ptures, but I am
a cubist and you are exactly the type I am looking for to make myself
famous withal. As I stand and gaze at you with my eyes half-closed, you
present the most wonderful spectacle. I see a series of beautiful cubes,
one on top of the other: black and gray, black and gray, and now and
then where the light strikes, a brilliant white one. And oh, your
_chapeau_! I can hardly wait to get to work on your portrait! You will
sit to me, won't you?"

During this effusion, Mrs. Pace sat with a pleased smirk on her face. It
had been many a long day since any one had called her beautiful, and no
one had ever called her beautiful with such enthusiasm or wanted to
paint her portrait. To be sure it was nothing but a small, pasty-faced,
long-haired artist, but he was a man for all that, and his eyes were
kind and earnest and his voice most appealing.

"I am a very busy woman," she answered gently, "but I will pose for you
with pleasure, if it will help you in any way."

Her shiny ornaments trembled with emotion and she gave a sentimental
sigh that broke the beautiful square high-light, so admired by Polly,
into a dozen little ripples.

Mrs. Brown arose to make her adieux, taking Mrs. Pace with her to show
the new quarters to the much softened lady. Mrs. Brown knew by the look
in Judy's eyes that she would explode with laughter in a moment. Molly
and Elise were bending over Jo's miniatures, their shoulders shaking.
Pierce was standing in the middle of the floor with an alert expression
as though he were in readiness to seize the lunatic, poor Polly, if he
should become dangerous. Mr. Kinsella's composure was ominous of an
outbreak. Jo Bill stood with arms akimbo and gazed at her former
playmate, anger gradually gaining the ascendency over the amusement
caused by his outspoken admiration of the ponderous and impolite Mrs.
Pace.

As the door closed on the two ladies, Jo suddenly reached out, and
grabbing Polly by his flowing tie, she boxed his ears soundly. "There,
you goose, I've been wanting to do that for years!"

Polly received the chastisement with the utmost delight and actually
seemed to look upon it as a form of caress from the enraged Jo. He
whispered to Molly: "I believe Jo is jealous of the beautiful Mrs.
Pace."

Mr. Kinsella asked Elise to take a walk with him that evening before
dinner and they had the long talk that the girl had been eager for; and
the little cloud of--not exactly jealousy, more envy