148 GERTRUDE.

Not long after this a young lady came to board for a few
weeks in the country. She was a distant cousin, and had
written to ask if Gertrude’s mother would allow her to be with
them for a while, as she wanted a real quiet farm life.

Gertrude begged that they would admit Miss Torrance;
and when she came the little girl was in a state of transport
when she found out that a real artist was before her.

She could hardly wait till Miss Torrance should begin to
sketch, and then a new world was opened to the child. “Do
you mind my looking?” she asked, timidly, as Miss Torrance
began rapidly to sketch in a corner of the fence, where an
apple-tree stood, and beyond which a meadow stretched away.

“ Not at all,” replied Miss Torrance.

Gertrude stood immovably till the sketch was finished;
she was so absorbed and quiet. that Miss Torrance forgot her
presence, and was only aware of it by a startled “Oh, don’t!”
when she began to clear off her palette.

“Don’t what?” she said, turning smilingly around. “I
forgot you were there, Gertrude.”

The child blushed. “TI only thought it seemed so dreadful
to waste all those paints,” she said.

“Why, I cannot use them again; they will be dry by the
next time I want to paint.”

“Are you going to throw them away?” asked Gertrude in
consternation, as Miss Torrance was about to bring her palette-
knife-into use a second time.