The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-06-03

lOr nlLl his GOTOldn knOI WAS cut.
Sally and his uncle alone had his
address. This letter, casting him out,
must have been authorized by them,
Brother Spencer acting merely as
amanuensis They, too, lad repudi-
ated him-and, if that were true, ex-
cept for the graves of his parents, the
hills had no tie to hold him.
Sally, SALLY" he groaned, dropping
his face On his crossed arms, while
his shoulders heaved in an agony OF
heartbreak, and his words came in the
old, crude syllables: II lowed you'd
believe in NE eff hell froze!' He rose
after that and made a fierce gesture
with his clenched fists. "All right
he said bitterly, I'm shet of the lot
of we. I'm done!"
But it was easier to say the words
of reputation than to cut the ties
that were knotted about his heart.
With ranking soul, the mountain
eer left New York. He wrote Sally
brief note, telling her that he was 60
ing to cross the ocean, but his hurt
pride forbade his pleading for her con-
tdence, or adding, II love YOU" He
plunged into the art life of the other
side of the Seine" and worked vora-
ciously. He was trying to learn
much-and to forget much.
One sunny afternoon when Samson
had been in the Quarter Latin for
eight or nine months the concierge of
his lodgings handed him. as he passed
through the cour, an envelope ad-
dressed in the hand of Adrienne Les
colt. AS he read it he felt glow Of
pleasurable surprise, and, wheeling, he
retraced his steps briskly to his lodg-
ings, where he began to pack. Adri-
enne had written that she and her
mother and Wilfred Horton were sail
ing for Naples, and commanded him,
unless he were too busy, to meet their
steamer. Within two hours he was
bound for Lucerne to cross the Italian
frontier by the slate-blue waters of
Lake Maggiore.
A few weeks later Samson and Ad.
rienne were standing together by
moonlight in the ruins of the Coli
oCuul. hC JuAhCIAA6 dOOuI IldAy Adu
been charming, and now in that circle
of sepia softness and broken columns
he looked at her and suddenly asked
himself:
Just what does she mean to your
If he had never asked himself that
question before he knew now that it
must some day be answered. Friend
ship had been good and seemingly
sufficient definition. Now he was not
so sure that it could remain SO.
Then his thoughts went back to a
cabin in the hills and girl in calico.
He heard a voice like the voice of a
song bird saying through tears:
Il couldn't live without We, Samson.
jest couldn't do hit.'
For a moment he was sick of his life
1t seemed that there stood before him,
in that place of historic wraiths and
memories, girl. her eyes sad, but
loyal, and without reproof.
You look said Adrienne. studying
his countenance in the pallor of the
moonlight, as though you Aere see
ing ghosts"
Il am" said Samson. Let's 60
| Adrienne had not yet seen her por-
trait. Samson had needed few hours
of finishing when he left New York.
though it was work which could be
done away from the model. So it was
natural that when the party reached
| Paris Adrenne should soon insist on
crossing the Pont d'Alexandre III to
his studio near the ''Boule Mich for an
| inspection Of her commissioned canvas
| For while she wandered about the
| businesslike place, Uttered with the
gear of the painters craft. 1t was, in
a way, a form of mind-reading, 70,
Samsons brush was the tongue Of his
soul.
The girls eyes grew thoughtful as
| she saw that he still drew the leering
saturnine face of Jim Asberry. He
| had not outgrown hate. then? But
she said nothing until he brought out
and set on an easel her own portrait
For moment she gasped with sheer
delight for the colorful mastery of the
| technique, and she would have been
hard to please had she not been de.
lighted with the conception of her.
self mirrored in the canvas. 1t was a
face through which the soul showed,
and the soul was strong and flawless
The girls personality radiated from
the canvas-and yet A disappointed
little look crossed and clouded her
eyes. She was conscious of an in.
definable catch of pain at her heart.
| Samson stepped forward, and his
waiting eyes, too, were disappointed.
you don't like it, Drennie?" he
anxiously questioned. But she smiled
in answer and. declared:
Il love it."
He went out few minutes later to
telephone for her to Mrs. Lescott, and
gave Adrienne carte blanche to browse
among his portfolios and stacked can
vases until his return. In a few min
utes she discovered one of those ef-
forts which she called his "rebellious
| pictures"
These were such things as he paint
| nd la1