but he found to his surprise that while they laughed and
joked as they painted, they worked none the worse for this, and that in
fact there was a general improvement manifest.

Cuthbert heartily enjoyed the change; the prevailing tone was more like
that to which he was accustomed at the studios of St. John's Wood than
was the somewhat strict discipline that had before prevailed in the
studio, and he enjoyed the hard work and excitement outside the walls.
The fact that they were running the same risks and sharing in the same
work was an added bond of union among the students; and, although, when
they met, as they very frequently did in each other's lodgings, there
was less uproarious fun than before; there was a healthier atmosphere,
and more pleasant and earnest talk.

Arnold Dampierre was the only exception to the general rule. When in the
field he evinced no want of spirit, and upon the contrary was always
ready to volunteer when a few men were required to crawl forward at
night to ascertain the precise position of the Prussian outposts or to
endeavor to find out the meaning of any stir or movement that might be
heard towards their front. At other times his fits of moodiness seemed
to increase. He was seldom present at any of the gatherings of his
companions, but went off after work at the studio was over, and it was
generally late at night before he returned to his rooms.

Cuthbert felt that the American avoided all opportunities of
conversation with him alone. He replied cordially enough to his greeting
when they met, but they no longer dropped in to smoke a pipe in each
other's apartments as they formerly had done. Cuthbert had no great
difficulty in guessing at the reasons for this change in their
relations. He himself when he first noticed that Arnold was taking the
first place with Minette had spoken to him half-jestingly,
half-seriously, on the subject. He had never made any secret of his own
distrust of the model, and in the early days of their intercourse had
spoken freely to Arnold on the subject. He could understand that if the
American, as it appeared, had become really attached to her, he would
shrink from the risk of any expostulations on the course he had adopted.

Cuthbert believed that his comrade was at present in a state of
indecision, and that, although deeply in love, he had not as yet been
able to bring himself to the idea of taking Minette back as his wife to
his home in Louisiana.

"It wou