Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-18
10 Wa. a. Deeply Perplexed a. Ever

MN MINI tlARlNlVhN ! JUDI
10 Was a. Deeply Perplexed ~ Ever.
as sketchily drawn as the one he had
made of Hetty, and quite as wonderful
in the matter Of faithfulness, but ut
terly without the subtle something
that made the other notable. The
craftiness Of the artist was there, but
the touch Of inspiration was lacking.
Sara was delighted. She was fat.
tered. and made no pretense OF disguis
ing the fact.
The discussion which followed the
exhibition Of the sketch at luncheon,
wac very animated. It served to e1.
cite Leslie to such q degree that he
brought forth from his pocket the
treasured sketch Of Hetty, for the pur.
pose of comparison.
The girl who had been genuinely en-
thusiastic over the picture Of Sara.
and who had not been by way Of know
ing that the first sketch existed, was
covered with confusion. Embarrass.
ment and shy sense Of qualification
we're succeeded almost at once BY .
feeling of keen annoyance. The fact
that the sketch was in Leslie's pos.
session-and evidently a thing to be
cherished-took away all the pleasure
she may have experienced during the
first few moments Of interest.
Booth caught the angry fash 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 was q lamentable fail.
ure. She laughed, not unkindly, in
bis face.
Leslie had refused to allow the
sketch to leave his hand. II she could
have gained possession of 1t, even for
an instant, the thing would have been
torn to bits. But it went back into his
commodious pocketbook. and she was
too proud to demand 1t Of him.
She became oddly sensitive to
Booths persistent though inonensive
scrutiny as time wore on More than
once che had caught him looking at
her with q f1xedness that betrayed per-
plexity SO plainly that she could not
fail to recognise an underlying motive.
He was vainfy striving to refresh his
memory; that was clear to her. There
. IL NO installing that look in persons
eyes. 1t cannot be disguised.
He was as deeply perplexed % 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 = short memory for faces.
1t vac not unlikely. she said, that he
had seen her in London or in Paris,
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 . portrait
during the month Of June. He put the
request In such terms that it did not
sound like . proposition. It was not
surprising that he should want her for
subject: In fact, he put It in such .
way that she could not but feel that
she would be doing him . great and
enduring favor. She imposed but one
condition: The picture was never to
be exhibited. He met that, with bland
magnanimity, BY pro6ering the canvas
to Mrs. Wrandall, - tho subjects
next best friend" to have and to
hold 20 long a she might Mve," Tree
gratis" with tho artists compu.
ments." and 20 on and 20 forth, in airy
good humor.
Leslie's aid had been solicited by
both Sara and the painter in the final
effort to overcome the girls objoc-
tons. He was rather bored about 1t.
But added his voice to the general
Glamour. With half IN eye one could
see that he did not relish the idea Of
Hetty posing for days to the hand
some. agreeable painter. Moreover. 1t
meant that Booth. who could a6ord TO
crafty his own whims, would be
obliged to spend . month or moro In
the neighborhood, % that he could de-
vote himself almost entirely to the
condemnation Of this particular under
taking. Moreover. It meant that vivi-
ans portrait was to b Temporarily
disfegarded.
sara WHaDdan vas quick 70 reeog