Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1890-10-23

studio on the following morning with
look of determination upon his land
some face. His first duty was to re
move the portrait of little Oracle from
the easel and turn it face inward to
the wall.
He did not bestow single glance
upon the lovely pictured features: per
haps he did not care to, perhaps he dio
not dare.
lg a fresh canvas he seated
himself before it and began to roWDhl,
sketch in with charcoal something O
his idea.
So interested did he become inAhi,
work that he failed to hear the sharr
ring at the door bell, or the rustic Ssill
as lady entered the studio. He wa
quite unaware of a presence in th,
room until q low, melodious voice, tina,
thrilled him to the soul, pronounced
his name
Mr. Arnim 2"
He turned quickly, started to hi,
feet, and confronted his visitor, who
had Just raised her veil For an instan'
he felt as if he must be bereft of hi.
senses.
III he had been a magician and pos
sessed the power to conjure from the
bowels of the earth spirit to suit hi
purpose, he could not have dreamed il
his widest flight of fancy of face,
figure, tout ensemble more perfectl,
in accord with his idea of the proposed
Satanella. And when we inform th,
reader that the person in question wa,
none other than Cora, Boyden's dis
carded wife, he will appreciate how fully
the woman would agree with the picture
in the artists mind.
" In heavens name who are you?" ex
claimed Arnim, when the first shock OF
surprise had passed.
She smiled upon him in a way thai
made his blood tingle in his veins, as
she replied:
II am the model you advertised Tor
if l suit your purpose.
Suit my purpose!" he exclaimed
enthusiastically; "why, you are the very
embodiment of Satanelia."
Then his face fell and he grew serious
hs he glanced at her rich attire. "Bui
you are no ordinary model" he added
L fear that ], being poor man, cannot
afford to pay you your price for sitting
to me-"
She smiled again, utterly bewitchina
him with her mystic beauty.
AS you say" she replied, 81 am no
ordinary model. | have never sat TO,
my portrait before, and / would not sit
to you-if did not like you. I expect
and ask no payment for my services. ]
shall consider myself amply repaid il
you produce a portrait of me which
shall set the world talking about me-
He was about to interrupt her with
some eager exclamation, when she
raised her black gloved hand in token
of silence.
wait" she added, until you heal
my terms Perhaps you will not agree
to them
II agree to anything, so long as ]
can paint youl"
You cannot paint me here in this
house, nor even in this city, for am
going away"
: would follow you to the ends OF
the earth to paint such a face as yours!'
She smiled such encouragement that
her victim was translated.
You need not take so long a Jour
ney," she answered; within a few
hours | will send you word where Won
can find me. May l depend upon you?'
III live l will come to youl"
Every well. / need not tell Won
that | am glad to have met you. Au
Teuoir."
He followed her to the street-doo,
and saw her enter the cab that awaited
her. lie saw her fatally beautiful face
smiling upon him, but he failed to hea,
her give the address which, within the
hour would bring her into the pres
ence of the sweet, pure girl who, for the
time being, had been swept from his
memory by this strangers unholy spell
Thus the first step toward the con.
summation of Boyden's villainous re-.
venge was taken!
While Arnim sat alone in his studio.
dreaming in ecstasy of the vista which
fortune had opened before him, the cab
which contained the baleful encban'
tress rolled rapidly down town in the
direction of Detective Bancker's hum.
BILE home, where, at the moment, little
Oracle and her friends were convened,
listening to the report of the detectives
fruitless search
Discouraged at the fruitless outlook,
Lawyer Edgar had just risen to his feet
and exclaimed:
VERY well, my client shall no longe,
be kept out of her property" when the
veiled woman assembled the steps of the
house, and rang for admittance The
blind luck which had attended he,
through life had served to place her in
communication with Rupert Arnim, and
she daringly trusted to it now to fur
nish her with tidings of little Oracle by
calling upon Detective Bancker. who,
her husband had informed her by writ.
ing on her tablets, had charge of the
case.
1t was Selling the bull by the horns
WITH vengeance, but Cora Boyden was
never woman to stop and consider
The consequences when she was play.
ing for high stakes.
Her appearance in Mr.. Bancker's
parlor caused a decided sensasion.
Every eye was riveted upon her elegant
figure and yelled face. and it was the
detective, as master of the house, who
rose and addressed her first.
= beg your pardon, madam" he
Il