The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-12-18
THE MODEL
AT VIVON'S
BY IZOLA l..
70 RRE STER
Copyright. 1919, by t. C. Mcclure
The model at vivon's had tainted.

The model at yivon's had tainted.
1t was in the middle of the morning
sitting. the very apex of intensity In
the lesson. Little vivon moved lightly
and restlessly here and there from one
easel TO another. his small. black eyes
mere high lights OF sparkling eager
ness under their heavy brows. He
smoked his short. thick pipe and glanc-
ed from the charcoal studies To the slim
white figure on the platform.
The sunlight poured full into the
long. bare atelier. Suddenly the model
swayed ever so slightly and sank to
the floor.
Some OF the girls gave quick. fright
ened cries. and Jean I.aurier glanced
up with n smothercd exclamation of
angry dismay over his unfinished
sketch. From the first easel to the
right of the platform the American
student. Hal Crane. sprang TO the plat
form nnd raised her head on his arm.
1t was such a young head. The loose.
warm tinted hair lay softly against his
shoulder. and he noticed for the first
time how thin the small. piquant face
was.
vivon hoped excitedly the length OF
the room and waved his small plump
hands Tor order.
"It Is nothing" he said. "She Is
fatigued. IL is so warm. Can you carry
her. M. Crane?"
Could he carry her? Crane smiled
grimly as he raised the slender figure
In his arms. Why. his little sister
Bess. back In Charlottesville. Mo-. was
heavier than this. He followed Vivon
from the atelier away from the bat
terry of amused. curious eyes to the
artists private den.
"Ma fol-" laughed petite Yvette. her
eyes narrowing critically. that was
not bad. that last. ! think ] shall
faint. too. and let le gros Crane waltz
me of I'm his arms"
Laurier leaned lazily over her shoul-
der and scrawled a rough caricature
on the corner Of her raper.
Like thatr"
She boxed his ears soundly and
reached q greedy little hand after the
box OF bonbons Elsie Ticot was pass
Lay her there" vivon nodded to n
corner divan In the inner studio heaped
high with pillows, sketches and COS
tunes. Crane ruthlessly pushed the
latter of with his foot TO make room
| for his burden. He laid her down gen.
| tly and held to her lips the glass of
| water vivon brought.
"It is just faintness. yesf" asked VI
Won anxiously.
Crane stared thoughtfully at the
white face among the pillows. He had
been hungry once back In the first days
| Of the battle. The little home In Craw-
| fordsville had sent him out TO the great
| city of his dreams. and only long after.
| ward had the fight been his own. He
| thought he recognized the look that
comes to those who are tracked by the
| wolf.
Il think that she's just about starv'
/ ed" he said bluntly. "Get some wine
or brandy or something"
| vivon obeyed. The Americans had
a way that made men obey.
"who is shef' asked Crane when h'
had managed TO get few drops oi
brandy between the pale lips.
"One OF Ribaut's models" Vivon an
swered nervously. The sounds fron
the atelier We're not conducive to peac'
of mind Yes. she was a new one. Ri
baut had sent her to him yesterday
and he had engaged her for the poise
the grace, the turn of the head. tina
line from the tip Of the ear to the slop
OF the shoulder. She did not pose 10
the life classes. merely for drapery an'
the poise effective. And the name
was la his notebook.
He took 1t out and read from the lat
est entries:
virginia Wade"
"American?" asked Crane. usin
more brandy as he saw a fiutter Of tn
eyelids.
"But. yes" vivon shrugged his shou
ders. when they come over and ar
poor they must do something. Som
are 50 proud they hide away and starv'
and some put up the grand fight"
where does she live?'
Crane glanced up. The little arts
had gone back TO the atelier as fires
crash sounded. with Yvette's peal G
laughter ringing above II.
!. When the girls eyelids opened b
smiled down at her In friendly fasl
ion.
Feel betterT
| II guess so'' She hcsitated and ad,
! ed. with a scared look In her dark blJ
eyes. "Did I faint In theref'
"Oh. yes: that was nothing. 10
! do" Laurier had said the America
| had reduced cheerful lying to an ar
/ ITS so hot there In the mornings, yo
, know"
: There was a quiver of hopeless di
, | appointment around the curves of h
! mouth, and he knew what trouble
) her. There was a five franc piece
Z his pocket He laid II unblushing
on the tabouret beside her.
4 "vivon said that was yours. I
e couldn't wait. but he said to come {
Y morrow. and this Is for the two s.
] tings."
: Her eyes frightened with surpriS
e and he knew his surmise had be-
2 right
q II must go home" she said, tryll
: to rise from the cushions.
: "wait while I get carriage" era
o started for the door decidedly. II
y send one OF the girls TO help you"
r She thanked him with a smile th
s made him whistle as he went down Il
x flights three steps at a time. Wh
be reAirned he carried her down