The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1915-10-28

ing. The girl was impatient for the
day when she, too, was to see the pic
ture. concerning which the three men
maintained so profound a secrecy. She
knew that Samson was painter who
analyzed with his brush, and that his
picture would show her not only fea-
lures and expression, but the mans
estimate of herself.
do you know" he said one day,
coming out from behind his easel and
studying her. through half-ci'i---'' $50
Il never really began to know you I'M
til now? Analysing you-studying you
in this fashion, not by your words, but
! by your expression, your pose, the
very unconscious essence of your per-
sonality-these things are illuminat-
| ing"
Although I am not painting you"
she said with a smile, Il have been
studying you, too. AS you stand there
before your canvas your own person
atty is revealed-and have not been
entirely unobservant myself"
"And under the X-ray scrutiny Of
this profound analysis he said with
a laugh, do you like me?"
"Wait and see," she retorted.
at all events"-he spoke gravely-
you must try to like me little, be-
cause | am not what | was. The per-
son that / am is largely the creature
of your own fashioning. OF course
you had very raw material to work
with, and you can't make a silk purse
of"-he broke off and smiled-"well,
of me, but in time you may at least
get me mercerized little"
For no visible reason she flushed,
and her next question came a tride
eagerly:
do you mean / have influenced
your"
Influenced me, Drennie?" he re-
peated. You have done more than
that. You have painted me out and
painted me over"
She shook her head, and in her eyes
danced light of subtle coquetry.
There are things | have tried to
do, and failed" she told him.
His eyes showed surprise.
Perhaps" he apologized, 81 am
dense, and you may have to tell me
bluntly what | am to do. But you
know that you have only to tell me-"
For a moment she said nothing,
then shook her head again.
Issue your orders" he insisted. IL
am waiting to obey"
She hesitated again, then said,
slowly;
"Have your hair cut It's the one
uncivilized thing about YOU"
For an instant Samson's face hard
ened
NO" he said; 81 don't care to do
that"
"Oh, very WELT" she laughed lightly.
'In that event, of course, you shouldn t
do it." But her smile faded, and after
moment he explained:
you see. it wouldn't do"
what do you mean?"
81 mean that I've got to keep some
thing as it was to remind me of prior
claim on my life"
For an instant the girls face cloud
ed and grew deeply troubled.
you don't mean," she asked, with
an outburst of interest more vehement
than she had meant to show, or real
lied she was showing-"you don't
mean that you still adhere to ideas of
the vendetta?" Then she broke of
with laugh, a rather nervous laugh.
"Of course not" The answered her
self. That would be too absurd"
| Would IL" asked Samson, simply.
He glanced at lis watch. Two min
utes up" he announced THE model
will please resume the pose. By the
way may drive with you tomorrow
afternoon"
The next afternoon Samson ran up
the street steps of the Lescott house
and rang the bell, and a few moments
later Adrienne appeared The car was
waiting outside, and as the girl came
down the stairs in motor coat and
veil, she paused and her fingers on the
banister frightened in surprise as she
looked at the man who stood below
holding his hat in his hand, with his
face upturned. The well-shaped head
was no longer marred by the name
which it had formerly worn, but was
close cropped, and under the trans
forming influence of the change the
forehead seemed holder and higher,
and to her thinking the strength of
the purposeful features was enhanced,
and yet, had she known it, the man
felt that he had for the first time sur
rendered a point which meant an aban-
donment of something akin to prin-
ciple.
She said nothing, but as she took
his hand in greeting her fingers
pressed his own in handclasp more
lingering than usual
Late that evening, when Samson re-
turned to the studio, he found a mis-
sive in his letter box, and, as he took
it out his eyes fell on the postmark.
1t was dated from Hixon, Kentucky
and, as the man slowly climbed the
stairs, he turned the envelope over in
his hand with a strange sense of mis-
giving and premonition.
The letter was written in the
cramped hand of Brother Spencer
Through its faulty diction ran a plain.
ly discernible undernote of disapproval
for Samson, though there was no word
of reproof or criticism. 1t was plain
that it was sent as a matter of cour