Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-09-25

her neart beat with violence it had
not known before during the six placid
years of her married life. Her face
was q mask of fear-fear of the I'M
seen, the unfathomable--of the turbu-
lent emotions that seemed crowding,
surging up from unsupported depths in
her very soul
Mime. Hoffman, was in the studio of
Karl Mailer. where she had been
brought by her Dortly banker husband.
Herman Hoffman,, that the irony of
the sweetheart of her happy girlhood,
painting her portrait for the pleasure
OF the man whose name she had taken,
might be conSummated. But it was
with no thought of this that Hoffman,
had taken her there or that she had
consented to go or that Karl had re-
ceiyed them. Hoffman, welcomed the
artist daily to his own home and knew
no jealousy. Karl. forgetful of the
idyl of his youth. dwelt in thought on
his approaching marriage to Il beauti-
full young heiress. Olga. loyal TO her
husband. believed that the old romance
was laid away among those faded
come no more.
And yet when her husband had gone
out. leaving her there. the faded laven-
der of the sweet old days turned lurid,
ana for the first time in six years her
soul confessed itself and lay bare and
unshriveu. But she fought down the
memory ard clung to those six years
of silence, and all the while there was
in the very air of the room an unseen
presence that seemed dragging her
backward through time, bridging those
years clear TO the day when Karl. the
boy. had taken her in his arms and
kissed her lips and told her that he
loved her.
Now, with all of that in her heart,
she yet tried to put it out of her
thoughts. She forced herself to light
tone and airy words.
Come, NJ. Mailer; l have come to
get my portrait painted as my husband
wishes it." she cried. I'VE must go to
work"
Karl, torn by emotion as herself,
acquiesced.
Here are shawls from which you
may select one for your shoulders"
he said IL will go and prepare the
studio while you. remove your blouse"
He left her so filed with fear that
she could hardly bring herself to tug
at the buttons that held her waist.
"Ah"' she exclaimed impatiently at
last, finging the waist from her.
AS it dropped to the floor her per-
fectly rounded shoulders and white
throat were bare. She arose from her
seat and reached for the filmy silkeu
shawl she had chosen. But the shaw
fell from her nerveless hands, and she
drew back, with shrek, gazing il
horror at what seemed an apparition.
A melodious voice, suave. gentle, de
liberate said:
MADAME. 1 beg your pardon. 1 feal
permitted myself to fall asleep"
From the depths of a great arm
chair, drawn up before an open fire
whose red light gave it sinister il
Elimination, n man arose, stood before
Olga and bowed profoundly. He wa!
in the conventional afternoon garb o.
gentleman, His frock coat was black
his hair was black; his eyebrows, eye
lashes and eyes were black. His fac'
was white, as colorless as his immac
ulate linen, as expressionless as thu
monocle he wore. One touch of color
red, came from the scarf.
He looked with undisguised admira
ton at the beautiful woman befor,
him. But it was the cold, critical ad
miration of the cynic, emotionless ant
without life. Olga drew back from
him, catching up the shawl and hidin.
her cleaning shoulders. AS she looked
at him his eyes seemed to hold hers
She was fascinated, yet repealed.
81 thought l was Alone" she falter
ed when her voice came to her.
when l came in some time ago NJ
Mailer was out, and ! must hav,
fallen asleep in his comfortable chair
Again apologize"
Fear and suspicion dilated Olga.
eyes, and she drew yet farther from
this suave. polished stranger.
There was no one in that chair
few minutes ago when my husband
was herew she cried.
without a flicker Of expression or /;
trace of emotion in his even, steady
voice, the stranger glanced casually
at the chair from which he had emerg
ed like specter and replied:
II beg your pardon. must be mis-
taken"
He seemed ike one who would les
with infnity.
There was nothing ironical In hi
tone. and he bowed with grave polite
ness. AS he advanced Olga retreate,
toward the door through which KaI
had entered the studio.
Where did you come fromY' sh
cried. .W
"Ah," he exclaimed quickly, 81 com
from nowhere: / go everywhere; al
here" !. .s -,
He tapped his forehead with loni
eloquent fingers significantly.
Those hands were as striking as hl
voice, his face, his manner. They WEI