Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-07
the girl what I've said and let her de.

> the girl what I've said and let her de
eide"
Roy picked up his hat and left his
uncle without another word. He was
to meet Eve at o'clock and they were
to dine together at quiet little res.
; taurant His mind was entirely clear
as to what course he should follow. He
was in rage with Uncle Gregory. How
, dared the cynical old man insinuate
l. that Eve whom he had never seen
and whose name he did not even know
would refuse to marry Roy II she
| found he was not his uncle's heir?
, Eve, cool and fresh in her white
frock and smart little hat, looked
, across the table at her big lover with
hazel eyes meltingly lovely. Her clear
olive skin was pink tinted, and her
dark hair, delicately arched brows and
roseleaf lips made her look like an ex-
} quisitely painted Japanese miniature.
"Well?" she asked, when their greet
ings were over.
I'VE will be married at once = next
week." he said, finality in his tone.
"And, Eve, darling, / hope you won't
mind very much If l 60 back to Den
bigh's."
4 Her eyes widened with dismay.
"Denbigh's?" she faltered. And give
up your career - give up 'silence'?"
He nodded And give up Uncle
Gregory's help, too. He thinks that I
ought to travel for couple of years,
and simply don't see 1t that way. A
wife and home look good to me- dar-
W ~-xl1 NJ at n
humble way, eh?"
! All the lovely light died out Of Ewes
eyes and left them dark and brooding.
Her face was white and wistful and
her little hands were tightly clinched
In her lap. At last her pale lips spoke.
II think you are very foolish to an
tagonize your uncle, Roy = and - and
I've been thinking for some time that
our engagement was mistake "a Bit
ter mistake - and you will under
stand some day. Good-by"
She picked up her gloves and van
ished from the table before he had
time to rise His bewildered eyes saw
on the white cloth the little pearl en-
gagement ring which had plighted
their troth.
So Eve had only cared for Uncle
Gregory's money after all. The old
man had been right of course, his years
of experience would endow him with
an understanding Of women.
Roy groaned bitterly, put the ring in
his pocket. called for his check and
went back to Uncle Gregory.
On the deck Of the great liner which
was to bear Roy away, Uncle Gregory
uttered a last word of advice. Seek
the silences, my lad in the loneliness
of the Sahara, the temples Of India,
the great bronze Buddha at Kamakura
- and your picture will come to you!"
Roy smiled cynically. AS If he could
ever see any other picture save that
sudden, woehegone face of the girl he
loved And he would not forget 1t -
1T would be his amulet against the
charms of women the rest of his life.
|
Mr.. Gregory Benton's little nut
cracker face looked more irritated
than usual as he spoke to the proprie-
tor of certain art store which had
handled several of Roy Benton's
charming little studies of peasant life
in Europe.
tits pretty state of affairs!' fumed
F., MT. Benton T1cIS lS lily uSpAcW SSllu-
ing his pictures to you to dispost of,
and can't get hold Of one to hang in
any home! Who is this = this person
who has bought each one before could
get hold Of it?''
"She Is Miss Alison; beyond that
know nothing" said the man. she
has paid the price named without de-
muir, although to outward appearances
4 she is far from rich; in fact she is
quite shabby"
"I would have paid you ten times
the amount you placed on each pic
ture," went on Mr.. Benton. II want to
encourage the boy in his work = It's
all I've got to live for. Now, Smith,
save the next picture for me = no mat
ter what 1t Isl"
! Very well, Mr.. Benton" said the
dealer.
/ A year later Mr.. Gregory Benton
was standing in well-known art gal.
lery in which was hung the beautiful
painting by his nephew The picture
had been accepted by the Paris Salon
and was now on exhibition In New
York.
/; Uncle Gregory stood before the pic.
ture enraptured with Its beautiful sig
nificance, its charm and mystery Isl.
lence," as 1t was called, represented
the seated form of beautiful woman
a woman with lovely, woe-begone eyes
of rich hazel, with softly tinted cheeks
and with tender lips closed as II lock
ing in some secret sorrow. The white
gown falling mistily about her, the