The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-02

| IL am out OF sorts tonight. You irri-
tate me- Nydia. You are tantalizlng'
| know quite well that you are only coiu,
hard stone; yet as / sit here ana look AT
| y)I | can hardly master the longing 20
take you in my arms. l would start ooe
| and hunt for the model who pOsed ~,
! you, but l know ! should never niu
| he's. Your face haunts me communal.
| / am losing interest in eyerythhB el''
| in the world. Some day you will tantlll]e
mo beyond endurance and l shaii a. ,Sc
| aa1 crush you into dust-marDie uus'
and then / will sweep you up In uus,-
pan and thro you out, and perhaps 'He"
l 81 all have peace. ~
Il have decided TO speak TO Malsie TO-
morrow. ] must settle MS my Hlinu
is losing its balance. L can fancy myself
in a padded cell, and those VINO COM anu
look at me through the grating VIII say
Poor fellow. he loved a marble statue.
Nydia, Nydia. what IS your Po"tI.
never thought my reason was weak
there were never any unDalahceu minus
In our race"
He paused in his soliloquy, Tor there
seemed To be a commotion in the mani
outside mis- room and footsteps rush.
ing up the stair IN frantic haste. sudden
ly tho door was flung open. ana n man,
dishcyelled and wild, rushed IN Inc IN
trudor stopped ana looked eagerly ABOUT
THANK God" he ejaculatcd' ana tears
IN a torrent poured from his eyes lie
started IN tins direction Of Nydia. but the
tall, athletic young man stepped between
them.
BE careful. man." he said quietly.
stand aside She is mine
''She is mine. Dare lay one profane
finger on her and 1 will not hesitate TO
strike you down in an instant.
Yours, She Is mine. My daughter.
Fool! Imbecilei Stand aside, l say.'
The two men grapp1ed The professor
was something OF an athlete himself
Their bodies swayed from right TO LETT
as each struggled for the advantage
Furniture fell. the glass globes ratified.
the very walls of the house rocked. once
the younger man was down, but recovered
Immediately. and with all the concen-
trated power OF his sinewy muscles ne
grasped the other and threw him pros
trate.
The professor gasped for breath.
Let me w." he roared, when re
could speak.
"TlI let you up when I have you in
a straight jacket"
The professor groaned in anguish or
spirit.
Fool" he muttered.
Then. with ore desperate effort he lifted
himself on his elbow. turned his face 10
the statue. and shrieked:
"Winifred, l command you, AWAK-
EMIT"
There was n cracking. as of glass or
porcelain breaking. Tho young man turn
ed and staggered backward against the
wall His Nydia was emerging from her
chrysalis. The warm fints OF flesh and
blood suppanted the dead white OF the
marble surface az IN fell away She step
ped down from her pedestal. gave her
draperies a truly feminine shake. and fell !
into the arms of her father-who I'm the |
excitement had been permitted to gain |
his feet.
MY child, can you forgive me?" he
cried
She looked over his shoulder archly !
al the figure against the wall.
Fully and freely. nv dear papa, abb !
solutely and irrevocably, now and fov- |
ever"
she took a step in the direction or the
other. and held out timidly n li-le hand. |
10 which still chung q fragment OF the |
marble enamel-but he made no move 20 |
take It. lie stood spenbound and SIM /
ply stared.
Il used 20 wonder what you looked
like" she said wistfully.
Stll he remained mOuOnless.
Then you did not mean it?'
She turned back toward her father.
There was a little catch I'm her voice:
t seemed 10 break the spell which held
him The blood rushed back 20 his face.
the life came back 70 his eyes: he took 4
step and caught the floating drapery be-
fore Il was quite out OF reach.
only give me a lifetime TO prove H."
be said