rs had been frequently discussed around the piano on the top floor at Miss Teetum's； and their merits and supposed demerits often hotly contested。 He had met Kensett once at the house of Mr。 Slade； and McEntee had been pointed out to him as he left the theatre one night； but few of the others had ever crossed his path。
Of the group Gifford appealed to him most。 One golden 〃Venice〃 of the painter； which hung in a picture…store； always delighted hima stretch of the Lagoon with a cluster of butterfly sails and a far… away line of palaces； towers； and domes lying like a string of pearls on the horizon。 There was another of Kensett's； a point of rocks thrust out like a mailed hand into a blue sea； and a McEntee of October woods； all brown and gold； but the Gifford he had never forgotten； nor will anyone else who has seen it。
No wonder then that all his life he remembered that particular night； when a slender； dark…haired man in loose gray clothes sauntered into the class… room and moved around among the easels； giving a suggestion here and a word of praise there； for that was the night on which Professor Cummings touched our young hero's shoulder and said： 〃Mr。 Gifford likes your drawing very much； Mr。 Horn〃a word of praise which； as he wrote to Crocker； steadied his uncertain fingers 〃as nothing else had ever done。〃
The students in his school were from all stations in life： young and old； all of them poor； and most of them struggling along in kindred professions and occupationsengravers； house…painters； lithographers； and wood…carvers。 Two or three were sign… painters。 One of thesea big…boned； blue…eyed young follow； who drew in charcoal from the cast at night； and who sketched the ships in the harbor during the daycame from Kennedy Square； or rather from one of the side streets leading out of it。 There can still be found over the door of what was once his shop a weather…beaten example of his skill in gold letters； the product of his own hand。 Above the signature is； or was some ten years since； a small decorative panel showing a strip of yellow sand； a black dot of a boat； and a line of blue sky； so true in tone and sure in composition that when Mr。 Crocker first passed that way and stood astounded before itas did Robinson Crusoe over Friday's footprinthe was so overjoyed to find another artist besides himself in the town； that he turned into the shop； and finding only a young mechanic at work； said：
〃Go to New York； young man； and study； you have a career before you。〃
The old landscape…painter was a sure prophet； little pen…and…ink sketches bearing the initials of this same sign…painter now sell for more than their weight in gold； while his larger canvases on the walls of our museums and galleries hold their place beside the work of the marine…painters of our own and other times and will for many a day to come。
This exile from Kennedy Square had been the first man to shake Oliver's hand the night he entered the cast…room。 Social distinctions had no place in this atmosphere； it was the fellow who in his work came closest to the curve of the shoulder or to the poise of the head who proved； in the eyes of his fellow… students； his possession of an ancestry： but the ancestry was one that skipped over the Mayflower and went straight back to the great Michael and Rembrandt。
〃I'm Jack Bedford； the sign…painter；〃 he said； heartily。 〃You and I come from the same town；〃 and as they grasped each other's hands a new friendship was added to Oliver's rapidly increasing list。
Oliver's seat was next to Fred； with Jack Bedford on his right。 He had asked to join this group not only because he wanted to be near his two friends but because he wanted still more to be near the Milo。 He had himself selected a certain angle of the head because he had worked from that same point of sight with Mr。 Crocker； and it had delighted him beyond measure when the professor allowed him to place his stool so that he could almost duplicate his earlier drawing。 His ambition was to get into the life…class； and the quickest road； he knew； lay through a good cast drawing。 Every night for a week； therefore； he had followed the wonderful lines of the Milo's beautiful body； which seemed to grow with warmth under the flare of the overhanging gas…jets。
These favored life students occupied the room next to the casts。 Mother Mulligan； in full regalia of apron and broom； often sat there as a model。 Oliver had recognized her portrait at once； so can anyone else who looks over the earlier studies of half the painters of the time。
〃Oh； it's you； is it〃 Mrs。 Mulligan herself had cried when she met Oliver in the hall； 〃the young gentleman that saved Miss Margaret's dog？ She'll be here next week herselfshe's gone home for awhile up into the mountains； where her old father and mother live。 I told her many times about ye； and she'll be that pleased to meet ye； now that you're WAN of us。〃
It was delightful to hear her accent the 〃wan。〃 Mother Mulligan always thought the institution rested on her broad shoulders； and that the students were part of her family。
