CHAPTER 111.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1428, 11 February 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER 111.

" Now, Jack, I'll put in the bridges while you follow with the old woman. We must hurry along. If we don't get these off tonight we shall be in a fix for money tomorrow."

" Well, never mind, Jenny ; don't let's worry more than we can help. Do you think this old woman will do ?"'

" Ve — cs ; put plenty of color on and smooth it down well. Whatever would the public do without ' Mark Barrett's ' works of art 1 I do hate calling mj'self ' Mark Barrett,' " signing the name iv a corner as the door opened.

She didn't turn round— she was too busy — until their little servant said, —

" Mr. Mark Barrett, plea=c, miss."

Poor, white, overstrung Janet dropped her palette '• butter side " down on the only decent carpet in the house as she turned horror-struck to face a gentleman — a Mark Barrett in the flesh. Curly haired and blueeyed certainly, but ferocious. She simply could not speak for a moment.

Even Jack was speechless ; he turned very red, and tried to stand in front of the picture with the name on, but as there was a whole row of them all alike, the feat was beyond his powers.

Mark had come straight down from London in a furious rage. Every " pot-boiler " he had seen of poor Janet's only made him more angry.

He marched into the house as soon as the door was opened ; it was quite possible such a person as that might lock him out ; however, the little servant was evidently not up to it, and most fortunately showed him into the very room where the forgeries were going on.

There was the fictitious " Mark Barrett" herself— caught red-handed, literally redhanded ; she had been signing the name in vermilion, and the palette in falling had smeared her bands. Mark was rather taken aback as he looked at the pale, trembling culprit, with her great horror-struck dark eyes. He looked at the row of wretched daubs, all alike, and at Jack's red face, short trousers and shrunken jacket, and his agonised attempts to hide the twelve staring " Mark Barretts."

But it wouldn't do to give way to sentiment, and have bis judgment warped by a pretty face, like a British juryman in a breach of promise case. The very thought made him stern.

" 1 will not apologise for my intrusion," he said ; " for I have no doubt you haye some idea- of the cause oE my visit."

Janet, who would have broken down at a kind word, resented this unjust harshness, 561

"Perhaps you will be good enough to explain. J am not aware that I have done anything so very wrong,"

Jack felt very angry. He was longing to defend his sister, but could not think of a telling speech. " Oh, to be a man— a cool, self-possessed man!"

" Not done anything wrong, do you say, madam ? Are you, then, so ignorant of right and wrong a3 not to know that you have committed the grossest forgery 1 Don't you know that it is actionable?'' The sister and brother looked at each other, not very clear as to what " actionable •' meant. An idea flashed upon Jack. " Yon don't mean to say you are going to send my sister to prison— because it wasn't bei that did it — it was me," he said, eagerly. " No, no, Jack, that won't do. It was I, sir, ' turning proudly and contemptuously to Mark, •' if you roter to my having signed what I suppose is your name. It is fortunate that I did not happen to sign ' John Brown,' or I might have had a hundred gentlemen threatening me instead of one."

'•If you had signed your pictures' 1 '' — sarcastics emphasis aud wave ot the hand towards the twelve— '" John Brown' it would have mattered very little, as that is not a well-known name." "Indeed!" '■Iv the art world, I was about to add," furiously ; " but it so happens that my name i 3 rather well known, ai no doubt you are aware."

"Indeed! I never had the pleasure of hearing it before." " Indeed ?" He really was surprised, and not much flattered.

" No, really, isn't it surprising ?" said Jack, rudely— his clumsy way of defending his sister.

Mark colored up, but he was obliged to accept the extinguisher. Ho couldn't explain what a great man he was, from an artist's point of view.

" Well," said he, willing to be magnanimous, "since the offence has been committed in ignorance, I will not prosecute this time, on condition that you immediately obliterate all these" — pointing to the twelve names — " and call in all the — cr — pictures you can get hold of, and re-sign them." Jack whistled. " Think of Moses?" he suggested. " I don't suppose the people who buy them will like that," said Janet. " They've got a trade for ' Mark Barretts,' they say. I don't know what to do. Whatever shall we do, Jack i"

There was a despairing ring about the voice that siruck Mark. She turned to him again.

