The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-11-13

the events OF the preceding evening
Hills arguing with him, the details
of their compact, and his final agree
ment to the extraordinary proposal.
All. yes! and Hills writing of the two
letters, one of which gave him, Pedro,
possession Of the apartment In which
he now found himself. The other to a
friend Of Hills to be delivered on the
morrow-that was today-today. .
Slowly he let his gaze travel about
the comfortable little bedroom In
which he lay. Its furnishings were
! simple in the extreme, yet adequate.
Opposite him stood chest Of draw
/; ers. mahogany, and old. There we're
brushes on 1t and few simple ebony
toilet necessities. At the foot Of the
bed was door, half closed. The
studio was in there! At the thought
he sprang up and flung the door wide
to discover IL his memory of the night
was a vision or reality.
AS he stood upon the threshold he
seemed for an instant to see, not thQ
room before him, but the upright, fash
| ionably clad figure of Hill, leading 4
bear off into the dark regions beyond
Washington square. Then, throwing
back his head, he laughed, and stepped
into the studio.
Once 1t had been the attic covering
the upper floors of two adjoining
| houses. In every sense the place was
workshop, replete with the most per-
| feet tools for the trade of the brush.
and the only spot conducive to idling
was the chimney corner. Upon the
| smaller easel stood the half-fnished
| portrait Of a man, while against one
wall pile Of canvases was standing.
their faces hidden.
Pedro drew a long breath of delight.
| Then 1t was true; 1t had not been q
| dream, after all! He thought Of Mr..
Jones again, and for a moment the
pang of that dear remembrance was
bitter How was Hill getting on with
| Old Nita? he wondered. II only 1t
were possible to be with them, and
here at the same time! All, welli one
could not serve two masters, and he
had chosen and did not regret.
On the mantel shelf stood letter
that Pedro had placed there ON the
previous evening. Hill had given 1t
to him with the injunction to deliver
it at the earliest possible moment. He
read the superscription with interest:
Abraham Lincoln Leigh
An address on Tenth street followed.
Pedro determined to deliver 1t at once.
|
The house In which Abraham Lin
coin Leigh lived, was, like almost ev-
| cry other building in this neighbor-
| hood, now being put to a use other
than that for which it was originally
intended, for once it had been ware
house for the storage Of paper.
"Yep!' said the hallboy, in response
| to Pedro's inquiry as to whether Mr..
Leigh was in. Third to your right.
Last door!"
So Pedro mounted and knocked.
| Come! said resonant voice,
which was like the booming of a great
bell. And Pedro, rejoicing at the mu-
sic of 1t, promptly obeyed.
| 1t was a large studio which he en-
tered, large and crowded and disor-
dered beyond belief. Several corners
had been screened off for uses other
than those Of sculpture, which was the
self-evident occupation of the proprie-
| tor.
| At the moment of Pedro's entrance
Abraham Lincoln Leigh was STOPPING
over a fryingpan full of bacon, which
was sizzling on the stove; and rne in
Simultaneous impression which his Wis
itor received was that the mans name
had in some curious fashion infiu-
enced his personal appearance. He
was very tall, and his leanness was
extraordinary. AS Pedro entered, he
did not even turn his head for q mo-
ment, but continued manipulating the
bacon deliberately. When it was re-
versed, he looked up at his visitor, and
again the mellow voice rang out like
the slow chimes Of a church bell.
who are your"
II am Pedro" said the owner of that
name, flashing his white smile. Il
have letter from Sam HILL"
"Ah!" remarked Leigh. not, how
ever, offering to take the missive. but
looking at the bearer, and, as was SO
commonly the case, liking him. Then.
in response to that smile Of Pedro's.
Leigh smiled, rare thing In him, and
an Illuminating.
Have you had your breakfastT he
a,ked.
why, no! 1 HAVEN'T" exclaimed the
boy, evidently surprised at the recoi
lection of his lack.
Leigh looked him over again, hi
face grave despite the gathering up
of the little lines at the corners Of
his eyes.
You're a friend Of Sam's?" he
asked.
81 am his most devoted cne!" en-
claimed Pedro fervently.
Again Leigh smiled.
| sNJ1 .yo,, ORC MT ha oaid dun~-