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"Ben!"
"Yes, Nolllc."
Tho rosponso was not as fond as
UBiial, and tho girl felt It. She felt
tho reason for It. Earlier In the even
ing sho had said that tho cherubs in
the painting of tho Madonna had Imp
ish faces, and had declared that the
whole thing was stiff and wooden.
When ho had tried to point out where
and why she was wrong, she had waxed
sarcastic. So that was why ho was
leaving so early, and that waB why
ho answered almost shortly when sho
spoko to him.
"Yes?" ho said again, in an in
quiring tone.
"Oh, well; if yon're going to be cross,
It's nothing much anyway, only
Ben, do you really want to make a pic
ture of me?"
In an Instant a light sprang in his
eyes, and ho turned to look at her.
Want to make a plcturo of her! How
many times had ho asked to do it, and
had each time been held in expecta
tion by her wavering indecision, only
at last to bo refused.
"Do you moan it?" ho cried, eagerly.
"Of course I do," she answered. "I
have a perfectly lovely dress, lace
over satin, real lace, you understand;
it's made with pleats. Oh, it's a per
fect dream!"
Glancing Into his face sho felt that
something in her words had not been
to his liking. Tho truth, was that he
was shuddering inwardjly at the
thought of tho pleated" dress. "It
would bo a regular fashion plate," he
said to himself. But he did not say It
aloud.
Both had risen, and as -sho stood with
tho light bohlnd her her hair shone
llko a halo about her face. It was a
fino-foatured face, delicately colored,
with big, gray eyes,' and a halo of
golden hair. That was all. There is
nothing moro to say, except that Bhe
was small and slender, and know what
was becoming to her.
Tho bitter wind of October whirled
guBts of leaves and rain about the
young artist as he entered the street
and walked homeward that night, but
It did not annoy him, for he was not
thinking of it.
"I'll persuade her out of the fashion
plate Idea,' ho said to himself. Then he
smiled to think of her face as it would
look at him from tho canvas, when
his brush had placed it there.
It had been arranged, Bho was to
como onco a week to sit for him until
tho picture was finished. She said sho
could not spare moro tlmo than that,
and tho sittings were to begin at once.
He told her of his objections to the
satin dross, reasoning with her as best
he could, but all to no purpose.
"I'm Buro I can't see why you don't
llko my dress," sho said, with an in
jured air. "It'B tho very latest thing
out."
"That's just It," he answered hope
lessly. "Of course It's a pretty dross,
but couldn't you 'wear something sim
ple, something without any trimming
on it?"
She looked at him askance. "Every
thing is trimming this B6ason,' she de
olared, "and of course I couldn't think
of such a thing."
Moreover she objected to oil paints.
Tho smell of them made her sick, she
Bald.' Why couldn't ho do the picture
in crayon? She liked crayon best any
way, and ho had done some lovely
things in that. Besides, sho was sure
it wouldbxlngo.iil, Iho laeo work bet
tor. "And I want you to introduce a mir
ror Into It," sho added. "Then it will
show both tho back and tho front of
the dress. Isn't that a cuto scheme?
Tspont a whole evening thinking about
it, and-plnnning it"
So, rebelling in spirit, the artist final
ly consented and the sittings began,
i "I will sketch you. as Vanity,' ho
said, smiling at hor rather sadly, and
she glailced at him quickly," but con
c uded tbut he had not said anything
worth quarreling ovpr.
Day after day tho picture grow under
tho young artist's skillful fingers; apd
little by little ho overcame "the dissat
isfaction with which he had begun the
vorlc Although It was orily ft study
in crayon, ho put his h,eart ijito lb
bis heart of love. e had sketched her
before a mirror in her costnhSe of lace'
and satin, and as her face smiled out
at him from the mirror, lOegin to'
feel that it was better to plcturo her
as she wished than not at all.
"Let me Beo it," sho coaxed, day af
ter day, when tho sittings were over,
but ho smiled and shook his head.
"We will look nt It together when It
Is dono," ho answered, "I want It to bo
perfect before you see It."
One day Bhe was more Insistent than
usual. "I don't see why you are bo
obstinate,' sho pouted, "you can't Imag
Ino how badly I want to see it."
Ho was touched. "Do you really care
bo much for my poor work? But I'd
rather you wouldn't see till It 1b done."
