Her Faithful Knight — page 27: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Moonlight Walk. 23 meant to be matter of fact and hard, and the longer the two went on talking the more soft and natural her man- ner became. “Are you getting on well with your art studies?” he asked. “I should think it must be very difficult to really make a living by designs.” “Tt is,” she assented, readily. “But luckily I work very quickly, and lately hand-painted cards and albums have been the fashion. The black and white I can do at night, and as I cannot afford models, whenever I have an hour to spare I draw from the antique at the Museum.” “T am afraid,’ he said, with imperturbable gravity, “that you did not admire my rendering of the Clytie which I found you examining yesterday ?”’ She glanced at him quickly. Then she laughed. “I beg your pardon, Mr. Read,” she said, “but I sup- pose, as you are a writer, you are composing articles about the Museum, and only pretend to draw? Isn’t that why you come to the galleries?” “No,” he answered, steadily. “That is not my reason. I became an art student so that I might meet you.” She did not seem nearly so much surprised as he ex- pected. They were walking along Piccadilly by the Green Park. Lights in cabs and carriages stretched in a long line before them like a bright caterpillar up and down the slope, but not many pedestrians passed them. Miss Knight stopped short in her walk. “Mr. Read,” she said, gravely, but without acrimony, “T shall be very much disappointed in you if you take ad- vantage of this accidental meeting to talk in a way I do not like.” “Miss Knight,” he said, “IJ am sorry if you do not like what I say, but I must speak the truth. The chief wish of my life is to know you and become your friend.” Eomichbooks (E()