"Ah, that's a great improvement," confessed the artist.
"It can't possibly be altered for the better, I'm sure."
"How am I to pose my eyes?" inquired the docile model.
"That doesn't matter at present. Now, keep quite still."
Holding a stick of charcoal at arm's-length, Pallister unconsciously put on a stern and impressive frown as he commenced to put leading lines upon his big new canvas.
Geoff and Evarne once again sat down side by side on the divan, and in low tones proceeded to discuss the prosaic business arrangements for the eventful morrow. Evarne did not disguise her anxiety to leave England immediately on the completion of the wedding ceremony, and thus Geoff had now to make arrangements for the journey, find out times of trains and boats, take tickets and telegraph to hotels, as well as procure the licence and arrange with a clergyman.
The discussion of the many details that had to be considered occupied some time, and at length the silence of the room, broken only by the indistinct murmurs of this inaudible conversation, became boring in the extreme to Miss Maudie.
"I wish I could see you working as I sit, Frankie; but of course that isn't possible," she said somewhat plaintively.
"I'm afraid not," agreed Pallister. "But you must have plenty of rests, and then you can see how I'm getting on, though you know it's never very pleasant to show work in its early stages to any but a fellow-artist."
"But won't you do better than ever, knowing that I'm going to look at it? Am I not an inspiration?"