She looked at him, drawing on her
gloves, and smoothing them carofully
at tho fingertips. "Well I'll tel you
why I want to see It," Bho said. "I
want to Bee if you've done the pleatB
over the shoulders so as to make the
right effect at the belt." Thon she
put up her handB to readjust her hat,
and he noticed that there was a little
bird caught and twisted In its velvet
folds. He turned abruptly and began
to arrango his crayons.
At length the last sitting was over.
"May I see it now?" she begged.
"Come tomorrow afternoon." he an
swered, "there are still a few touches
to put on. Come early, for even a
crayon needs a good light to appear
at the best advantage.
"I'll come," sho said, "and I know
It will be a perfect dear."
The appointed hour found him wait
ing. The last touches had been given
to the picture, and ho knew that It
was good. He smiled as he thought of
her delight when she should sec It, but
aB the hand of the clock on the man
tel moved on around theelrcle he be
gan to fret at her tardiness. She wa?
an hour late already, and the light
would be wretched. Half an hour long
er ho waited beforo ho heard her step
on the Btalr, but at the sound of It
annoyance and resontment vanished.
Ho sprang to meet her at tho door.
"How late you are," he said, but there
was no reproach In his voice, and IiIe
eyes softened as they looked at her.
How well those white furs became her!
How gently they caressed her throat
and cheek, and the jeweled clasp which
held them was not brighter than her
eyes.
"I'm really very sorry," she said
cheerfuly, "but I saw a dream of a hat
as I came along. I only went In to ask
tho price of It, but there were so many
nd I simply couldn't resist the temp
tation to try them on. I was so ab
sorbed! Realy, I forgot that time wae
passing. Don't scold now. I shouldn't,
have been bo late, only It took such
a long time to decide between tlu
green felt with tho velvet and the
brown one with plumes. But I finally
took the brown, and It's a perfect
dream!" Sho paused out of breath.
Her face was alight with enthusiasm.
His was shadowed with some inward
feeling.
"Have you forgotten the picture?"
He asked.
"Don't be a bear," sho answered, and
pouted.
His hand trembled a little as he drew
tho curtain aside. He had put nu
heart of love Into the work, and he
felt that it was good. How llko life
tho eyes smiled out from the mlror
as he looked Into them In the light
of the falling day. But when he turned
to look as his companion's face he was
startled at what ho saw there. Her
face was bright with anger, and her
eyes flashed resentment as they met
his own. She struck her foot upon
tho carpet.
"You are -horrid," she cried, angrily.
"You are mean to have made it so. I
see the wholo thing now! You drow
it that way because you think I am
vain, and tho skull means, the skin,
could not bellovo his ears. "Tne skull '
was put In to make fun of me."
He looked at hor bewildered. He
echood blankly. Then his startled
eyes sought the , plcturo, and as be
gazed at it in tho gray, falling light,
It was borno In upon his horrified con
sciousness that the rounded mirror,
with Its arrangement of light and sha
dow, boro a curious resemblance to a
human skull. In tracing the picture
of tho girl, his unconscious fingers had
at the same time been busily shaping
the form of Oils horrid thing. He
stepped backward and gazed at it with
a helpless kind of fascination. As ho
looked the Teal substance of the fig
ures that composed the picture seemed
to grow more and more obscure, and
the skul stood out Vlth startling distinctness.
CHRISTMAS BOOKS
- -.
From which Santa Claus is already making
heavy purchases. Many of them are gift
editinos with special illustrations and attrac
tive bindings. Some of them are limited in
number so d: your buying early.
Tho Forest, by Stewart Ed
ward White, beautifully illus
trated, $1.50.
Cherry, Booth Tarklngton's
last story, $1.05.
Lady Rose's Daughters, by
Mrs. Humphrey Ward. $1.20;
special gift edition, $2.50.
Eben Holden, by Irving Bach
eller, $1.75.
A Checkered Love Affair, by
Paul Leicester Ford, $1.75.
The Mettle of tho Pasture, by
JnmeH Lane Allen, $1.20.
wtf Jai
fa hoi
.otters of a Self-made Mor-
ant to Ills Eon, by Geo. H.
orlmer, $1.20.
i
The Wings of tho Morning, by
Louis Trffpy, $1.20.
1 MILLER
03SS9SS3SS3SS3SS3SS35S S S 38515385
I shall never forgive you," cried
the girl, hor voice shrill with anger.
