned back with a smile on her lips, but not in her eyes; and drew a long, deep breath. He was hard hit. That was what she wanted to know.
 They found Booth at the inn. He was sitting on the old-fashioned porch surrounded by bags and boys As he climbed into the car after the bags the boys grinned and jingled the coins in their pockets and ventured, almost in unison, the intelligence that they would all be there if he ever came back again. Big and little, they had transported his easel and canvasses from place 10 place for three weeks or more and his departure was to be regarded as a financial calamity.
 Leslie, perhaps in the desire to be alone with his reflections. sat forward with the chauffeur, and paid little or no heed to the unhappy persons com ments on the vile condition of all viii lage thoroughfares, New York city in cluded
 And you painted those wretched little boys instead of the beautiful things that nature provides for us out here, MT Booth?" Sara was saving to the artist beside her.
 "Of course I managed to get a bit of nature even at that" said he. with smile. Boys are pretty close to earth, you know. To be perfectly hon est, did it in order to get away from the eminently beautiful but unnatural thlHSo III required lO paint at nome" ."
 T suppose we will see you at the Wrandal place this summer"
 I'm coming out to paint Leslie's sister in June, l believe. And that reminds me, l came upon an uncom- monly pretty girl not far from your place the other day-and yesterday. as well-some one I've met before. up. less I'm vastly mistaken. l wonder if you know your neighbors well enough-by sight, at least-to venture good guess as to who mean"
 She appeared thoughtful.
 Oh, there are dozens of pretty girls in the neighborhood. Can't you remember where you met" She stopped suddenly, a swift look of ap. prehension in her eyes.
 He failed to note the look or the broken sentence. He was searching in his coat pocket for something. Se- lecting letter from the middle of A small pocket, he held ii out to her.
 "I sketched this from memory She posed all too briefly for me-" he said.
 On the back of the envelona ,,.o, |,