The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-06-05

usually she did not come to business
Offices; that she had only twenty
minutes to give him; that the day was
warm, or cold; his Office handsome |;
the view over the river magnificent.
Miss O'Mara said nothing. pleasantly.
So Dirk began to talk, rather hur-
riedly.
Now, this was new experience for
Dirk DeJong. Usually women spoke
to him first and fiuently. Quiet women
waxed voluble under his silence; vol
uble women chartered. Paula always
spoke hundred words to his one.
But here was woman more silent
than he; not sullenly silent, nor heav-
lily silent, but quietly. composedly, rest
fully silent.
"I'll tell you the sort of thing we
want, Miss O'Mara" He told her.
When he had finished she probably
would burst out with three or four
plans. The others had done that.
When he had finished she said, "Tll
think about it for couple Of days
while I'm working on something else.
always do. I'm doing soap picture
now. l can begin work ON yours
Wednesday,"
But I'd like to see it-that is, I'd
like to have an idea of what you're
planning to do with it." Did she think
he was going to let her go ahead with
out consulting his judgment!
"Oh, it will be all right But drop
into the studio If you like. 1t will
take me about week, suppose. I'm
over on Ontario in that old studio
building. You'll know 1t by the way
most Of the bricks have fallen out Of
the building and are scattered over the
sidewalk" She smiled slow wide
smile. Her teeth were good but her
mouth was too big. he thought. Nice
big warm kind of smile, though. He
found himself smiling, too. socially.
Then he became 5businesslike again.
Very businesslike.
"How much do you-what is your
what would you expect to get for a
drawing such as that?"
Fifteen hundred dollars" said Miss
O'Mara
Nonsense" He looked at her then.
Perhaps that had been humor. But she
was not smiling. You mean fifteen
hundred for single drawing?"
For that sort Of thing, yes"
I'm afraid we can't pay that, Miss
O'Mara."
Miss O'Mara stood up. 'That is my
price" She was not at all embar-
raised. He realized that he had never
seen such effortless composure. 1t was
he who was fumbling with the objects
on his flat-topped desk-a pen, sheet
of paper, blotter "Good-by, Mr.
DeJong." She held out a friendly
hand. He took it. Her hair was gold
dull gold, not brlght-and coiled in
a single great knot at the back of her
head. low. He took her hand. The
tired eyes looked up at him.
swell, if that's your price, Miss
O'Mara. ! wasn't prepared to pay any
such-but of course suppose you top
notchers do get crazy prices for your
work."
"Not any crazier than the prices you
topznotchers get"
"Still, fifteen hundred dollars Is quite
lot of money"
II think so, too. But then, I'll al
ways think anything over nine dollars
Is quite lot Of money. You see. l
used to get twenty-five cents apiece for
sketching hats for Gage's."
She was undeniably attractive. "And
now you've arrived. You're success
full"
"Arrived! Heavens. no! I've
started"
who gets more money than you do
for drawing?"
Nobody, l suppose"
swell. Them"
"Well, then, in another minute I'll
be telling you the story Of my life."
She smiled again her SLOW wide
smile; turned to leave. Dirk decided
that while most women's mouths were
merely features this girls was decor
alton.
She was gone. Miss Ethelinda
Quinn ct al, In the outer office, ap-
praised the costume Of Miss Dallas
O'Mara from her made-to-order foot
gear to her made-in-France millinery
and achieved a lightning mental re-
construction Of their own costumes
Dirk DeJong in the inner office real
lied that he had ordered fifteen-hun-
dred-dollar drawing. sight unseen, and
that Paula was going to ask questions
about 1t.
Make a note. Miss Rawlings, to
call Miss o'Maras studio on Thurs
day."
In the next few days he learned that
a surprising lot of people knew a sur
prisingly good deal about this Dallas
O'Mara. She hailed from Texas,
hence the name. She was twenty
eight twenty-five - thirty-two -
thirty-six. She was beautiful She
was ugly. She was, an orphan.
She had worked her way through art
school. She had no sense Of the
value of money Two years agO she