The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1914-07-28

NfCu utdTu Tue uIlhnllllnS VI nOOlS
and a horse with a girl in the saddle
came whlzzing round the turn almost
upon me. Just there the rain had made
a puddle of thick. sticky mud. the
mud pie variety. As the horse went
by at full gallop a fine. fat mud pie
rose, scared through the air and land
ed in the middle Of my painting.
fairly yelped.
To get It all or was hopeless. How
ever, went at Il and was cursing over
the job when the rider came back.
II heard you cry out" said voice,
very full and low. did I hurt your
hope not"
No" l said without looking up
"Small thanks to you that you didn'tr'
My tone silenced her for moment.
though. got the feeling that
she was amused more than abashed at
my resentment. And her voice was
susplciously meek when she presently
spoke again.
You're an artist, aren't your"
NO" 1 said. busily scraping away
at my copperplate. I'm an archeolo-
gist engaged 10 exhuming an ancient
ruin from square mile Of mud"
She laughed, but in a moment be-
came grave again. I'm so sorryr'
she said. 81 know | shouldn't come
plunging around turns in that reckless
way. May IL should like to-buy
your picture?"
You may not" ! replied.
THAT isn't quite fair. is it?" she
asked IF have done damage
should be allowed to repair it."
"Repair" said /. How do you pro-
pose to do it? suppose that you think
a picture that can be bought for hun
dred dollar bill can be painted with a
hundred dollar bill"
No: I'm not altogether Philis-
tine" she said, and looked up at her
for the first time. Her face (Elision
and comment by Kent: know her
face from the sketches. Why could
he not have described the horse? How
ever. there's one point clear: she is Il
woman of means.)
She said: IL don't wonder you're
cross. And I'm truly sorry. Is It
quite ruined?"
At that | recovered some decency
of manner. Forgive hermit" | said.
who doesn't see enough people to
keep him civilized. The daub doesn't
matter"
She leaned over from the saddle to
examine the picture. "Oh, but it isn't
a daub!" she protested. IL know a
little about pictures. It's very inter
esting and curious. But why do you
paint it on copper?"
explained.
"Ohw she said. II should so like to
see your printsr'
Nothing easier" said I. MY shack
is just over the hill"
"And there is Mrs. her eyes
suggested that ill the blank.
"SedgwickT' finished. mo. There
is no one but my aged and highly re-
spectacle Chinaman to play propriety.
But in the case of a studio the conven-
lions are not so rigid but that one
may look at pictures unchaperoned."
I'm afraid it wouldn't do" she an
swered, smiling mo. I'll have to wait
until"- A shadow passed over her
face. Pm afraid I'll have to give
it up"
Chance settled that point then and
there. AS she finished. she was in my
arms. The girth had loosened and the
saddle had turned with her. l had
barely time to twist her foot from
the stirrup when the brute Of horse
bolted. AS 1t was. her ankle got a
bit of a wrench. She turned quite
white and cried out a little. In mo-
ment she was herself again.
king Cole has been acting badly
all day" she said. II shall have a
time catching him" She limped for
ward few steps.
Here. that won't do" said l. LET
me-"
"You couldn't get near him. though.
perhaps. if you had some salt
81 can get some at my place." said |,
gathering up my things. Your horse Is
headed that way. You'd better come
along and rest there while Ching Lung
and round up Your mount"
Comment by c. k: Here follows
more talk. showing how young people
imperceptibly and unconsciousiy ce-
ment an acquaintance. but not one
word upon the vital point of how far
the horse seemed to have come.
whether he was ridden out or fresh.
etc.l
At the bungalow called Ching. and
we set out with supply of salt. King
Cole Comment by c. X: Probably
dead black horse, was coy for time
before he succumbed to temptation.
On my return | found my visitor in
the studio. She had said that she
knew little about pictures. She
knew mole than little-a good deal.
in fact-and talked most intelligently
about them. don't say this simply
because she tried before she went to
buy some OF mine. When ] declined
TO sell she seemed put out.
"But suraly these prints OF yours
aren't the work of an amateurT she
said. "You SELF"
"Oh vas I sell-when 1 can But