Las Vegas optic., 1914-08-11

bade one conquer curiosity. She really
must know about him, even at cost OF
seeming curious.
Were you born in Spain?" she
asked.
NO" said he. "Have you seen De
Bush's exhibition at Knoedlers gallery
YETI"
Not yet" she replied; Il suppose
you know all the galleries well. Or
haven't you been here before?'
This is my first visit to New York,
he replied, and then, as she was about
to speak again, he held up his hand
frankly stopping her and looking
straight into her eyes.
Madonna, beg that we talk oi
something else than myself" he con
tinued. These pictures of De Bush's
par example. You must go to them
He is wonderful as an interpreter
either of character or personality"
VERY WELL" said she, not looking al
him, for she was piqued at the purely
friendly unsentimental glance witt
which he had returned her somewhat
languishing one.
How he avoided the personal! L
seemed as though he feared it above
everything, and detecting the approach
of an intimate note, changed tbs
theme at once.
81 have a curious sketch of Leigh's
H. oh acrtr "a cT1l y.
ject determinedly; would you care to
see it?"
"Oh, yes, like that man Leigh-al-
though he never pays the slightest at
tention to me-nor indeed to any wcm-
an, for that matter. He looks as if he
could be intensely interesting if he
would only talk. But though / have
known him, en- passant, for years, l
never seem to get at him at all"
"You are certainly right in suppos-
ing him to be interestingly" exclaimed
Pedro, his eyes lighting up at this ap-
probation of his friend. "He. is man
among men! A great mind; sincere
artist. One night not long ago We
were talking about form in music, and
he told me that he had caught nature
herself demonstrating their intimate
kinship. Listen-he saw the Pocantico
hills against the sunset, and suddenly
it occurred to him that If five parallel
lines were drawn behind them in a
given space Gas the foundations of a
music score are drawn) the outlines of
the hills against them would form a
melody where the extreme height and
depths of outline occurred. He made
a drawing of the hills. cut it out, laid
1t upon the five black lines, and behold
"a melody resulted, which he showed
me upon the piano. He afterward gave
me the drawing; it is in this pocket,
think"
He fumbled in the depths of the old
green coat, while Iris waited with
bated breath.
How good he was to look at; a
trifie slight, possibly; but what won.
derful hair he had, that curled little.
All, he had found the paper!
Together they were leaning over it
as he spread it upon the tablecloth,
when sharp exclamation from across
the room caused them to look up
hastily. In the doorway stood Reginald
1anderpool, his aristocratic clean
shaven face for the instant blanched,
his eyes fixed upon Pedro as though
IN ,nhoJiaf Tric oOuara5
the odd situation quickly.
"Signor Pedro" she said, this is
my father"
On the moment the mans face be
came impassive, and with courteous
grace he advanced to greet the guest
at his table.
"Are you the painter of whom the
morning paper speaks?" he inquired OF
Pedro. Pardon my not knowing"
Il suppose am" replied Pedro
| composedly.
"Ah! l shall be Interested in seeing
your work" said VaEderpool. But his
tone was perfunctory, except for a
note of what might have been disap-
pointment. After this he spoke very
little, but whenever the conversation
between his daughter and Pedro be,
came most animated he would steal a
covert look at the youth-a look full
of interest and something else, too
which would have been difficult for an
observer to define.
| A servant, entering with a note
caused a diversion, and as he put the
envelope into his pocket, Vanderpool
arose, although he had scarcely eaten
anything.
"Sorry, but / must run along" he
said, and went out as abruptly as he
had come
Iris suggested the gray room. and
they climbed the stair to 1t ana sal
themselves upon the sofa where Hill
and she had quarreled. But no ghost
of former love haunted her now. In
stead, her infatuation for Pedro burned
higher every moment. She must fine
some method of attaching him and O
assuring their meeting frequently, sc
that she might have opportunity grad
ually to bind him by more tender ties
Then, too, that miniature in the desl
seemed to haunt her-that and her ia
) ther's start when he entered the dinins