The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1914-06-11

Hetty met them at the top OF the
steps. The electric porch lights had
Just been turned on by the butler. The
girl stood in the path of the light
Booth was never to forget the lowell
ness of her In that moment. He car
ried the image with him on the long
walk home through the black night.
(He declined Sara's offer to send him
over in the car for che very reason
that he wanted the half-hour of soli-
tude in which to concentrate all the
impressions she had made on his
fancy.)
The three of them stood there for
few minutes, awaiting the buffers an
nouncement. Sara's arm was about
Hetty's shoulders. He was SO taken
up with the picture they presented
that he scarcely heard their light chat
ter. They were types of loveliness 80
full of contrast that he marveled at
the power of nature to create women
in the same mold and yet to model SO
differently.
AS they entered the vestibule, a
servant came up with the word that
Miss Castleton was wanted at the
telephone, Tong distance from New
York"
The girl stopped in her tracks.
Booth looked at her in mild surprise,
a condition which gave way an instant
later to perplexity. The look of an
noyance in her eyes could not be dis
guised or mistaken.
ASK him to call me up later, Wat
son." she said quietly.
This is the third time he has called,
Miss Castleton," said the man. You
we're dressing, If you please, ma'am,
the first time"
II will come" she interrupted sharp
ly, with a curious glance at Sara, who
for some reason avoided meeting
Booths gaze.
Tell him we shall expect him on
Friday" said Mrs. Wrandall.
by George!" thought Booth, as she
left them. II wonder If it can be Les
lie. If it is-well, he wouldn't be fat
tered if he could have seen the look In
her eyes.
Later on, he had no trouble in gath
ering that 1t was Leslie Wrandall who
called, but he was very much in the
dark as to the meaning of that ex-
pressive look. He only knew that she
was in the telephone room for ten min
utes or longer, and that all trace of
emotion was gone from her face when
she rejoined them with brief apology
for keaninp thom waiting
He left at ten-thirty, saying good
night to them on the terrace. Sara
walked to the steps with him.
Don't you think her voice is love-
ly?" she asked. Hetty had sung for
them.
Il dare say" he responded absently.
Give you my word, though, wasn't
He walked home as if in a dream.
The spell was on him.
Far in the night, he started up from
the easy chair in which he had been
smoking and dreaming and racking
his brain by turns.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed aloud 81
remember! I've got it! And tomor-
row I'll prove it."
Then he went to bed, with the storm
from the sea pounding about the
house, and slept serenely until Pat
and Mary wondered whether he meant
to get up at all.
Pat" said he at breakfast, II want
you to go to the city this morning and
fetch out all of the Studios you can
find about the place. The old ones are
in that Italian hall seat and the late
ones are in the studio. Bring all Of
them"
There's a divvil of bunch Of
thim," said Pat ruefully.
He was not to begin sketching the
figure until the following day. After
luncheon, however, he had an appoint
ment to inspect Hetty's wardrobe, os-
tensibly for the purpose of picking out
a gown for the picture. AS a matter
of fact, he had decided the point to
his own satisfaction the night before
She should pose for him in the dainty
white dress she had worn on that oc-
casion.
While they were going over the ex-
tensive assortment of gowns, with
Sara as the judge from whom there
seemed to be no appeal. he casually
inquired If she had ever posed before.
He watched her closely as he put
the question. She was holding up a
beautiful point lace creation for his
inspection, and there was a pleading
smile on her lips. 1t must have been
her favorite gown. The smile faded
away. The hand that dangled the gar
ment before his eyes suddenly be-
came motionless, as if paralyzed. In
the next instant, she recovered her.
self, and, giving the lace quick FLIP
that sent its odor of sachet leaping to
his nostrils, responded with perfect
composure.
Isn't there a distinction between
posing for an artist, and sitting for
ones portrait?" she asked.
He was silent. The fact that he did
not respond seemed to disturb her aft
or a nnnmonf nr fUn Che vnada III a