34 Lady Lee 



offered to escort her home, telling the farmer to call 

 at the hotel that evening for his money. 



There was a singular charm about my new 

 acquaintance. Doubtless the novel introduction had 

 something to do with it ; but I found myself growing 

 more and more interested as we chatted and strolled 

 along. She was not one to impress a man strongly 

 at first sight, although she was unquestionably beau- 

 tiful ; but a few moments' conversation served to 

 reveal a nature wonderfully womanly and yet strong 

 in fibre. I knew instinctively that she loved the 

 world of art in all its forms, but drew her highest 

 inspiration from Nature. And so I found myself 

 surrounded by an atmosphere of sentiment, of pleas- 

 ure, and of healthfulness. She was spending the 

 summer with her mother, in a quiet hotel across 

 the river, and some two miles up the stream. She 

 took long walks each day, usually in new directions, 

 and seemed to be familiar with the country and its 

 beauties. When I returned to the hotel I realized 

 that in Miss Elmore I had found more than a passing 

 acquaintance ; and thoughts of her filled my mind 