•'If you would just let us send off this dozen it would give us time."

'• ISTot another picture ! You have done me incalculable injury already/ " I'm very sorry. Will you wait just a minute ? I should like to consult my father. He was a painter himself, but last winter he became blind. That is the reason we have had to do all this," she said, simply. " *s it so ?" sharply. This little key gave a clue to the whole situation, but he could hardly believe it yet, it was so different from his idea. He rose and opened the door for her, and was left alone with Jack. Then there was an awkward pause. Jack, with his hands in his pockets, looked out of the window. He had no intention of being civil to this '• brute." Mark looked at the pictures.

"Docs your sister do many of these things?' 1 " A dozen or two a week." '• You don't say so 1 Why, she must work night n,nd day !" %i She does, pretty nearly." '• Yon shouldn't let her work so hard. She'll kill herself." \" Can't be helped. We've nothing else to live on."' And he whistled to keep down tears unbecoming in a man.

More and more shocked and distressed, Maik ventured to hope they got a good price. ' Four shillings each, and find our own stuff." A. howl in the passage. " It's only the children," explained Jack. '•Are there some children ?" " Six of us, and father and mother. I say, think yon might have left ' Mark Barrett ' alone. Perhaps you would if you knew everything."'

"l am very sorry — very sorry indeed ! I did not know all this, you see ! OE course, I cannot possibly let your sister go on usiDg my name ; but if you tell me all, perhap3 I can help you a little."

But Janet came back into the room very grave and sad. Mark's heart smote him painfully. He vowed he wouldn't lose sight of this poor family.

Janet apologised humbly for the mistake she had made, and how sorry her father was to hear of it, and he would like to see Mr. Barrett for a few minutes. - A few weeks later, when the academy was getting stale, the town hot and wearisome, Mark Barrett felt it was really his duty to get a little country sketching before the spring tints quite faded away.

A day or two later, and he found himself looking out of a farm-house window not far from Ivy Cottage, aud wondering if be mi»ht venture to call. The country is rather dull without any one to speak to— "a hcalty grave," Sydney Smith " called it. So not many days— in factj only a few hours — elapsed before he was chatting comfortably with Mr. Lloyd, talking art, nay "shop," soul-refreshing to the ex-artist, although so tedious to others.

Mr. Lloyd was so delighted to meet with a brother of the brush again that he became quite confidential, told hi a about his own unfinished work, and what h pity it was.

" You know, Janet can r>iant in a fashion, but she can't do good enoi) >;h. work for that ; besides, I am afraid thes.' wretched things she seems to be doing no'y won't have improved her style. You' ,c S£'?n them, of course? Tell me, \£ an rtis', are they so very bad?"

'•Those I saw were ceri rO.yrather — rather — crude, but perhips • }/. has something better in hand no??, f ihould like to see what she is doing, if y \ think I might venture. Perhaps I cm)-* give her a few hints, you know."

'•' Thank you, *cry much. I am sure we are greatly indeb',ed to you for your forbearance altogether , but come into the next room and tell me what you think of their work." Mark waa surprised to find hi'i heart beat strangely at this mild remark, '■ It must be a touch of indigestion/ he impatiently a«snred himself.

But he couldn't help feeling that it was a moment that would stand out in his life when he held Janet's nervous ban 1 in his for a second, and she glanced up at him with proud shame. For ranged along the wall were twelve more pictures, exactly like the others — twelve ranges of mountains, twelve bridges, now in course of construction, and twelve old women awaiting their scarlet cloaks, '■ Still busy, I see, Miss Lloyd." " She's always busy," said her father, with a sigh. "I do wish she could get out a little more — not only for the sake of the fresh air, but I am sure if she does not set more sketching from nature her work will deteriorate."

•' Mr. Barrett will tell you that that is impossible, father," remarked Janet, partly in fun, partly in sarcasm.

Mark colored a little. He could not deny that it was impossible for anything in the painting line to be much worse. He caught a faint little sigh from Janet,

and Jack looked out of the window with longing eyes. " It's a jolly afternoon,'' he said, " I say, Jenny, don't you think we might drop it for once '/ There will be such a breeze on Ripley Hcai." Janet gave him a look. " We'll see when we have done our work, Jack." she said.

