Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-10-17

ut was kind Of you to come" Karl
said Il am glad"
"You were not here when ! entered"
the visitor said, "and ! 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. ! remember
quite well when my husband was here.
There was no one In 1t. i am abso-
lutely certain"
Karl was so strangely affected by the
strangers presence that he did not no.
tice Olga's agitation. The other re-
garded her with his expression of Gym
ical amusement, bowed gravely and
:aid:
"Then l vas mistaken, madame"
Wont you sit DOWN." Karl said
"Allow me to present you to-but |
can't remember your name"
at does not matter" the other said,
with an expansive outward gesture of
his restless. eloquent hands. Il am a
p%nilanthropist travelling incognito. You
may call me anything you like; call
me DR.. Millar."
"Dr. Millar," Karl repeated. seeming
for the first time to hare some doubt
as to the character Of his guest.
ooh, you may rest assured my social
position is beyond question: the stran-
ger said, as Il divining his thought.
Karl did not heed the irony of his
speech, but presented him to Olga,
who distantly acknowledged his bow.
AS Karl appeared to succumb to this
strange influence she felt herself grow
ing indignant. Millar seemed pen on
provoking in outburst, and his aston
fishing remarks in another would have
seemed vulgar i~nsolence, but in him
they possessed a singular meaning that
made both Karl and Olga SILVER.
Under different circumstances /
should now take my hat and say good
by" Millar said after the introduc-
ton. But my infinite tact compels
me TO force my presence upon you in
this most unpleasant situation"
The innuendo stung Olga. and she
turned to the artist.
Karl. can hardly believe it." she
exclaimed Indignantly. "Think of it
this man dared to-
How long has your husband been
dead?" Millar interrupted, with exas-
perating GOODNESS.
II am not a widow" Olga said. sur
prised that she should reply.
"Oh, you are divorced?"
81 am not"
"Then if you feel that I have af-
fronted you | should think your hus-
band would be the proper man to ap-
peal to-" he said, with the utmost cool
ness.
He seemed like a trainer prodding
tame animals with sharp prongs out
Of the lethargy of their Gagged lives to
stir them to ~viciousness. Turning to
Karl, he went on:
However. if you wish it I am also
at your disposal. But do you not see,
madame, that it would be an admis-
sion on your part?'
He spoke as one who had read every
StCIcl tliOuSut Ol GaCn. DeWUUtTtu,
Karl cried out:
what does all this talk mean? l
don't understand anything. You come
in here u~nannounced; l don't know
how nor from where. You make us
feel quite uncomfortable, just as if
you had trapped us in some compro.
missing situation"
tsNne raz %Lat e, IL - nt~o 1~;n1 $50
lieved at Karl's outburst.
The stranger looked at him amused
ly.
"You may be as impolite to me as
you wish; ! cannot 60" he said.
"Why?" Olga demanded.
my departure now would mean that
j leave you because l have interrupted
you. On the other hand, by remaining
/ prove that suspect nothing"
There Is nothing to suspect" Karl
declared angrily. II do not want you
here"
"Then that is settled. Let us talk
OF something else," the visitor re-
marked with the most casual inatten-
ton TO Karl's rage 1.-The weather
ISM IL beautifully Art-are
you preparing anything for the spring
exhibition at the Royal academy"
perhaps | may send something"
Karl answered sullenly.
Olga's bewilderment gave place to
panic. In her mind was formed the
purpose of snatching up her waist and
rushing from the room. Before she
could do it the stranger was there,
holding the waist out and bowling pro
foundly.
Permit me, madame" he said.
With a cry OF establishment Olga
snatched at the garment,
'Who are you? Where do You come
from?" she cried.
With his restless. vibrant hands in
the air the stranger said:
81 come from nowhere: l 60 every
where; | am here"
He touched his forehead with his
long white fingers. and his black eyes