Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-10-16
casually, blowing cigarette rings In


ed, stung to speech by jealousy.
"Ah, ! saw them trst In Paris. at
the Louvre, fashioned OF snow white
marble. They were the shoulders OF
Venus. An l right. karl?"
1t d,u'' know" the artist snapped
"Well. you must take my word for
Il then" Millar said lightly. Il have
seen both. And since AlcameDes
have known but one sculptor who
could form such wonderful shoulders"
"whoY' Karl asked. turning TO him.
prosperity" Millar replied senten-
tiously such tender. soft. exquisite
curves are possible only 10 women who
live perfectly. Madame must be the
wife Of a millionaire"
Kari fell TO pacing the door again.
glancing 'impatieDtly at the door
| through which Olga had fed
"Is she dressingT' asked Millar slyly
"Yes." Karl answered nervousIy.
els there a mirror In your studiof"
"Yes"
Madame must be very respecta BILE"
Millar said In an insinuating tone.
'She takes so long TO dress"
| "Your remarks are In very bad
taste" Karl cried angrily. walking up
threateningly to his visitor.
Millar stood erect. without changing
his expression Of irouical amusement.
and said:
do you wish TO offend meT
| "Yes," Karl snarled.
"rhen you, too. must he respecta
ble." the visitor said coolly. adding. as
Karl looked at him with wonder, In
situation like this only very re.
spectacle man could behave with such
Internal stupidity"
Karl was about to retOrt when the
studio door opened and Olga entered
He turned quickly toward her. and
she went to him without noticing Nil.
lar.
what time Is IT. she asked.
Your husband will be here In ten
minutes" Millar interposed.
Olga turned toward him and cried
accusingly:
Then you were not asleep In that
chair when my husband was here
You heard him say when he would re.
turn"
Madame Is mistaken. Feminine
presentiment always feels the approach
Of the husband ten minutes ahead Of
time. Were It not for those ten min.
utes there would lie fewer locked
doors"
As he spoke he walked over and I'M
locked the door leading into the hail
then turned and looked at them calm
ly.
"Is this never to flnish?" Olga asked
81 tried to change the subject. but
Karl would not let me-" Miilar an
swered.
81 have not spoken a word" Karl
protested.
by your actions. Karl; by the way
you jumped up. impatiently consulted
your watch. rushed to the door Poor
chap, he was afraid" he added to
Olga.
afraid" Kari exclaimed
"Yes. afraid that your husband would
come before you finished dressing
And you were right. Karl"
why, my dear Olga Karl began
impatiently, when the other interrupt.
ed him.
please, please. let us be logical" he
urged Look at the situation. The
husband enters suddenly. Well, here
| am. back again. my darling he an.
nOunces. Where il the picture? ]
must see the picture. There is none,
Karl did not work on the picture.
Your husband Is worried He does not
speak. but he Is irritated. He wants to
speak, and the words stick In ais
throat. You look at each other, IN.
happy. Nothing has happened, but the
mischief $ done. What mischief? APP
pearances. Whatever you say makes
matters worse, and u compromising
situation like this is never forgotten by
the husband. You 90 home together In
silence"
"Ah, II 1t were like thatr' Karl broke
here"
| Millar shrugged his shoulders.
"Ah, that Is 1t! | am here. and with
one word could dispel the illusion"
be acQuIesced. But | know myself.
l am cursed with q peculiar, sinister
sense OF humor, and l am afraid |
would not say the word: hence when
the husband enters We are all silent.
Then say. I regret to have arrived at
such an inopportune moment I take
my hat and walk out, leaving you.
madame, your husband and Karl"
He seemed to find keen pleasure In
the possibility Of forcing the two into
position which would cause them
suffering and weaken the barriers Of
self control they had built up around
that boy and girl love that had come
back SO wildly to both. Had they re.
garded him as merely human 1t Is Ger.
tain that Karl would have kicked this
cynical being out Of the studio with bis
internal innuendoes. But there was
something supernormal about him. He
dominated both the artist and the
wife. and they were completely under
his spell. struggle as they would to
break 1t. Olga shrank from the cruelty
Of their tormentor
III this is a jest It is cruel one.' u
she cried
"True, madame. But there Is another
way. II you wish 1t | can be quite
truthful. Should your husband arrive
can tell him the portrait has moi
been touched and ask his pardon"
Pardon for what?"
"For having seen your shoulders"
"This is a trap" Olga cried, turning