Her Faithful Knight — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Hour and the Woman. II into the Akedemy schools, you know. Once we get in, which ’arf of us won’t, we hope to be sent to Rome on account of our remarkable talent.” “And what would you do in Rome?” inquired Aylmer, amused by the humorous little cockney—albeit he had been guilty of winking as he carried beauty’s drawing board. “Oh, tike in art at the pores, and come ’ome Corregios. Seems a large order, don’t it ?” Mr. Smith was most ready with his information. If Aylmer obtained a ticket there was no reason why he should not “dror’ statues all day if his tastes lay in that direction. ‘The slight measure of proficiency which was needed in order to insure admittance as a student was a drawback in his case, certainly, but might be overcome. “As to your droring badly,” said Mr. Smith, “lots of us do thet. I’ve seen that blessed Satyr with cymbals caricatured to that extent it was enough to mike him turn on his pedestal. Get your ticket, and you’re free to spoil as much good droring paper as the best of us.” Aylmer thanked him for his advice and encouragement and made his way back to the room where the girl in the blue serge was copying the Hermes. Standing in the doorway he could watch her profile without attracting attention. As she became absorbed in her work he noted an eagerness in her expression quite unlike the thought- ful sadness which he had first seen in her face. The hands with which she dexterously wielded char- coal, chalk and bread, were slender, well shaped and strong, and something in the curve of her wrist inspired in Aylmer an insane wish to cover it with kisses. The back of her neck, just above the collar of her gown, was likewise distracting, of a warm, creamy fairness, shaded by stray tendrils of soft, fair hair. It seemed wonderful to Aylmer that the male students in her vicinity should EOMIGdoOo <“S (S@)