Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-03-17
v. THE PORTRAIT AGAIN.

v. THE PORTRAIT AGAIN.
That week saw infatuated spring.
abandoning every show of diffidence.
Fastening with footsteps daily more
fleet to fling herself into the arms of
summer.
Mrs. Trowbridge had arranged to
take over the Southampton cottage of
a friend who was going abroad.
Priscilla, preoccupied with personal int
terests. her unhappiness and the work
that seemed its only antidote. was
careless whittier they went for the
summer. or when, or how, so long as
the change were not permitted to him
der her painting. and asked only to be
let alone till she finished her two latest
canvaSeS
Twice she begged for postpone
ments. which were grudgingly conced-
ed. and ultimately, badgered beyond
endurance by her aunt's insistence
that she name definite day when she
would be willing to go, fatty declared
she wouldn't bulge foot out of
town before she had at least COM
pleted the portrait of Ada Meyer.
| Mrs. Trowbridge heard the accent of
finaIity and gave in at discretion-but
with pursed lips.
Fosdick. observing Priscilla in
threefold capacity, conceded the con;
quest of MIS- admiration as sports
man; the girl was putting up the gam.
est fight conceivable, against crushing
odds.
The physician In him saw with sat.
isfaction the seemingly successful
working out of his prescribed regime.
Even the, sedative which. by his order.
Priscilla took every night on going to
bed. was doing It's work without any
apparent i'll effect: to the contrary.
indeed. since her dreams no longer
distressed the girl. Still. 1t would be
over-sanguine to consider the case
alrealy closed with cure.
And the lover remained in suspense.
hoping against hope with an uneasy
heart ~.
Andrews turned up no trace Of lie
on0ra after her departure from the
Walpole in company with Mario. II
those two had married. they had man.
aged the business with the utmost
circumspectionv and secrecy.
He reported no progress In his
search for traces of Mother O'More"
assuming that such a person had
ever existed.
There came at length day. Of re-
laxing heat, when everything went
wrong.
Ada Meyer showed up In the morn
ing only to announce that. much as
she adored her portrait. she's hadn't
the slightest intention of going on
with the sittings or. for that matter
in such weather. If Priscilla wanted
to finish the portrait she would have
to bring II down to the Meyer country
home and work on 1t there. This be-
Ing manifestly unreasonable--Ads
knew quite well 1t would be imp0ssi-
BILE. 10 duplicate the lighting Of the
studio-Priscilla felt constrained to
point out candidly how selfish Ada
was. And they bickered until, they
parted. each huffed to the verge OF
tears.
Priscilla cOnsoled herself. she had
shopping to do. 49,. .
The shops were crowded. the sales
people irritable and Irritating. She
found nothing that suited her. Be-
tween three and four she gave up
trying and, thoroughly out Of humor.
started TO walk home up the avenue.
In front Of the Hardness gallery a
little knot of people had collected,
creating an eddy In the tides Of foot
traffic. Priscilla hesitated. then with
qulckening pulses added herself to the
group before the show window. work
ing her way into its heart. where she
obtained an unobstructed view Of her
work
For Il was true, what she had SUR
missed: Hardness had already put the
portrait OF Leonora on exhibition.
And already II was attracting con-
spicuous amount of attention.
Enchanted. Priscilla stood before
her painting with eyes that shone
and cheeks aglow. an exquisite emo
ton weiling 10 her bosom.
Near by man spoke In the Ian
guage OF the studios. praising the por-
trait to a companion. And Priscilla
hazard and .vea exalted