The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-01
CHAPTER vi.
Maitland TAFT.

I
four O'Clock, not on the stroke,
but ten minutes after.
Am | early he asked, after
we had shaken hands.
'No-you are not early. I was
expecting you at four, and
mother will be down presently"
II was out at the golf club
dance last night" he said, after
a pause, with certain abrupt
ness which | had found charact-
erisrized his more important
parts of speech.
WAS it-enjoyable?" l asked
politely.
Extremely. Mrs. Walker was
there, and she had very kindly
forgiven me for my detection of
the afternoon. In fact, she was
distinctly cordial. She talked to
me great deal of you and your
mother"
My heart sank. It always does
when l find that my women
friends have been talking a great
deal about me.
"Oh, did she?"
"She Is very fond of you, 1t
seems-and very puzzled by you. |"
Puzzled because | work for
the Herald?"
| spoke breathlessly, for | won
dered if Mrs. Walker had told of
the Guilford Blake puzzle, as
we'll but after one look into the
candid half-amused eyes | knew
that this information had been
withheld.
We'll, yes. She touched upon
that, among other things"
But what things?" l asked
impatiently. At the door | heard
the maid with the tea tray. 81
suppose, however, just the usual
things that people tell about us.
That we have been homeless and
penniless-except for this old
barn-since l was baby, and
that, one by one, the pomps. of
power have been stripped from
u.s."
He smiled.
/ "Yes!" he replied. "And Mrs.
Walker told me something that |
had not in the least thought to
surmise-that you are descend
ant of the famous artist, Christie.
| don't know why | happened not
to think about it, for the name
is one which an Englishman in
stantly connects with portrait
galleries. He was very favorably
known on our side"
| Turning around, he glanced at
a small portrait across the room.
| "Is-is this James Christie?'
he asked.
Yes. There is a larger one in
the hail."
II He walked across the room and
examined the portrait.
! do you care for him-for this
sort of thing?" he asked, waving
his hand carelessly toward the
other portraits in the room. 81
imagined that you didn't"
| He spoke with a tinge of dis
appointment.
/ Il do-and I don't" I answer.
ed. coming across the room to
his side and drawing back a cur
tain to admit better light. 81
certainly care for-him."
1.-THE artist
| YES"
| But why?" he demanded. ITO
me 1t seems such a waste of time
this sentiment for romantic an
tiquity. But | am not an UNI
prejudiced judge, / admit. I have
spent all the days of my life hat
ms aristocracy."
"Oh, my feeling for him is not
caused by his aristocracy," l
made haste to explain. "And in
deed, the Christies were very
commonplace people until he
elevated them into the ranks of
fame. He was not only an artist
of note, but he was a very strong
man. 1t is this part of his his
tory that l revere. and when |
was very young girl 1 adopted
him-from all the rest of my an
cestors--to be the one I'd care
for and feel a pride in."
He interrupted me, his smile
growing gentler.
II think understand" he
said. IL did the selfsame thing,
years ago when | was a boy. But
my circumstances we're rather
different from yours. / selected
my grandfather-my mothers
father, because he was clean and
fine and strong. He was-he
was a collier in Wales"
"A collier?" l repeated, won
dering for the moment over the
unaccustomed word.
"A coal MINER" he explained
briefly. HE was honest and
kind-hearted-and ! took him for
my example. He left me no heir
| looms that"