The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-01

THAT, Miss Hathaway" George
Pruitt, artist, reproved his model,
"smacks of dirty crack. My con-
nection with the time clock OF the
Lincoln Pruitt Hardware Company
has been no slight one, I'd have
you know. It's been a ball and
chain, y which you, heaven grant,
hold the key"
"I?" Crystal turned her head to
start at him, and was met with
such a fierce glare that she imme-
diately resumed the pose.
Eyes, you. 1 bearded my stern
parent in his den this morning, put
it up to him, man to man, that l
loathed, despised and was annoyed
by the wholesale hardware game;
that, all past evidences of my genius
to the contrary, 1 believed / had
the divine spark. and asked leave
of absence from my hated Office
each afternoon for the next two
weeks, in which to prove it by paint
ing one WOW of a picture. l draw
a kindly veil over the scene which
followed"
Il can imagine it." Crystal said
svmpathetically. The memory of
her own last encounter with her
erstwhile employer was enough to
make her tremble with anger.
mo. you can't. No girl as gentle
as the Crystal I'm going to paint
can possibly imagine such a black
scene" George contradicted her
emphatically. IF YOU did imagine
it. even for an instant it would
show up as a dark shadow in my
Crystal pictre-so please don't
Try.
His nlildeSt remark was that l
was placing far too much emphasis
upon my proposed halliday leave
of absence by asking permission to
take it; that the Pruitt Hardware
Company would manage to totter
alone without me if l entirely for
got to return. But the upshot of
it was that if the picture is good
enough to make him want to buy it
for himself, I'm to be given another
go at the gay life of a diSSolute
artist. on a decent allowance"
Again Crystal diSregarded orders
and turned her head so that she
might look into the eyes of the
young man who was speaking so
banteringly of what she knew, from
Faith. to be the frustrated ambi-
ton of his life.
For a long minute their glanceS
locked. and his little. bright black
eyes under the untidy thatch of
ruSty-red hair lost their smile, be-
cause so somber and wiStful. SO
markedly humble. that the girls
heart swelled with pity.
The old Crystal never would have
Seen vouchSafed q glimpse of those
odd, little black eyes as they re-
vealed themselves then: or if she
L., she would have bIidled and
f1uttered and ruined the moment.
The new Crystals eyes widened and
filmed with cliick tears. She turned
her head away swiftly, resumed the
pose.
IL ~ 0OROAAAAS az d41 Oll IllGs
George" she said gently, you may
count on me-. III pose Us often and
40 song as you wish
Thanks. Crystal George Pruitt
answered brusquely. 49,.
"Tired?" George asked dutifully,
after half an hour OF rapid work.
How could I be? I'm complete
Iy at rest" Crystal mWmured, faint
ly resentful of the interruption.
Then half an hour more" George
urged happily This light is mar
velous. But III stop any time you
say"
The half hour was almost up
when Cherry's high, musical voice
rang out from the living room door,
way: Hello, George! I didn't
dream you were herel Clever boy!
Stol. a march on Harry Blaine,
didn't you? I do hope my staid
living room hasn't witnessed any
srtiSt-and-model Scsndal.g