[Aunt Jane’s Nieces by Edith Van Dyne]@TWC D-Link bookAunt Jane’s Nieces CHAPTER X 3/13
But his eye fell upon the pine box, which had rolled to his feet, and he stooped to pick it up.
Upon the smoothly planed side was his own picture, most deftly drawn, showing him engaged in polishing the harness.
Every strap and buckle was depicted with rare fidelity; there was no doubt at all of the sponge and bottle on the stool beside him, or the cloth in his hand.
Even his bow spectacles rested upon the bridge of his nose at exactly the right angle, and his under lip protruded just as it had done since he was a lad. Donald was not only deeply impressed by such an exhibition of art; he was highly gratified at being pictured, and full of wonder that the boy could do such a thing; "wi' a wee pencil an' a bit o' board!" He turned the box this way and that to admire the sketch, and finally arose and brought a hatchet, with which he carefully pried the board away from the box.
Then he carried his treasure to a cupboard, where he hid it safely behind a row of tall bottles. Meantime Kenneth had reached the stable, thrown a bridle over the head of a fine sorrel mare, and scorning to use a saddle leaped upon her back and dashed down the lane and out at the rear gate upon the old turnpike road. His head was whirling with amazement, his heart full of indignation. Girls! Girls at Elmhurst--nieces and guests of the fierce old woman he so bitterly hated! Then, indeed, his days of peace and quiet were ended.
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