Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-01-21
CHAPTER III.

Mrs. Royalton was plump and liam
boyant, handsome, II one didn't mind
her pop eyes, which were brown n
brilliant. She was a sleek and glossy
woman dressed in the extreme OF
style, apparently quite assured of her
own charms. Her motions were pleas
antly slow-she moved about with a
stately swanlike carriage. Her vocal
tones, too, were slow and smooth;
full of a sort of sentimental JUNCTION.
Vastly condescending always, was Mrs.
Royalton, to her interiors; suave and
flattering to those she admired. She
wore white, with a purple hat.
whats the matter, child? Been
crying, haven't you? What in the
world does a young girl like you have
to trouble your"
"Oh, waiting on customers, for one
thing!" Flodie tossed her head like a
filly.
Mrs. Royalton didn't, apparently,
get the well you don't
seem to wait on them very much!
Isn't Mr.. Bonistelle ready for me yet?'
Flodie started to reply, then changed
her mind. "I don't know" she said,
"Ill see."
Hall was blinking from the dark
room, loaded plate-holders in hand.
"Oh, Mr.. Bonistelle," F1odie whis-
pered despairingly, you aren't going
to propose to her, are you? Oh, don't,
don't, please, Mr.. Bonistelle!"
"Well, what's the matter now? !
thought you wanted me to-"
"Oh, but l don't now!"
"F1odie! You're crazy! Don't you
worry! It'll be a happy day for you.
little girl, when I'm married! I'll see
that you get a better job than this!
Say, where's that other plate-holder?'
"Over on that shelf. Oh, Mr.. Boni-
stelle, you'll be awfully unhappy! l
know you will"
He stopped impatiently.
Unhappy! With four millions,
Flodie? With a private yacht-a
country house-a villa in Italy, per-
haps-automobiles-a valet-by jove,
l guess not!"
Her face was absurdly distorted
with pain and anxiety. Her fists were
clenched. She summoned her courage
for the last despairing stroke. ooh, she
paints, Mr.. Bonistelle! She paints
her face like a clown! You wouldn't"
Hall laughed aloud. For heavens
sake! Is that what's troubling you?
Now, I suppose she's the only woman
who does it in all New York! Well,
put your mind at rest, Flodie; I'll
promise to reform her after we're mar
ried. Tell her to come in"
Mrs. Royalton wandered into the
studio. She began, as usual, with a
shipper and a smile. 81 don't know
that I ought to shake hands with you,
Mr.. Bonistelle! You're a bad, bad
boy! Why haven't you been to see
me all this long while?" She filled
the place with her dulcet personality.
Hall inspected her sagely, as one in.
spects a valuable object he is expect.
ing to purchase, seeing her, as it
were, for the first time. His first re
mark lacked conviction. ooh, I've
been busy-Rena!" That "Rena'
barely saved 1t.
BUSY! Oh, you're always too busy
for poor little me-! I'm sure you'll
take a horrid picture of me-and / die
SO want to get a good one today
Mrs. Royalton ratified on, taking of
her veil and inspecting her hair in
the cheval glass. She twitted him or
II .---1sk04ncc chn npodn har hfo
eyes bigger. She did the spoiled chile
kittenishly.
Hall still seemed distract. He broke
away nervously and went to work, Il
was his custom to engage his objec'
in conversation, permitting her t.
change position, talk, drink tea, firt
or gesture as she would, while she wa!
and before she began tt
wonder why he did not begin, to have
managed the exposure of some dozeI
plates, from one or two of which HI
was pretty sure to achieve a triumph
of art and n%aturalness.
But. at the mercy of his obsession
this method was impossible today
Hall was too busy making up his mind
and could not do two things at once.
you're not paying a bit of attention
to me-" she pouted. Mrs. Royalton
babyish, was a picture for a cynic.
But Hall was too engrossed in hi
own thoughts. He caught her witt
an unified finger, cried "There!" ant
slipped in a plate. "The fact is, an
a bit worried today" he confessed
Just look a bit over that way. That
right! Fine!" He deftly pressed thu
bulb.