[Gutenberg 32988] • Ewing's Lady

An artist paints a nude painting, and a woman hides it. Then, he paints other paintings....strange, very readable and entertaining tale from 1907. Strange, evocative tale of romance and adventure, suspense and intrigue, not to be missed.

Excerpt: THEY were chatting the next morning over the late breakfast of Mrs. Laithe. Her brother, summoned from the branding pen, where tender and terrified calves were being marked for life, had come reluctantly, ill disposed to forego the vivacity of that scene. He had rushed in with the look of a man harassed by large affairs. His evil beard was still unshorn, his dress as untidy as care could make it. He drew a chair up to the oilcloth covered table and surveyed the meager fare of his sister with high disapproval. "What you need is food, Nell," he began abruptly. "Look at me. This morning I ate two pounds of oatmeal, three wide slices of ham, five chunks of hot bread, about two thousand beans, and drank all the coffee I could get -- and never foundered. How's that, against one silly glass of malted milk two weeks ago? And I slept till seven. I woke up for just eight seconds at four-thirty to hear the boys turning out. Oh, it was gray and cold in that bunkhouse -- with me warm in the blankets. That was the one moment of real luxury I've ever known -- not to turn out if I didn't choose. And I did not choose -- if anyone should ride up hastily and inquire of you. When we were on the drive I had to turn out with the rest of the bunch and catch horses and unbuckle frosty hobbles with stiff fingers, and fetch pails of ice water and freeze anddo other things, but this morning I just grinned myself asleep again. That was worth living for, my girl." But his sister was f...