The Call of the Cumberlands

"Although I am not painting you," she said with a smile, "I have been

studying you, too. As you stand there before your canvas, your own

personality is revealed--and I have not been entirely unobservant

myself."

"'And under the X-ray scrutiny of this profound analysis,'" he quoted

with a laugh, "do you like me?"

"Wait and see," she retorted.

"At all events"--he spoke gravely--"you must try to like me a little,

because I am not what I was. The person that I am is largely the

creature of your own fashioning. Of course, you had very raw material

to work with, and you can't make a silk purse of"--he broke off and

smiled--"well, of me, but in time you may at least get me mercerized a

little."

For no visible reason, she flushed, and her next question came a

trifle eagerly: "Do you mean that I have influenced you?"

"Influenced me, Drennie?" he repeated. "You have done more than that.

You have painted me out, and painted me over."

She shook her head, and in her eyes danced a light of subtle coquetry.

"There are things I have tried to do, and failed," she told him.

His eyes showed surprise.

"Perhaps," he apologized, "I am dense, and you may have to tell me

bluntly what I am to do. But you know that you have only to tell me."

For a moment, she said nothing, then she shook her head again.

"Issue your orders," he insisted. "I am waiting to obey."

She hesitated again, then said, slowly: "Have your hair cut. It's the one uncivilized thing about you."

For an instant, Samson's face hardened.

"No," he said; "I don't care to do that."

"Oh, very well!" she laughed, lightly. "In that event, of course, you

shouldn't do it." But her smile faded, and after a moment he explained: "You see, it wouldn't do."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I've got to keep something as it was to remind me of a

prior claim on my life."

For an instant the girl's face clouded, and grew deeply troubled.

"You don't mean," she asked, with an outburst of interest more vehement

than she had meant to show, or realized that she was showing--"you don't

mean that you still adhere to ideas of the vendetta?" Then she broke off

with a laugh, a rather nervous laugh. "Of course not," she answered

herself. "That would be too absurd!"