"Good for you to be disillusioned."
"I'm not in the least, with her. She is a divine piece of physical beauty. I wish I could get her on my canvas."
"You won't be able to; that old curmudgeon of a husband of hers will see to that."
"I should think he has the devil of a temper, judging by his offspring," I answered. "She looks sweet enough."
Morley nodded, and we finished our tea in silence. Suzee came back presently with cigarettes for us and sat down on the floor herself, rolling one up between supple fingers. She had an air of extraordinary unruffled placidity. The dragging about of the child had not disturbed her dress nor heated her face. In cool, tranquil, placid beauty she sat and rolled cigarettes while the child's cries dimly echoed in the distance.
"Where's the boss, Suzee?" questioned Morley presently.
"He has gone down to Fort Wrangle for two days," she returned, and my spirits leapt up at her words. Her husband away for two days! Perhaps there was a chance for a picture….
My eyes swept over her seated on the floor in front of us. What exquisite supple lines! What sweet little dainty curves showed beneath the blue silk jacket and sleeve! What a glory of light and passionate expression in the liquid dark eyes when she raised them to us!
After a few minutes Morley got up, and I saw him laying down on the table the money for our tea. I added my share, and Morley remarked,
"We'd better go and walk about before dinner, hadn't we? You'd like a look round?"