The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-11-27

meanwhile what had he. himself, donei
heavens! Last night, what had he
said to herr What would she thinkf
The beloved of his friend-the friend
who had done everything for him
who had benefited him beyond anyl
What a traitor he would appear! or
| course, his love-making was the merest
| joke-nothing but a pretty game.
| played In an idle moment; and when
he started it he had not known IL was
| she who lay at the root and source OF
| his adventure! His love-making! He
almost laughed aloud at the thought
| of 1t. Why, 1t was only in fun. And
undoubtedly the Madonna Lady had un-
derstood 1t SO. 1t was impossible that
she was serious! 1t was quite useless
for her to be so, at any rate. Pedro
was no lover for her.
At the thought he laughed merrily.
| But Hill could not know that. Sup
pose the painter were to hear of his,
| Pedros, attentions to Miss Wander
| pool!
Well, now that the little society item
| had revealed the true state Of affairs.
there would be no more flirting, that
was assured. But friendship was
surely another matter. He liked her
| so much! Next to Leigh, she appealed
| to him more than any of his new &C
quaintances. He really must get to
know her better. Then there was that
exquisite line of her throat; he simply.
must paint ia real Madonna, with
blue draperies about her head-a leaf
out of the book of the old masters, yet
quick with life.
| Just as he reached this amiable con-
clusion the studio door was flung open
to admit the vivacious figure of q
young woman. all gold and pink and
white, from her fluffy head to the hem
of her frilled apron of lawn.
This young person was Miss Cassie
Goodell from the floor below-the
| young lady of the violets.
| "Mornin', Pedro" she greeted him.
| I've come to do your rooms"
'1mpertinent!" he gasped. closing
| the door behind her. How many
times have told you to knock before
entering, eh?"
"As often as l come up!" she ad-
| mitted, making a raid upon the cigar
cites.
Some day you may be sorryi" he
warned her. Suppose l were not
clothed?"
Lord bless you. Pedro DEAR" she re-
piled amusedly, 81 shouldn't die Of the
shock, having posed In pleasant
smile myself for over five years"
well, you knock next time!" he
said excitedly. Il care, If you don't"
She finished with the dishes and set
herself to making the bed, after, an
usual. vainly searching for toilet ar
ticles to put away. AS ever, she mar
veled anew at the nicely with which
his personal belongings we're kept in
contrast to his shabby housekeeping.
She soon finished what there was to
| do and returned to the studio, just
| pausing to prink bit before the mir
ror. AS she entered, Pedro beckoned
| to her.
Hold out your arm a minute, Cas-
J sie," he babe her. speaking without
COIulu6 OuI VI nlo duSOiPtlOh. 2NOs
so; the shoulder little higher. That's
it,"
Then he worked violently for few
moments.
Rest" he said, then: ~That's all.
| I'm not going to work this morning.
I've got an engagement for the noon
| meal"
N,,rx, a1 70 orot N IN
gaily checked dish-cloths. At the
door she paused.
rs she good-looker, the lady you're
going to lunch WITH" she asked mis-
chievously.
He wheeled toward her In surprise.
"Ah! l did not say was going to
lunch with LADY," he exclaimed.
$50 she is pretty" said Cassie. with
pseudo-melancholy sigh. "Ah, mel"
Then she was gone. closing the door
softly behind her.
"Hum!" said Pedro, staring at the
floor II invited that! I must be be-
coming as awkward as a."
Here he stopped abruptly; put
hand upon his lips. warning himself to
/ blicuC6, tOOh away thC hohdb AOoAN -
streaked with brown paint, and
straightway fell to washing his be-
smirched countenance with soap pow
der of peculiarly cleansing sort.
|
An hour later he was sitting down
! at "the noon meal" with Iris.
For" she said, father is never
punctual; IL we waited for him we
might wait until night"
In the cold light Of day, and In the
more formal setting of her own house.
Iris was finding it somewhat difficult to
continue the romantic impetuous at
mosphere which had come so naturally
In the semi-darkness Of the Milligans'
balcony. He fascinated her beyond
any of her acquaintances. Indeed, she
had begun to consider him even more
tenderly. Then there was that NINA
ture in her fathers desk! Where had
1t come from? Was 1t OF Pedro? So
| many mysteries were enough even to