"He showed me the letter from Mr. Calvin day before yesterday. The
committee hadn't met, but Mr. Irons had promised his vote, and he and
Mr. Calvin make a majority. Orin had been afraid Mr. Irons would vote
for Mr. Herman, and I did not know but what you could tell. We are all
so much interested in the statue."
Helen laid down her tools with an air of sudden determination.
"Why are you?" she asked, rather absently. "When Mrs. Fenton told me
she had asked you to let me model your hands, she didn't mention your
being interested in my art."
"Oh, I don't know anything about it," returned the other, with the
utmost frankness, "only that Orin's a sculptor."
Helen smiled at the girl's _naivete_.
"And am I to congratulate you on Orin's success?"
Melissa blushed.
"Of course I am pleased," she answered, "especially for John's sake."
"And John?" Helen pursued, finishing her preparations for leaving her
work.
"John is Orin's half-brother," Milly replied, in a voice and with a
manner which made it unnecessary for Mrs. Greyson to question farther.
"I shall not work any more this morning," she said. "I have to go out."
She dressed herself for the street, and, for the first time in six
years, took the well-remembered way toward Herman's studio down among
the warehouses and wharves. She was indignant at the action of the
committee, of which she felt that Herman should be told.
Pages:
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238