Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-10-16
CHAPTER vi.
~0LGA shrank from this strang'
MI being. sensible Of his serpent
like fascination. even Will
he repealed her. 1t hashe'

he repealed her. Ii flashed
across her consciousness that he was
something more than human. some
thing worse-the embodiment of maley'
client purposes man devoid Of good
the devil himself.
He came from behind the chair, aud
as he moved toward her his every &C.
ton heightened the Impression she
had received. In . situation where
any man might have been confused he
was perfectly self possessed. His atti.
tuds was neither offensive nor ingrati.
ating. He became at once q part OF
her surroundings. Of her thoughts
yes, of her soul II was this influence
that she felt herself combating with
growing weakness.
81 hope you will forgive me-" his
smooth. suave voice went on, break
ing the stiffness almost melodiously.
and he bowed again. 81 permitted
myself to fall asleep"
Still Olga could not find tongue. and
she drew yet farther away. The man,
or the devil, watched her as she CROPPED
for the shawl, found it and quickly
wound its flmy length around her
beautiful shoulders and arms. An
expression Of cynical amusement
crossed his face.
Excuse me, but l awoke Just as you
were about to unbuttOu your blouse"
he said. "Propriety should have made
mo close nv ewes but
"Oh" Olga cried, shocked into
speech.
ooh, | know, madame" he said, with
q deprecating gesture and another pro.
found bow. you think am suspicious.
and you only came here
ITO have my portrait painted" Olga
said quickly.
Precisely" he acQuiesced, with the
same cynical expression. "Only yes
terday l met a lady at the dentists.
and observed that she permitted him
to extract a perfectly good and very
pretty TOOTH"
But p Olga began. accepting the
defensive position into which he placed
her when he interrupted her.
"Yes. you. I know, speak the truth.
am even at liberty to believe you,
but cannot"
For an instant Olga recovered her
self possession, and her indignation
sprang into flame that she should be
addressed in this manner by man
whom she had never seen before-an
intruder.
II don't know why permit q stran'
ger to talk to me in this fashion" she
exclaimed. ut amazes me-"
The man stepped toward her. Terri
fed. she turued and led toward the
door of the studio.
Karl! Karl" she called.
The stranger smiled as the doors
were flung open and Karl burst into
the room. The young artist paused,
astonished at the presence Of the stran.
ger. He was more amazed when the
man cried out in the voice Of genial
comradeship:
"Hello. Karl! How do you do?"
"Why, how do you dor Kari falter.
ed, looking blankly from Olga to the
mysterious visitor. II DON'T
You don't remember me-" the other
said. Don't you recall me at Monte
Carlow
"Oh. yes. at Monte Carlo" Kari said,
with dawning recollection
ut was an eventful day." the stran.
ger said.
Eyes, yes, Of course l remember. 1t
was last fall, when l had lost all my
money playing roulette. Some one
stood behind me, and 1t was you.
was afraid when turned and saw
you, because l fahcied l had seen you
a moment before beside the croupieF
grinning at me a. my gold pieces were
swept away. But when had lost
everything You offered me handful
OF gold"
(which you refused, but l saw the
longing to accept in your eyes,"
Il did not know you"
"But ! offered 1t again and you &C.
copied"
Eyes, and In ten minutes had re-
couped my losses and won $4,000 be.
Sides" Karl cried. with growing en-.
thusiasm. Il remember indeed. Your
money seemed to possess mystic luck
When you put it in my hands i. glow.
ed, and thought it was hot 1t seem.
ed to burn me-"
"You were excited, my boy" said the
other genially. But you repaid me
and invited me to due. could not
accept because l was forced to leave
for Spain that. same evening. l prom.
Used, however. to call on you when you
needed me, and here am"
He bowed to Kari and Olga, who
stood in speechless astonishment at
this strange dialogue. She could IN.
derstand nothing Of this uncanny
stranger, this specter In black and
white, who seemed to emit a lurid
radiance, 40 IL his red waistcoat were
alive.
ut was kind Of you to come" Kar,
said. II am glad"
"You were not here when entered -
the visitor said, land l took a seat In
that comfortable armchair. The warmth
OF the fire affected me. and permitted
myself to fall asleep"
He indicated with a sweeping ges.
ture the big pulpit backed armchair
Olga started and cried out:
THAT chair was empty. remembe,
quite well when my husband was here
There was no one in it / am abso
lutely certain"
Karl was 30 strangely affected by the
strangers presence that be did not no
tice Olga's agitation. The other re
garded her with his expression OF Gym
icai amusement. bowed gravely ant