Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-24
CHAPTER ~.
fly Lady Of Mystery.

Hy Lady Of Mystery.
Being single GufobiOGI aphicGf chapter
from fks life Of Francis SedgIgick. roifh
editorial comment by Professor Chester
Kent
~ EAR Kent-Here goes. / met
her first on June 30 at > O'Clock
- in the afternoon. Some won
derful cloud effects after hard
rain had brought me out into the open
/ had pitched my easel in the hollow
on the Martiadale road so as TO get
that cIump OF pine against the sky.
There / sat working away with n will.
when ] heard the drumming Of hoofs.
and n horse with n girl in the saddle
cam, whizzing 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 gHilop a fine. Cat mud pie
rose. SCARED through the air and land
cd IN the middle Of my painting. 1
fairly yeIped.
To get It all or was hopeless. How
ever. 1 went a Il it and was cursing over
the job when the rider came back
I heard you cry out" said a voice.
very full and low. Did hurt you? 1
hope not
No I said without looking up
'-SmaIl thanks TO you that you didn't!''
Ny tone silenced her for moment
Somehow. though. got the feeling that
she was amused more than abashed at
my resentment. And her voice was
suspiciOusly meek when she presently
spoke again.
You're an artist. aren't you:"
NO said busily scraping away
at my copperplate- I'm an archeolo-
gist engaged in exhuming an ancient
ruin from a square mile OF mud"
She laughed. but in a moment be-
came grave again I'm so sorry
she said Il know / shouldn't come
plurging 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
nsked. IF have done damage 1
should be allowed TO repair it
Repair said I. How do you pro-
pose to do it, l suppose that you think
a picture that can be bought for a hun
dred dollar bill can be painted with a
hundred dollar BILL
NO: I'm not altogether a Philis-
tine she said. and looked up at her
for the first time. Her face CEIision
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 a
woman of meansJ
She said: II don't wonder you're
cross. And I'm truly sorry. Is it
quite ruinedT'
At that / recovered some decency
OF manner Forgive hermit 1 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 1t isn't
a daubI" she protested II know a
little about pictures It's very inter
esting and curious But why do you
paint IL on copperT
! explained
"ohr' she said. 'T should so like TO
see your printsr'
Nothing easier" said 1. MY shack
Is Just over the hill"
"And there is a Mrs her eyes
suggested that fill the blank.
"Sedgwick?'' I finished NO. There
Is no one but my aged and highly re-
spectacle Chinaman 10 play propriety- !
But in the case OF n studio the conven- !
tons are not so rigid but that one |
may look ct pictures unchaperoned-"
I'm afraid it wouldn't do" she an
swered. smiling. NO. I'll have to wait /
until A shadow passed over her |
face. I'm 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. I had /
barely time TO twist her foot from /
the stirrup when the brute OF a horse !
bolted. As Il was, her ankle got |
bit Of a wrench She turned quite /
white and cried out a little. In mo
mert she was herself again
king Cole has been acting badly
all day." she said. Il shall have
time catching him She llmped for
ward a few steps
Here. that won't dor said I. Let
me"
you couldn't get near him. though.
perhaps. IL you had some salt'-
II 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 mp your mount"
Comment by . *: Here follows
more talk. showing how young people