Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-23

eyes lnub glOWeu ana Durnou, ana ycJ
it was soft aud tender, too, like an
| innocent child's.
As Margaret stood before tho pic
ture, and ga2ed in those luminous
eyes. a delightful vista OF fame aud
honor for Hans opened before her. Ii
! she thought OF herself rs humble
sharer OF these honors, who can blame
her? She had always believed SIMPLE
| lilly in Hans talent, md had responded
warmly 10 his most enthusiastic hopes
and dreams; but she had never imagin-
| ed that fame was so near. Indeed, she
had often thought how good a thing il
was that she had money to help him
out with, since Hans had none. His
life after their marriage would he
made lighter by the loss of many a
sordid care, she knew, and she rcjoiced
| in the thought.
Olivia, in the meantime, had plunged
her inquisitive head into portfolio of
etchings, and Margaret was left to
dream on in happy abstraction.
Suddenly, as she loitered near one
end of the long dim studio, she was
startled by the sound of passionate
| little cutlery which came from a door
slightly ajar and CHANGING through
was astounded TO see a strange woman
| throw herself into Hans Nischer's
arms, with gesture of utter despair.
Margaret chung to the heavy por-
tierre for support, horrible sick feel
! ing stealing over her. She could not
see his face, but she noticed that Hans
stroked the girls hair gently with one
hand, while he tried to lead her TO n
chair. The confusion OF noises in the
street below prevented Margaret from
| hearing what they were saying, even
| il she wanted TO hear, which she most
assuredly did not. She would not play
the eaves-dropper, no matter how false
her lover might be TO her
She looked again at the pictured
face on the easel. Yes, there could be
no doubt about the matter-the woman
in the rext room was the original.
Margaret turned away with Il white,
set face. She telt as If her heart
were turning TO stone in her bosom,
and that il she stayed in the studio an-
other minute she should begin TO hate
Hans Vischer. The smell of paint
seemed sitting and unbearable, and
the floor heaved beneath her feet.
She walked rapidly up TO her sister,
and spoke in low, quick tone. "Oliv-
ia she said, ''let us go home at
once. II am not we'll"
Olivia threw down the etchings with
an exclamation of alarm. "Why,
Marg ret, what has happened? You
look wretchedly, that's fact"
Nothing has happened" said Mar
garet impaticntly, feeling that all her
powers of endurance were slipping
away from her. Only let US go home
at once-do you hear?n
She hastened toward the door, and
Olivia followed her with look of
amazemeut on her face. Well, Mar
/ garet. must say" she began, but
/ her sister was already out OF hearing,
and Olivia followed her with very
bad grace. She assumed portentous
| air OF injury when she caught up with
! Margaret at the bottom OF the last
/ flight Of stairs.
What did the boy say was the mat
! ter with the elevator" she said
apropos of nothing in particular
merely to show that she meant to pass
Margaret's behavior in silent displeas-
ure.
That he had stuck somewhere in
and listless reply. Isn't that our car?
Signal to it, will you dearP"
Olivia performed this duty with i'm
| pressive dignity, then seated herself
opposite her sister, and stared at her
all the way home. But Margaret 5
face, though pale, expressed nothing of
the tumultous emotions which were
seething within her. and Olivia got of
the car in dudgeon. If Margaret had
n secret. or If something unusual had
/ happened TO her it was clearly her
business to tell her younger sister all
about it. Then why in the world did
she close her mouth as tight rs a CLAMP
Olivia had never been treated so before
and she wasn't going to stand it--so
there
Hans Nischer came back 20 his stu
do rather late that evening. There
! had been animated discussion in the
Rembrandt Club rooms on the worm
out theme Of ''the ideal and the real
! in art, " and the arguments had waxed
/ long and warm so much so, in fact,
that il was past - o'clock when Hans
/ lit the gas ana turned over the small
heap of unopened letters which had
| accumulated during the day. There
/ was one in creamy white envelope
which he bounced upon at once with
a pleased smile OF anticipation.
Prom Margaret he said. post
poning his enjoyment of the note, as
we are all SO fond OF doing, long
enough to roll and light cigarette.
| This duty done. he broke the seal and
adjusted his Eyeglasses Hans was Il
trile near-sighted, be it said. Dear
| girl,' he murmured tenderly. "Of
course she's going 10 explain why she
didn't come up this morning. That
vicious old aunt OF hers wouldn't let
her. | suppose, because of some fan
ciod improperly in the thing. What
bore maiden aunts must be! Heigh-
no! precious glad am that | haven't
any TO worry the life out OF me-. IL
Margaret only knew how cheerfully
shall take her excuses! But it would
never in the world have done to have
had them here when Marie was storm
ing about in that reckless fashion. Poor
girl! I'm awfully sorry for her. But
] can't help wishing she wouldn't
throw herself into fellows arms
! It's rather ern ba rro ceinO on the whole