Sighing not a little, but prodigiously, Jack took up his brush again.

" That mean's ' never !' These beasts will tal-o hours," he said.

Mark hesitated a minute before he descended to the bottom of the professional ladder. Presently he said : —

"If you will allow me to help you, I think we might fiuish in time for a walk before dusk. lam very anxious to see Eipley Head myself, and your father was kind enough to say you would show'me the way," looking at Jack. "If Miss Lloyd would allow me the pleasure of accompanying you 1" looking at Janet.

'• We shall be most happy," she said ; "but I can't think of troubling you with those. I dare say Jack and I can "finish in two or three hours."

" But I enjoy painting, and I have nothing in the world to do this afternoon. Here, Jack, lend me a palette. I'll go on with the trees.''

A month or two ago, Mark wouldn't have believed it if he could have seen himself now, diligently working in trees by the dozen, trying to ingratiate himself with an overgrown boy, and manoeuvering for a look from a " brazen forgerer."

The little maid brought them in some tea, and they worked away cheerily — Mr. Lloyd looking in now and then, thoroughly enjoying the fresh life in the house. When the sun was beginning visibly to sink, and the last old woman was fitted with her red cloak, the young people got ready for their walk, Janet, from some indefinable instinct, put on her most becoming, though by no means her newest, hat, and plucked some scarlet geraniums for her neck, which burned brightly against her pale face and black dress.

As they stood on Ripley Head, watching the sun quickly sinking on the horizon, long out of sight from the valleys, the reflection of the red and golden clouds wrapped the girl in a halo of glory. '•What a wonderfully beautiful creature !"' the artist thought, entranced with the effect.

She was by no means beautiful, but he thought her so, which was enough. It was sumise for Janet, not sunset.

Jack had many a time helped his sister down the steep side o£ Ridley Head. He was going to do so now, o£ course (even the biggest of brothers are not very sharp where their sisters are concerned); but Mr. Barrett happened to be nearer, and offered his hand, and, though Jack was a dear boy, there was, strange to say, something firmer and warmer, and closer in his grasp.

The mother, dulled perhaps by her troubles was vexed with her daughter about this time. Sbe was so unreasonable. She actually eried — not openly, but quietly and unseen, as she hoped— because she could not have a new gown, and Janet was foolish enough to spend a shilling on ribbons, which might have been much more profitably spent on stockings.

But Janet's instinct was a right one. Though nothing upon earth will sunder souls that are fast and firmly knit, the merest trifle will turn aside the first inclination. Beside, to attract is a natural, healthy instinct, and to be attracted — why, no one would if they don't like it.

One day it dawned even upon Jack's brotherly understanding that Janet was different, somehow, and ji wasn't only the geranium in her dress and ribbon at her waist. They were painting as usual, and, as was now~not unusual, Mr. Barrett was helping them, when the bungling, well-meaning brother struck in :—: —

" You've been an awful good friend to us Mr. Barrett, especially to Jenny and me —getting us orders, and all that; but there's one thing you've done that I don't believe anybody's noticed but me, and that is, you have made a great alteration in Jenny."

" Nonsense, Jack, nothing of the kind 1" she buist in horrified as to what he would say next, her face almost as red as the geraniums.

Mark, standing beside her, looked down on her, bit his lip. and began to wish Jack would go out of the room.

" I know what I'm talking about," said Jack, with the calm confidence of ignorance, and blundering like a big bluebottle fly ; "she's as happy and cheerful as anything now, and I know it's you, becanse she's alwaj"s so disappointed when you don't come."

" Jack, be quiet— it's all nonsense. Don't be silly !"

" She was very down at first about the name, you know, and Moses was very ma<l with her because she would not sign ' Mark Barrett' any more," continued Jack.

"Of course not ! I sbonldn't think of such a thing," she burst in, passionately, turning to Mark, " after all you said. You may be sure I shall never make use of your name again."'

"Won't you? Do you know, I was rather beginning to h u pe you would," he returned.

In great surprise Janet looked at him, but something in his eyes made her drop hers.

"With a little addition," he added, in a lower tone.

"Ob, myV* struck in Jack, enlishtened at last. '- 1 aeter thought of that. Here, I'll go and get some dinner — tea, I mean. You can come when you are ready."