The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-11-17


Come. ont with II" said Walter;
but he was smiling no longer. What
could ii bet Something dreadful, no
doubt, and something by which he
was to prove the sincerity Of his love
for her.
'Then listen, Walter, and let me
finish before You say a word" said
Mollie, sitting up primly and stifly
before him. Its about your pictures.
During the last year you have been
getting better and better prices for
them from Enoch, haven't your"
"Well, / should say I have"
.Then listen, Walter" said Mollle
quickly. .'That is all a trick of mine
and fathers. When you asked me to
wait until you had made a name for
yourself father thought you foolish.
He had money enoughsfor both of us,
he said, and nothing would have
pleased him better than that you
should continue painting all your life
and let the future take care Of itself.
But when you ~refused-well, you know
that Moonlight Over Brooklyn Bridge
Of yours?"
"Well, / should guess so. Enoch
gave me $3.50 for that and it was
my first success"
"Enoch didn't buy It," sobbed Mol
lie. "At least, didn't buy 1t on chance,
as you suppose. Father went to him
and told him he would pay $3.50 for
that when you took It to Enoch and
$50 extra for leach picture you painted
until you reached q thousand dollars.
And those customers of Enoch's who
you thought bought all your pictures
they were just father and me, Walter.
And every picture that he has bought
he has given away. And now l know
that things are back just where they
were two years ago, and I oughtn't
to have told you, but I couldn't marry
you with q lie In my heart, Walter.
SO kiss me once and then I will leave
you and not see you again untii-why,
Walters l" sa ...
He was bending over her and laugh
| ing, and the kiss that he gave her
did NOT seem in the least like a fare
well kiss, but rather q harbinger OF
many kisses to come.
"Walter! You aren't going to leave
me3 You are going to forgive me7'
Mollie whispered increduiously.
Walter sat down In his chair again
and drew her on his knees and kissed
the last of the tears away.
snow o listen to me, Mollie, and
don't you interrupt me until I am
| through" he began. '"Of course If I
had known Of that little trick l should
have been extremely angry. But 1t
has helped me In more ways than you
| imagine. In the first place, this CIV
| ing away Of my paintings to hospitals
and schools has advertised me and Gre
ated a demand for my work"
EYES," breathed Mollie.
"And only last Friday l was in at
Wallis and he said to me: 4 wish you
wouldn't give all your work to Enoch,
Mr.. Barrett. Why don't you let. me
have some of it7 So I told him that
/ had made a years contract with
| Enoch to give him SO many pictures
and that l couldn't break it. And
what do you think? Well, if l hadn't
entered into that arrangement / should
have been able to dispose Of my work
at just about twice as much again
and if my pictures hadn't been dis
persed throughout the city I coulc
have a collected, exhibit this winter
as Wallis wants. So that you and my
respected father-in-law to be have de
prived me Of just about half a years
income" .
walter"
"Five thousand dollars, and I'm 60
ing to get it back from you"
"How?' asked Mollie, smiling.
zone dollar apiece answered Wal
ter. give thousand kisses at com
pound interest, doubling themselves In
Ave and twenty years."