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On the Saturday evening when he came down from his room； Mr。 Beckard
was there； and there was no opportunity that night。 On the Sunday；
in conformity with a previous engagement； he went to hear Mr。
Beckard preach； and walked to and from meeting with the family。
This pleased Mrs。 Bell； and they were all very gracious that
afternoon。 But Sunday was no day for the picture。
On Monday the thing had become of importance to him。 Things always
do when they are kept over。 Before tea that evening when he came
down Mrs。 Bell and Susan only were in the room。 He knew Hetta for
his foe； and therefore determined to use this occasion。
〃Miss Susan；〃 he said； stammering somewhat； and blushing too； poor
fool！ 〃I have done a little drawing which I want you to accept；〃
and he put his portfolio down on the table。
〃Oh！ I don't know；〃 said Susan； who had seen the blush。
Mrs。 Bell had seen the blush also； and pursed her mouth up； and
looked grave。 Had there been no stammering and no blush； she might
have thought nothing of it。
Aaron saw at once that his little gift was not to go down smoothly。
He was； however； in for it now； so he picked it out from among the
other papers in the case and brought it over to Susan。 He
endeavoured to hand it to her with an air of indifference； but I
cannot say that he succeeded。
It was a very pretty； well…finished； water…coloured drawing；
representing still the same bridge； but with more adjuncts。 In
Susan's eyes it was a work of high art。 Of pictures probably she
had seen but little； and her liking for the artist no doubt added to
her admiration。 But the more she admired it and wished for it； the
stronger was her feeling that she ought not to take it。
Poor Susan！ she stood for a minute looking at the drawing； but she
said nothing； not even a word of praise。 She felt that she was red
in the face； and uncourteous to their lodger； but her mother was
looking at her and she did not know how to behave herself。
Mrs。 Bell put out her hand for the sketch； trying to bethink herself
as she did so in what least uncivil way she could refuse the
present。 She took a moment to look at it collecting her thoughts；
and as she did so her woman's wit came to her aid。
〃Oh dear； Mr。 Dunn； it is very pretty； quite a beautiful picture。 I
cannot let Susan rob you of that。 You must keep that for some of
your own particular friends。〃
〃But I did it for her；〃 said Aaron innocently。
Susan looked down at the ground； half pleased at the declaration。
The drawing would look very pretty in a small gilt frame put over
her dressing…table。 But the matter now was altogether in her
mother's hands。
〃I am afraid it is too valuable； sir； for Susan to accept。〃
〃It is not valuable at all；〃 said Aaron； declining to take it back
from the widow's hand。
〃Oh； I am quite sure it is。 It is worth ten dollars at leastor
twenty；〃 said poor Mrs。 Bell； not in the very best taste。 But she
was perplexed； and did not know how to get out of the scrape。 The
article in question now lay upon the table…cloth； appropriated by no
one； and at this moment Hetta came into the room。
〃It is not worth ten cents；〃 said Aaron； with something like a frown
on his brow。 〃But as we had been talking about the bridge； I
thought Miss Susan would accept it。〃
〃Accept what？〃 said Hetta。 And then her eye fell upon the drawing
and she took it up。
〃It is beautifully done；〃 said Mrs。 Bell； wishing much to soften the
matter； perhaps the more so that Hetta the demure was now present。
〃I am telling Mr。 Dunn that we can't take a present of anything so
valuable。〃
〃Oh dear no；〃 said Hetta。 〃It wouldn't be right。〃
It was a cold frosty evening in March； and the fire was burning
brightly on the hearth。 Aaron Dunn took up the drawing quietly
very quietlyand rolling it up； as such drawings are rolled； put it
between the blazing logs。 It was the work of four evenings； and his
chef…d'oeuvre in the way of art。
Susan； when she saw what he had done； burst out into tears。 The
widow could very readily have done so also； but she was able to
refrain herself； and merely exclaimed〃Oh； Mr。 Dunn！〃
〃If Mr。 Dunn chooses to burn his own picture； he has certainly a
right to do so；〃 said Hetta。
Aaron immediately felt ashamed of what he had done； and he also
could have cried； but for his manliness。 He walked away to one of
the parlour…windows； and looked out upon the frosty night。 It was
dark； but the stars were bright； and he thought that he should like
to be walking fast by himself along the line of rails towards
Balston。 There he stood； perhaps for three minutes。 He thought it
would be proper to give Susan time to recover from her tears。
〃Will you please to come to your tea； sir？〃 said the soft voice of
Mrs。 Bell。
He turned round to do so； and found that Susan was gone。 It was not
quite in her power to recover from her tears in three minutes。 And
then the drawing had been so beautiful！ It had been done expressly
for her too！ And there had been something； she knew not what； in
his eye as he had so declared。 She had watched him intently over
those four evenings' work； wondering why he did not show it； till
her feminine curiosity had become rather strong。 It was something
very particular； she was sure； and she had learned that all that
precious work had been for her。 Now all that precious work was
destroyed。 How was it possible that she should not cry for more
than three minutes？
The others took their meal in perfect silence； and when it was over
the two women sat down to their work。 Aaron had a book which he
pretended to read； but instead of reading he was bethinking himself
that he had behaved badly。 What right had he to throw them all into
such confusion by indulging in his passion？ He was ashamed of what
he had done； and fancied that Susan would hate him。 Fancying that；
he began to find at the same time that he by no means hated her。
At last Hetta got up and left the room。 She knew that her sister
was sitting alone in the cold； and Hetta was affectionate。 Susan
had not been in fault； and therefore Hetta went up to console her。
〃Mrs。 Bell；〃 said Aaron； as soon as the door was closed； 〃I beg your
pardon for what I did just now。〃
〃Oh； sir； I'm so sorry that the picture is burnt；〃 said poor Mrs。
Bell。
〃The picture does not matter a straw；〃 said Aaron。 〃But I see that
I have disturbed you all；and I am afraid I have made Miss Susan
unhappy。〃
〃She was grieved because your picture was burnt；〃 said Mrs。 Bell；
putting some emphasis on the 〃your；〃 intending to show that her
daughter had not regarded the drawing as her own。 But the emphasis
bore another meaning； and so the widow perceived as soon as she had
spoken。
〃Oh； I can do twenty more of the same if anybody wanted them；〃 said
Aaron。 〃If I do another like it； will you let her take it； Mrs。
Bell？just to show that you have forgiven me； and that we are
friends as we were before？〃
Was he； or was he not a wolf？ That was the question which Mrs。 Bell
scarcely knew how to answer。 Hetta had given her voice； saying he
was lupine。 Mr。 Beckard's opinion she had not liked to