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_ WILD MARGARET. | ——— «67
she could call it up whenever she pleased, and, indeed, it
. Tose before her when she did not even wish it.
. ‘\ This is absurd and—and’ nonsensical!" she exclaimed
on the second day afte his departure, when she suddenly
- awoke to the fact-that she had been sitting, brush in hand,
Staring before her and recalling Lord Blair’s handsome,
dare-devil eyes, as they had looked into hers. ‘‘I am be-.
having like ‘a foolish, sentimental’ idiot!’ she told herself,
dabbing some color on her ganvas with angry self-reproach.
‘What on earth can it matter to me what such a person
as Viscount Leyton said to me? I shall never see him
again, and he has’ probably forgotten, by this time, that
such a person as myself exists! I am an idiot not to be
able to forget him as easily. He behaved like a savage to
the very last, and I would not speak to him again if—if
Wwe were cast alone on a desert island!’’ ;
he sprung to her feet with an exclamation of annoy-
ance, and began bundling her painting materials together,
and was in the midst of clearing up, when she heard a step
behind her, and saw the earl. ; .
It was near the dinner hour, and he was in evening
dress, for, though he dined alone, he always assumed the
regulation attire; and Margaret; as she looked at. him,
could not help noticing the vague likeness between him
and Lord Blair.
‘Do I disturb you?’’ he said, in his low, grave voice, ~
and he paused with the knightly courtesy for which he
Was famous. - GG.
,, No, my lord. I have just finished for to-day,’ said
Margaret, rather shyly, for she felt his greatness, which
spoke in the tone of his voice, and proclaimed. itself even’
In his gait, and the way he held himself.
With a slight inclination of his head ,he came and stood
efore the canvas. .
_ A slight expression of surprise came over his face. .
_ “You have made an excellent copy,’ he said.’ ‘‘ I think
you are capable of higher work—original work.” .
Margaret’s face flushed with pleasure, but she said
nothing. It was not for,so humble an individual as her-
self to bandy compliments with so greata personage as the
- Earl of Ferrers.
‘‘ You have worked hard,” he said, looking at her; “not
_ too hard, I hope.”
Now Margaret had grown rather pale during these last
two days. It had.been one of the results of Lord Blair’s
‘Passionate words. She did not sleep much at night, and
What with this and dwelling upon the scene that had
passed between them, the roses which Mrs, Hale wished to
.
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