vet foot, it speaks in a murmur; it hastens, but
conceals its haste.

IV

THE BEAUTIFUL ELSIE BEE BEE

As Jennie entered the mess-house she uttered a little cry of amazement.
Outwardly, it was a rude barrack of whitewashed cottonwood logs, but its
interior glowed with color and light. Bright rugs were on the floor, and
a big divan in one corner displayed a monstrous black bear-skin. A
capacious fireplace, which dated back to the first invasion of the army,
filled one end of the hall, which had been enlarged by the removal of a
partition. Oil-paintings, without frames, were tacked against the walls,
and the odor of fresh pigments lingered in the air.

"This is our general meeting-place," explained Lawson.

"It smells like a studio," Jennie replied, after a glance around her.

A plain, quiet little woman, with a look of inquiry on her face,
appeared at the dining-room door, and Lawson called out:

"Mrs. Wilcox, this is Miss Curtis, who will stay with us for a few
days." As they greeted each other he added: "There is a story to tell,
but we are late, and it can wait. Where is Elsie?"

"Still at work. She never _would_ come to her meals if we didn't call
her."

"I'm disposed to try it some day. Will you take charge of Miss Curtis
while I go fetch the delinquent?"

Under Mrs. Wilcox's direction Jennie prepared for luncheon in an
adjoining room, wondering still at the unexpected refinement of the
furnishings, and curious to see the artist.

As she re-entered the sitting-room a tall girl rose languidly to meet
her, and Lawson said: "Miss Curtis, this is Miss Brisbane, the painter
of the pictures you see about."

Miss Brisbane bowed in silence, while Jennie cried out: "Oh! did you do
them? I think they are beautiful!"

The sincerity of her voice touched the young artist, and she said: "I'm
glad you like them--sometimes I think they're pretty 'bum.'"

A slang word on the red lips of the handsome girl seemed wofully out of
place to Jennie, who stared at her with the eager curiosity of a child.
She was slender and dark, with an exquisite chin, and her hands, though
slim and white, were strong and capable. Her eyes were very dark, of a
velvety brown-black, and her hair was abundant and negligently piled
upon her small head. Altogether she had a stately and rather foreign
presence, which made Jennie feel very dowdy and very commonplace.

Mrs. Wilcox hurried them all out into the dining-room, where a pretty