'It Ib an Insult, a mean, cruel Insult,
ind I sha.ll never spoak to you again!
3h! You needn't look at mo llko that!
I know you think mo vain and silly
nd stupid. yes, stupid, but you can't
poke fun at mo that way." Her eyes
sought the plcturo once more. "A
ikull! " she said between her teeth.
'You have made a skull out of my
portrait."
"Don't!" he cried, and raised his
hand as If to warn her of something.
She turned on her heel and walked
liuckly to the door of the htudlo. He
Jld not beg her to stay; he made no
notion to detain her; he did not even
peak to her. When alio paused on the
thresbhold, he was still standing before
he portrait, staring at It in a blind,
mseclng way. With a little Bob, half
)f vexation, half of regret, she turned,
ind hesitated. Still ho did not move.
5e he was going to let her go, was he?
)h, well, If he wanted It, why sho
Aroluld go.
The biting air ruBhed into her face
is she entered tho street, and stung
.o a yet brighter color the flush on hor
heeks. Great, bitter tears of anger
rose to her eyes, as she hurried along
'he cold, gas-lit pavement. So he was
:o let her go, was he!
Back In the Btudio the artist was still
Handing beforo his picture, thinking,
staring at it till tho gray pitying twl
Ight gathered Its shadows about him,
md hid it from IiIb sight. At last he
roused himself, and drew the curtain
sefore it, his hand awkward with
trembling.
"Tho skull has saved me." he Bald
to himself, not bitterly, but as one
who has reached a conclusion.
In tho studio of an artist, now suc
cessful, a portrait with Us covering
carefully drawn, stands in a corner.
No ono ever sees beneath tho curtain.
But sometimes tho nrtist, a man with
jray streaks In his hald and kindly
syes with a touch of humor in thom,
"oraes when tho studio is empty, and
drawing the curtain aside, looks long
and carefully at the plcturo beneath.
It is tho portrait of a girl before a
nlrror. The face Is fine featured with
a halo of hair about It, and a smile hov
ers on tho lips, a smile of self-satis
faction. But when ono looks long
enough, one sees with a start of sur
prise that tho lights and shadows in
the mirror have blended by some un-
conscious trick of tho artist's pencil.
Into the form of a human skull. Tho
Image of the girl grows obscure and
Is forgotten as qno looks at the horrid
grinning thing that comes to view..
Darrcl of tho Blessed IbIch, by
living Bachcllcr. $1.20.
Emmy Lou Her Book and
Heart, by George Madden Mar
tin, $1.20.
Over the Border, by Robert
Barr. $1.20.
Little Shepherd of Kingdom
Come, by John Fox, Jr., $1.20.
Tho Call of the Wild, by Jnck
London, $1.20.
The Way of tho Sea, by New
man Duncan, $1.30.
The Adventures of Gerard by
A Conan Doyle, $1.20.
Indian Boyhood, a story of In
dian boy life told by an Indian,
attractively Illustrated, $1.50.
& PAINE
Sometimes tho man looks at the plUure
v.o long that ho ceases to seo it. Then
finally ho lots the curtain drop back
Into plnco ngain.
LET A HTETTER.
Roses.
"Never a rose without a thorn,"
The Pessimist sadly Hold,
"And the thorns all stay and sharpen
When the roBes are fallen and dead."
But the calm-faced Optimist gathered
Tho petals that fell :it IiIh feel;
And laid them away where they glad
ened IJIb life with their fragrance sweet.
LIST A STETTEIt.
Convocation Next Week.
Tuesday Professor Caldwell, "Cuban
Reciprocity and tho Extra Session."
Wednesday E. Benj. Andrews.
Thursday Rev. F. W. EaHon, "Pas
sive Resistance to British Educational
Bill."
Friday Christmas music.
OOC)OCOCOCOOCOCOCXXXXX3COOOO
toilet artkles
fImmbr
Our lino of all toilet articles
has been largely Increased in
view of the approaching holiday
season. All tho now thlncs in
brushes, hand mirrors, fancy
combs, etc., as well as an end
less stock of rare perfumes.
These goods are ready apd thoso
buyers who realizo tho advantage
of early choosing can select any
time. An especially good tlmo
for those to buy who havo need
of Items In theso lines for per
1321 O St., Lincoln, Neb.
R I G G S
CUT PRICE PHARMACY '
18210 St., Liecoln, Nebr.
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