Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-08-29

innocent LOOKING envelope, the more
did the consolation of joke fade from
his mind. He turned il over in his
hand, and gnawed his blonde mus
tache with much energy, but the mys-
terry became more impenetrable than
ever At last he threw it down with a
guesture of impotence.
well, / can't make it out" he NUT
tered. Margaret must have taken
leave Of her senses. Pm sure I've
done nothing to deserve this. So let
it be, then, there are plenty OF other
fine women, l suppose. I'm going to
turn in and forget all about it; l can't
pat two thoughts together tonight,
anyway"
But no sleep visited his eyes that
night, and he tossed about with an
ever increasing sense OF batlled impa-
thence. He was very much in love
with Margaret, and her note, ineXpli-
cable though it was, had cut into his
heart like a dagger.
He dressed himself at daybreak with
n dismal conviction that after all life
was hardly worth the living. Between
his love affairs and his encounters
with strongly obtuse art committees, a
poor devil of an artist might as we'll be
out of it all-there certainly wasn't
much fun in it.
After his chop and cup Of coffee,
however. Hans reflections began to
lean towards cheersulness. After all,
there must be an explanation to all
this; he had done Margaret no con-
scious wrong, and if he could find out
wherein the trouble lay, he would ex-
plain it to her satisfaction. Margaret
had always shown herself TO be wo-
man OF sense and reason-she wouldn't
be found wanting in this case.
Hans groaned aloud as he looked at
his watch. "Oh, hang it all, I'm due
at Mrs. Blocker Onderdonk's at for
another sitting, and | can't paint in
this state OF fatal imbecility. | should
go wild il had TO stare into that old
woman's fishy eyes all the afternoon.
| shall have to put her off till to-
morrow. | hate to offend her, for she
can give me a good many other sit
tiers of Knickerbocker blue blood, who
wish to be handed down TO fame but
l can't help it. O Margaret, Mar
garrett If you only knew how you have
undOne mem
But Margaret was not at home that
afternoon; she and Miss Olivia had
left suddenly for Albany, the servant
said, to visit maiden aunt for few
days ("Confound the maiden aunts"
Hans muttered soto Uoce) Begging
his pardon, did he speak? No? Did
he want their address? Miss Olivia
had left it on II card, and had whis-
pered, all unbel1nown to her sister,
that it was to be given to Mr.. Vischer
the minute he lied.
Hans took the card mechanically,
and walked away like a man dazed.
Gone to Albany were they? This af-
fair was certainly assuming the COM
plexity OF "A sPhinXs riddle, and Hans
Nischer hardly knew whether he was
standing on his head or his heels. OF
one thing he was sure-he would strike
while the iron was hot. He meant to
take the first train for Albany on the
morrow, and demand an explanation
he was tired of being trihed with.
Take the first train he did, and Mar
garet was never so surprised in all her
life as when she saw coming up the
garden path, Hans Vischer! Even his
Eyeglasses seemed to express the de-
termination that lay behind them.
Margaret had been cutting astors,
and she opened and shut her scissors
nervously, as Hans drew nearer and
nearer. She had grown pa,., too, and
her breath came in quick gasps. Hans,
l regret TO say, was selfish enough to
enjoy all these symptoms of distress.
But his heart melted in moment, and
he stretched out his hands eagerly to
Margaret
"Oh, Margaret" he said reproach-
fully, chow could you hurt me so by
sending me this note?" holding it out.
What does it mean? 1 do not under
stand it. You surely do not mean what
you say-that all is over between us?'
This is not the denouement Hans had
planned He had meant to be stern,
reproachful and unyielding, but some
how all his dramatic phrases refused
TO be uttered when he looked into Mar
garets averted, unhappy eyes.
Il don't know what you think of
yourself, Mr. Vischer," said Margaret,
speaking in tone of stirring scorn,
and glancing coldly at him. But |
consider you-beneath my notice"
Hans grew as pale as ashes, and his
blue eyes burned with anger and re-
sentiment. For full minute he stood
there before her without speaking.
Margaret" he said at last, in a low.
suppressed tone, 'for your sake and
mine weigh well your next remark be-
| fore you utter it. | cannot stand any
more like the one just made to ma.
Your conduct demands an explanation,
and | will have it. Why did you send
me back my ringp"
MIR. Vischer, your assurance is sub
! lime" said Margaret with q bitter
laugh. pardon the suggestion, but
I'm sure you'd make your fortune on
the stage, should the goddess prove
tickle in painting. You demand an ex-
PLANTATION OF me? Go to the original OF
your Daughter Of the Gods'-she is ex-
PLANTATION enough"
"The original of my Daughter of
the Gods? Margaret, for Heavens
sake explain your meaning-I am tired
OF these mysteries! Why, you are the
original Of that picture, and l had
meant to show it TO you and tell you
so the other day, had you come to my
studio"
81 was at your studio" said Mar