Part 6 (1/2)

”No, no, please don't noticeto do but to obey her, and as he reluctantly did so a s and drew up, for the occupant had recognized him

”Get in!” she rather commanded ”My dear Jimmy, how _nice_ to find you here, and how nice to drive you at least as far as the entrance!”

As the rebuffed philanthropist accepted he cast a ruthful glance at the solitary figure on the bench

”Do you see that poor girl over there? She's an American, and in real trouble”

”My _dear_ Jimmy!” His companion's tone left him in no doubt as to her scepticism

”Oh, I know, I know,” he interrupted, ”but she's not a fraud She's the real thing”

They were already gayly whirling away froure

”Did you make her cry?”

”I? Certainly not”

”Then let the man who did wipe her tears away!”

But Bulstrode had seen the face of the girl, and he was haunted by it all day until the Bois and its bright at and lovely, whom it had been impossible for him to help

Somebody had said that Bulstrode should have his portrait done with his hands in his pockets, and Mrs Falconer had replied, ”Or rather with _other_ people's hands in his pockets!”

The next afternoon he found hiroup of people who, out of charity and curiosity, patronized the Western Artists' Exhibition in the Rue Monsieur

Having enerous donation to the support of this league at the request of a certain lovely lady, Bulstrode followed his generosity by a personal effort, and with not much opposition on his part permitted himself to be taken to the exhibition

He was not, in the ultra sense of the word, a _connaisseur_, but he thought he knew a horror when he saw it! So he said, and on this afternoon his eyes ached and his offended taste cried out before he had patiently travelled half-way down the line of canvases

”My dear lady,” he confided _sotto voce_ to his friend, ”I feelwomen back to the _prairies_, if that's where they cohter of public time and taste _Why_ don't they stay at hoar and limited point of view to take,” his friend reproached hie that a wohly enjoying your liberty!

What if I should ask you why _you_ don't stay at houide coently His response was irrelevant ”Look at this picture! It's too dreadful for words”

”Hush, you're not a judge Here and there there is evidence of great talent”

They had drawn up before a portrait, and poor Bulstrode caught his breath with a groan:

”It's too awful! It's crie it”

Mrs Falconer tried to lead him on

”Well, this _is_ an unfortunate place to stop,” she confessed ”That portrait represents edy than you can see”