A Prince of Sinners | Page 5

I know nothing whatever about
perspective. My opinion would be worse than worthless."
Louise giggled artlessly, and turned over the first few pages.
"You men all say that at first," she declared, "and then you turn out
such terrible critics. I declare I'm afraid to show them to you, after all."
Brooks scarcely showed that desire to overcome her new resolution

which politeness demanded. But Selina came tripping across the room,
and took up her position on the other side of him.
"You must show them now you've brought them out, Louise," she
declared. "I am sure that Mr. Brooks' advice will be most valuable. But
mind, if you dare to show mine, I'll tear them into pieces."
"I wasn't going to, dear," Louise declared, a little tartly. "Shall I begin
at the beginning, Mr. Brooks, or--"
"Oh, don't show those first few, dear," Selina exclaimed. "You know
they're not nearly so good as some of the others. That mill is all out of
drawing."
Mary, who had been elbowed into the background, rose quietly and
crossed to the other end of the room. Brooks followed her for a moment
with regretful eyes. Her simple gown, with the little piece of ribbon
around her graceful neck, seemed almost distinguished by comparison
with the loud-patterned and dressier blouses of the two girls who had
now hemmed him in. For a moment he ignored the waiting pages.
"Your cousin," he remarked, "is quite unlike any of you. Has she been
with you long?"
Louise looked up a little tartly.
"Oh, about three years. You are quite right when you say that she is
unlike any of us. It doesn't seem nice to complain about her exactly, but
she really is terribly trying, isn't she, Selina?"
Selina nodded, and dropped her voice.
"She is getting worse," she declared. "She is becoming a positive
trouble to us."
Brooks endeavoured to look properly sympathetic, and considered
himself justified in pursuing the conversation. "Indeed! May I ask in
what way?"

"Oh, she has such old-fashioned ideas," Louise said, confidentially.
"I've quite lost patience with her, and so has Selina; haven't you, dear?
She never goes to parties if she can help it, she is positively rude to all
our friends, and the sarcastic things she says sometimes are most
unpleasant. You know, papa is very, very good to her."
"Yes, indeed," Selina interrupted. "You know, Mr. Brooks, she has no
father and mother, and she was living quite alone in London when papa
found her out and brought her here--and in the most abject poverty. I
believe he found her in a garret. Fancy that!"
"And now," Louise continued, "he allows her for her clothes exactly
the same as he does us--and look at her. Would you believe it, now?
She is like that nearly every evening, although we have friends
dropping in continually. Of course I don't believe in extravagance, but
if a girl has relations who are generous enough to give her the means, I
do think that, for their sake, she ought to dress properly. I think that she
owes it to them, as well as to herself."
"And out of doors it is positively worse," Selina whispered,
impressively. "I declare," she added, with a simper, "that although
nobody can say that I am proud, there are times when I am positively
ashamed to be seen out with her. What she does with her money I can't
imagine."
Brooks, who was something of a critic in such matters, and had
recognized the art of her severely simple gown, smiled to himself. He
was wise enough, however, not to commit himself.
"Perhaps," he suggested, "she thinks that absolute simplicity suits her
best. She has a nice figure."
Selina tossed her much-beaded slipper impatiently.
"Heaven only knows what Mary does think," she exclaimed,
impatiently.
"And Heaven only knows what I am to say about these," Brooks

groaned inwardly, as the sketch-book fell open before him at last, and
its contents were revealed to his astonished eyes.
CHAPTER III
KINGSTON BROOKS HAS A VISITOR
Kingston Brooks was twenty-five years old, strong, nervous, and with a
strenuous desire to make his way so far as was humanly possible into
the heart of life. He was a young solicitor recently established in
Medchester, without friends save those he was now making, and
absolutely without interest of any sort. He had a small capital, and
already the beginnings of a practice. He had some sort of a reputation
as a speaker, and was well spoken of by those who had entrusted
business to him. Yet he was still fighting for a living when this piece of
luck had befallen him. Mr. Bullsom had entrusted a small case to him,
and found him capable and cheap. Amongst that worthy gentleman's
chief characteristics was