The old woman could also have told Oliver of Margaret's arrival at the school； and of the impression which she； the first and only girl student； made on the night she took her place before an easel。 But of the reason of her coming Mrs。 Mulligan could have told nothing； nor why Margaret had been willing to exchange the comforts of a home among the New Hampshire hills for the narrow confines of a third…story back room； with Mrs。 Mulligan as house… keeper and chaperon。
Fred knew all the details； of course； and how it had all come about。 How a cousin of Margaret's who lived on a farm near her father's had one day； years before； left his plough standing in the furrow and apprenticed himself to a granite…cutter in the next town。 How later on he had graduated in gravestones； and then in bas…reliefs； and finally had won a medal in Rome for a figure of 〃Hope；〃 which was to mark the grave of a millionnaire at home。 How when the statue was finished； ready to be set up； this cousin had come to Brookfield； wearing a square… cut beard； straight…out mustaches with needle…points； and funny shoes with square toes。 How the girl had been disposed to laugh at him until he had told her stories of the wonderful cities beyond the sea and of his life among the painters and sculptors； then she showed him her own drawings； searching his face anxiously with her big eyes。 How he had been so astounded and charmed by their delicacy and truth； that he had pleaded with her fatheran obstinate old Puritanto send her to New York to study； which the old man refused point…blank to do； only giving his consent at the last when her brother John； who had been graduated from Dartmouth and knew something of the outside world； had joined his voice to that of her mother and her own。 How when she at last entered the class…room of the Academy the students had looked askance at her； the usual talk had ceased； and for a time there had been an uncomfortable restraint everywhere； until the men found her laughing quietly at their whispered jokes about her。 After that the 〃red…headed girl in blue gingham；〃 as she was called； had become； by virtue of that spirit of camaraderie which a common pursuit develops； 〃one of us〃 in spirit as well as in occupation。
Fred had described it all to Oliver； and every night when Oliver came in from the hall； his eyes had wandered over the group of students in the hope of seeing the strange person。 A girl studying art； or anything else for that matter； seemed to him to be as incongruous as for a boy to learn dress…making or for a woman to open a barber…shop。 He knew her type； he said to himself： she would be thin and awkward； with an aggressive voice that would jar on the stillness of the room。 And she would believe in the doctrines of Elizabeth Cady Stantona name never mentioned by his mother except apologetically and in a low voiceand when she became older she would address meetings and become conspicuous in church and have her name printed in the daily papers。
Our hero's mind was intent upon these phases of character always to be found； of course； in a girl who would unsex herself to the extent that Miss Grant had done； when one night a rich； full； well…modulated voice sounding over his shoulder said：
〃Excuse me； but Mother Mulligan tells me that you are Mr。 Horn； Fred Stone's friend。 I want to thank you for taking care of my poor Juno。 It was very good of you。 I am Margaret Grant。〃
She had approached him without his seeing her。 He turned quickly to accost her and immediately lost so much of his breath that he could only stammer his thanks； and the hope that Juno still enjoyed the best of health。 But the deep…brown eyes did not waver after acknowledging his reply； nor did the smile about the mouth relax。
〃And I'm so glad you've come at last；〃 she went on。 〃Fred has told me how you wanted to draw and couldn't。 I know something myself of what it is to hunger after a thing and not get it。〃
He was on his feet now； the bit of charcoal still between his fingers； his shirt…cuff rolled back to give his hand more freedom。 His senses were coming back； too； and there was buoyancy as well as youth in his face。
〃Yes； I do love it；〃 said Oliver； and his eyes wandered over her wonderful hair that looked like brown gold illumined by slants of sunshine； and then rested for an instant on her eyes。 〃I drew with old Mr。 Crocker at home； but we only had one cast； just the head of the Milo； and I was the only pupil。 Here everything helps me。 What are you at work on； Miss Grant？〃
〃I'm doing the Milo； too； my seat is right in front of yours。 Oh！ what a good beginning；〃 and she bent over his drawing…board。 〃Why； this can't be your first week；〃 and she scanned it closely。 〃One minutea little too full under the chin； isn't it？〃 She picked up a piece of chalk； and pointed to the shaded lines； looking first with half…closed eyes at the full…sized cast before them； and then at the drawing。
〃Yes； I think you're right；〃 said Oliver； studying the cast also with half…closed eyes。 〃How will that do？〃 and he smudged the shadow with his finger…tip。
〃Just right；〃 she answered。 〃How well you have the character of the face。