The artist bowed, and Guy, with a half guilty blush, hurried down into
the street, where Agues was waiting for him. Two hours later, Guy, in
Mrs. Conner's parlor, was exhibiting the finished picture, which in
its handsome casing, was more beautiful than ever, and more natural,
if possible.
"I think I might have one of Maddy's," Jessie said, half poutingly;
then, as she remembered the second sitting, she begged of Guy to get
it for her, "that was a dear brother."
But the "dear brother" did not seem inclined to comply with her
request, putting her off, until, despairing of success, Jessie, when
alone with the doctor, tried her powers of persuasion on him, coaxing
until in self-defense he crossed the street, and entering the
daguerrean gallery asked for the remaining picture of Miss Clyde,
saying that he wished it for little Miss Remington.
"Mr. Remington took them both," the artist replied, commencing a
dissertation on the style and beauty of the young girl, all of which
was lost upon the doctor, who, in a kind of maze, quitted the room,
and returning to Jessie, said to her carelessly: "He hasn't it. You
know they rub out those they do not use. So you'll have to do without;
and, Jessie, I wouldn't tell Guy I tried to get it for you."
Jessie wondered why she must not tell Guy, but the fact that the
doctor requested her not was sufficient. Consequently Guy little
guessed that the doctor knew what it was he carried so carefully in
his coat pocket, looking at it earnestly when at home and alone in his
own room, admiring its soft, girlish beauty, half shrinking from the
lifelike expression of the large, bright eyes, and trying to convince
himself that his sole object in getting it was to give it to the
doctor after Maddy was gone! It would be such a surprise, and the
doctor would be so glad, that Guy finally made himself believe that he
had done a most generous thing!
"I am going to send Lucy your picture to-day, and as she asked that
you should write her a few lines, suppose you do it now," Guy said to
Maddy next morning, as they were leaving the breakfast table.
It was a sore trial to Maddy to write to Lucy Atherstone, but she
offered no remonstrance, and so accompanying the picture was a little
note, filled mostly with praises of Mr. Guy, and which would be very
gratifying to the unsuspecting Lucy.
Now that it was fully decided for Jessie to go with Maddy, her lessons
were suspended, and Aikenside for the time being was turned into a
vast dressmaking and millinery establishment. With his usual
generosity, Guy had given Agnes permission to draw upon his purse for
whatever was needed, either for herself or Jessie, with the definite
understanding that Maddy should have an equal share of dress and
attention.