Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-10-24

- So"i ofercOaL ana don't
let me detain you." said Karl, with sig
nifcant emphasis.
Il broke the hanger. Your mar is
mending it and will bring it here
Millar said coolly, ignoring the marked
impoliteness.
Karl said nothing more, and after a
few minutes of silence Millar resumed:
Il just saw something that touched
me deeply-Mme. Hoffman, clinging to
her husbands arm as Ii she were beg
ging him to protect her."
Protect her." Karl exclaimed angri-
~. You don't mean to protect her
from me?"
look here, Karl, do you think you
are wise to be a fooli"
Il prefer not to discuss this subject"
Karl answered coldly. you don't
seem to understand my position. Why,
1t is absurd. / have seen this woman
every day for years; met her and her
husband. We have been good friends.
That's all absolutely, and had /
thought of anything else | should laugh
at myself. In wealth, position. every
thing, she is above me-"
mo woman is above her own heart"
Millar replied cynically. Look at her.
She is yours if you want her. Just
stretch out your hand, my boy, and
you have your warmth, your happi-
ness, your joy-unspeakable Joy, the
most supreme joy possible to a human
being-and you are too lazy to reach
out your hand. Why, another man
would toll night and day, risk his life
and limb, for such a woman, yet she
drops into your arms unsought, a found
treasure"
Karl laughed bitterly.
"A found treasure" he repeated.
Perhaps that is why l am indiffer-
emit"
Millar moved over to where the
young artist was seated on the couch
and sat beside him. He leaned toward
Karl and spoke low and earnestly,
keeping his big. black. glittering eyes
fixed on him.
Last fall, on the 9th Of September
/ shall v forget the date-I had a
singular experience" he said. II put
on an old suit of clothes, one l had not
worn for some time, and as l picked
up the waistcoat a sovereign dropped
out from one OF the pockets. 1t had
been there no one knew how long. l
picked it up, saying to myself as I
turned the gold piece over in my hand,
i wonder when you got there 1t slip
ped through my fingers and rolled into
some dark corner.
II searched the room trying to find
1t, but my sovereign had gone. ! be-
came nervous. Again searched. with
no result, | became angry, took up
the rugs, moved the furniture about,
and ] called my man to help me.
grew feverish with the one thought
that l must have that sovereign. Sud-
denly a suspicion seized me. l sprang
to my feet and cried to my servant,
You thief; you have found the sover-
eign and put it back in your pocket
He answered disrespectfully. l rushed
at him. ! saw a knife blade glimmer
In his pocket, and l drew a pistol from
NINE"
He drew a shining revolver from his
hip pocket and laid it on the table at
Karl's elbow.
"And with this pistol l nearly killed
a mar for a found sovereign which l
did not need" he finished quietly.
Karl was profoundly stirred by the
story, although he could hardly tell
why.
Il give found money away" he said,
laughing uncertainty and adding, for
luck"
$50 do l." said Millar quickly, but
1t slipped through my fingers, and
what slips through our fingers is what
we want. We seek 1t breathlessly.
That is human nature. You, too, will
seek your found treasure once 1t slips
through your fingers. And then you
will find that worthless thing worth
everything. You can find it sweet,
dear, precious"
Karl turned away from him, trying
not to listen to him.
xii a man for a found sovereign"
he repeated.
THAT woman will become sweeter,
dearer, more precious to you every
day." the malignant n went on, his
words soaring Karl's soul. You will
realize that she could have given you
wings; that she Is the warmth, the coli
or-her glowing passion the inspiration
of your work. All this you will realize
when she has slipped through your fin
gers. You might have become a mas
ter, a giant, not by loving your art, but
by loving her. oh, to be kissed by her,
to look into her burning eyes and to
kiss her warm, passionate mouth"
Karl covered his face with his hands.
Millar picked up the delicately scented
shawl which had covered Olga's bare
shoulders.
This has touched her bosomv' he
cried. twining it around Karl's head
and shoulders so that its fragrance
reached his nostrils.
The boy lost control OF himself and
caught the drapery, pressing 1t to his
Ifn0