No More Learning

"If you do that, you'll break down. You had much better
come. "

"Where? " said Maisie, wearily. She had been standing before her easel
too long, and was very tired.

"Anywhere you please. We'll take a train tomorrow and see where it
stops. We'll have lunch somewhere, and I'll bring you back in the
evening. "

"If there's a good working light tomorrow, I lose a day. " Maisie
balanced the heavy white chestnut palette irresolutely.

Dick bit back an oath that was hurrying to his lips. He had not yet
learned patience with the maiden to whom her work was all in all.

"You'll lose ever so many more, dear, if you use every hour of working
light. Overwork's only murderous idleness. Don't be unreasonable.
I'll
call for you tomorrow after breakfast early. "

"But surely you are going to ask----"

"No, I am not. I want you and nobody else. Besides, she hates me as much
as I hate her. She won't care to come. Tomorrow, then; and pray that we
get sunshine. "

Dick went away delighted, and by consequence did no work whatever.

He strangled a wild desire to order a special train, but bought a great
gray kangaroo cloak lined with glossy black marten, and then retired
into himself to consider things.

"I'm going out for the day tomorrow with Dick," said Maisie to the
red-haired girl when the latter returned, tired, from marketing in the
Edgware road.

"He deserves it. I shall have the studio floor thoroughly scrubbed while
you're away. It's very dirty. "

Maisie had enjoyed no sort of holiday for months and looked forward to
the little excitement, but not without misgivings.

"There's nobody nicer than Dick when he talks sensibly," she thought,
"but I'm sure he'll be silly and worry me, and I'm sure I can't tell him
anything he'd like to hear. If he'd only be sensible, I should like him
so much better. "

Dick's eyes were full of joy when he made his appearance next morning
and saw Maisie, gray-ulstered and black-velvet-hatted, standing in the
hallway.