The state herald., 1915-06-18
CHAPTER v-cont,nued.

The two men had lost an hour
huddled under canopy beneath the
cannonading OF sudden storm. They
had silently watched titanic battalions
OF thunder clouds riding the skies In
gusty puffs Of gale and raklng the
earth with lightning and hail and
water.
MY God!" exclaimed the mountain
boy abruptly. I'D give anything ef
! could paint that"
Lescott rose smilingly from his seat
before the easel and surrendered his
palette and sheaf Of brushes.
TRY It," he invited.
For moment Samson stood hesi-
tant and overcome with difidence;
then. with set lips. he took his place
and experimentally fitted his fingers
about the brush, as he had seen Les
colt do. He asked no advice He
merely gazed for a while, and then.
dipping brush and experimenting for
his color. went to sweeping in his pn-
mary tones. Samson. even though he
was hopelessly daubing. and knew II,
was sincere. and the painter at his
elbow caught his breath and looked on
with the absorption of prophet. who.
listening to childish prattle. yet recog.
nizes the gift OF prophecy.
'Thet's the way hit looks ter me-"
the boy said. simply.
That's the way It is" commended
his critic.
For while more Samson worked
at the nearer hills. then he rose.
I'm DONE" he said. "haint a.goin'
ter fool with them thar trees an
things. ] don't know nothing erbout
thet. I can't paint leaves an twigs
an b!rdsnests. What ! like is noun.
tings an skies an sech-like things"
Loscott looked at the daub before
him. A less trained eye would have
seen only the daub. Just as poor
Judge OF horseHesh might see only
awkward joints and long legs In
weanllng colt, though II be bred In the
purple.
Samson" he said, earnestly. that's
all there is TO art IT'S the power to
feel the poetry of colo.. The rest can
be taught. The genius must work. of
course-work. work. work. and still
work. but the gift Is the power Of
seeing true-and. by God. boy. you
have II. You've got what aanny men
have struggled lifetime for. and
failed I'D like TO have you study with
me. I'D like TO be your discoyerer.
Look here"
rh.. lnta sus nd
went to work. He painted out moth.
ing. lie simply toned. and. with pre-.
cisely the right touch here and there,
softened the crudeness. laid stress on
the contrast. melted the harshness.
and. when he rose. he had built. upon
the rough cornerstone OF Samson's
laying. u picture.
THAT proves H." he said Il had
only TO finish. ! didn't have much TO
undo. Boy. you're wasting yourself.
Come wi'h me. and let me make you.
We all pretend there is no such thing.
In these days. as sheer genius. but.
deep down, we know that. unless there
In, there can be no such thing as true
art. There IL genius and you have
g." Enthusiasm was again sweeping
him into nm unattended outburat.
The boy stood silent Across his
co,lntenanoe swept n conflict OF emo
tiohs. He looked away. as II taking
counsel with the hills.
Its what I'm h.honin' fer" he ad.
nittcd at last. "Hit's what I'd give
half my life fer. :. ! mout sell
my land. an raise the money. {.
! reckon bit would take pasnels OF
money, wouldn't hitl" lie paused, and
his eyes fell on the rifle leaning against
the tree. His lips ugh,cnod In sudden
remembrance iic went over and
picked np the gun. and. m he did 40.
he shook his head.
"No." he n,olidly declared: every
man TO his own toola. This hern'n
mine"
Yet. when they were again CIT
sketebing. the temptation TO play with
brushes once more selrcd him. and he
took his place before the easel
Neither he nor Leacott noticed n man
who crcpt down through the timber.
and for a time watched them. The
mans face wore a surly. contcmp,uous
grin. and shortly II withdrew.
hut, nm hour later. while the boy
was util working induHtiiouRly AMI
the artist was lying on ha back. with
a pipe between his teeth. aud his half
sIoHed eyes gazing up oontentedly
through the green OF overhead
branches. their peace waa broken by
. Euffaw OF derisivo laughter Thcy
Lrsts6 ~. u nrd ut the,r hacks semi