The Adventures of a Widow

s passed when she regained her home. Kin

a certain severe resentful sense. "What right," she asked herself, "has this man to undervalue and contemn my purpose? Is it not based upon a proper and worthy impulse? Is egotism at its root? Is not a wholesome disgust there, instead? Have I

ing. It informed Pauline that Mrs. Dares had just sent a message to her daughter's studio, and that Cora would be glad to re

ly because she was in a mood for walking, did she thus alter her first design. She reflected that there might be a touch of apparent ostentation in the use of a carriage t

in the top floor of this structure, and was reached, like her mother's sanctum, by that most simplifying of modern convenienc

s small, and doubtless for this reason a few brilliant draperies and effective though uncostly embellishments had made its interior b

er an exchange of greetings had occurred. "I see that you were busily

re hue brought into lovely relief the chestnut ripples of her hair and the placid refinement of her clear-

or next day. Meanwhile I shall be willing to wait very patiently. I am in no great hurry, Miss Dares. It was exceedingly kind of you to communicate with me in this expeditious way. And no

od in front of her canvas and began to make little touches upon it with her long, slim brush. "I think, Mrs. Varick, that I can easi

he paused for a slight while, and then ad

ht from its sweet, blue, lustrous eyes, affected her as a rarity of feminine beauty. "But I often have my hours of stupidity," Cora continued. "It is not

said Pauline. "But have

ey are some yonder, if yo

She went toward the wall which Cora had

in a technical and professional way; but she had seen scores of good pictures abroad; she knew what she liked without

ed in foreign schools," she said, quit

at was all mamma could afford for me." And she gav

flesh-tints, too. And as for these two landscapes, they remind me of Daubigny. It is a proof of your re

xclaimed, "whose work I have always specially admired and loved. If I

ith great intentness. "Ah! how I envy you!" she at length murmu

nobody," answered Cora

ecause I am rich, no doubt!" she said, a ki

a great dea

t that separates you from the rest o

sorry to b

en fate or circumstance makes us. There is the galling trouble. If we have no gift, like yours, that can compel men's recognition and respect, we must content ourselves with being merged into the big commonplace multitude. And to be merged into the big commonplace multitude is to be more or less despised. This may sound like the worst kind of cynicism, but I assure you, Miss Dares, that it is by no means

ad slightly thrown back her he

s far through the centuries, not because we are weaker than they, but because some extraordinary and undiscoverable law has made them bow to our weakness instead of destroying it outright. They always destroy every other thing weaker than themselves, except woman. They have no compunction, no hesitation. History will show you th

ed Cora. "I can't believe that you rate the sacred emotion of l

aker and stood close besid

ay shake our heads in transcendental disapprobation, but it is quite useless. The loftiest affection of the human heart is no more important and no more mysterio

of sad interest. "You speak like ... like some one whom we both know,

me fit only for some pitiable braggart. He who denies the existence of a God is of no account among people of sense; but

e a quick glance straight into Pauline's watchful eyes. "I-I mean," she added, confusedly, as if she had betray

a gentle, peculiar, interrogative em

he cannot shake-that no one can shake! But he has

thought and therefore doubted," she returned, "are often fond of

the subject," she went on, with a note of cold composure in her voice. "I see that you don't like rationalism.... Well, you are a poet,

trifle tardily. "Thre

e asked, somewhat car

a head. As you see, i

like to purchase. You

rs. Va

dressed her own thoughts. She turned her face toward Cora's; it

it is a m

ly.... By the way,

d begun to put little touches upon her canvas

to be called anything,

re-a small square of rather recklessly rich color. "I want it ve

, loitering voice. It was something that surpassed any price ever propos

er canvas. Pauline waited. Suddenly

?" sh

r brush. The two wo

hrough unshed tears. "I-I told you that I did not wish to sell the picture," she hurried on. "I-I don't call it a picture at all, as I also told

at her fixedly but

indelon's port

ell! and if it i

auline went over to her

voice, "I beg you to forgive me. If you really wish to retain that picture-and I see that you do-wh

he looked full into Pauline's steady eyes f

altered, "let us speak no

delon. And how suited they are to each other! She has actual genius-he is brimming with intellectual power. I have made a sad failure in my visit to Cora Dares.... I hope all my vain explo

alked homeward, and to the hostile terms on

t it is too late to draw back. Besides, I am very far from wishing to draw back. I am lik

nto the little reception-room to meet him, with rather lively anticipations of being forced to put herself on the defensive. Her sensations had not bee

eyes bent down upon their snapping and crackling flames as Pauline appeared. He did not immediately raise his eye

" she said, with an amused smile playing about her l

you suppose

at the Battery, as if yo

hink I dar

ly have stayed. You pleaded stress of business, and you hadn't any, or

, "how you pierce through people's pitiful disguises. You make

ght, curt laugh. "For then you will, perhaps,

lainly to you and yet n

speak as plainly as you please," she said. "I shall have my

n who wants herself always regarded as careful of the propri

'off color.' I suppose it is slang, and I choose, with a good reason, to believe that it conveys an unjustly

w, you mean," said Courtlandt, cool

will not stand sneers at Mr. Kindelon. No doubt if you had met me walking with some empty-he

form. I've no more respect for those fellows than you have. But if yo

coming 'engaged' to anybody?" she asked. And her accentuation of the word which

in, and he kept his eyes lowered while he sai

ll leave the room," she said unsteadily, "if y

What he said had somehow the effect of a man expl

he chamber. Then some new decision seemed to actuate her. "Oh, Court!" sh

iage," he said. "I tried once before-a good while ago-to save you from making a fri

k sounded at the partly closed door which led into the hall. She started, uncovered her face, and moved toward this door. Courtlandt watched her while she exchanged certain low words

back into the dining-room." She made a gesture toward a portière not far away. "That leads to the

remain," sai

oom some little time bef

e had a certain droop that suggested humility and even contrition. He held hi

sound of the hall-door outside; she soon heard it, and knew that it meant the exit

, fervent, emotional voice which now addressed her and the even regul

bmissive phase. "You know that I had only the most friendly feelings toward you. You accused me of actual hypocrisy. But I will choose to belie

prang forward, seizing it. The next instant he had stoo

iendship, of course. I shall never say those absurd, accusatory things again. What right have I to say them? What right have I to anything more than the honor of your notic

ed from him while he thus impetuously spoke; she w

little disagreement," she answered. "It is

se ensue while she still kept her eyes upon the

f Mrs. Dares's guests quite s

rd him say, a

ts. And I shall expect you to help me. You promised to help me, as you know. There will be people on the list whom I have not yet met-a good many of them. You

Dares will send it

shall secure it f

daugh

studio-By the way, what a good portrait she has

weep his face. It struck her that he was c

not sit for it," he added quickly. "She painted it f

hy means of scrutinizing it. "Miss Cora told me that very decidedly. She wants to keep it-no doubt as a pre

had grown pale, now,

the door, pausing at a little distance from its threshold. "When you want m

t the salon?"

that and all other ways

at night, at a little after nine o'clock, she was surprised to receive

. He was his old, easy, gay, brilliant self again. What had occurred between them seemed to have been absolu

following Thursday. Each one was a simple "At Home."