“It would be rather a distinction to have an artist among us,” remarked Kathie. “Of course he was just in fun when he said a chicken-coop, Elizabeth; he would want something larger and with a good light. Can you think of any place, mother?”
“Why, no, nothing occurs to me just now; I may think of something later on. We will ask your father.”
“He is coming to see me tomorrow, Mr. Kemp is,” Elizabeth spoke up. “He thought maybe I would hear of some place by then.”
“Well, I declare,” responded Kathie, “you have rushed into a friendship sure enough; the next thing he will be wanting to paint your portrait”; she spoke half mockingly.
“Oh, he has already said he would like to,” Elizabeth said calmly.
“Well, well,”—Kathie looked at her with new interest. Being a pretty girl herself she had never thought that Elizabeth would attract the eye of an artist as she was very unlike her sister. “We shall certainly have to inquire around and see what we can do for him.”
“We shall have to inquire around and find out something about the young man himself,” said Mrs. Hollins.
After all it was Elizabeth who made the discovery of a suitable studio, or at least of a place which could be turned into one. Probably less ingenious persons than herself and Mr. Kemp would never have thought of it, but these two saw its possibilities when they went on a search in company.
The young man appeared as he had promised, the next afternoon. Elizabeth proudly presented him to her mother and father, who were not long in satisfying themselves that he was a gentleman, that he was well known by certain of their acquaintances in the nearby town and that they need have no hesitation in admitting him into their circle. He was very nice and courteous to Kathie, but it was evidently Elizabeth whom he had selected as chief friend and, later on, she was permitted to go off with him to hunt up a studio.
They tried the village first, but here there were only one or two possibilities, a small house with a dreary outlook, a loft over a store, where it was noisy and inconvenient.