Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-05

prudence Better, far better, they should part
forever than that the lapse of few months
should prove how irretrievably she had ruined
him
This might be sound commonsense, but it
was not love; yet all this, and more, Joan said
to Felix Poluski and the little man had nodded
his head with grins of approval Meanwhile,
he sang and was busy.
Count julius, posted now in the Poles mot
tied history, had demanded absolute anonym-
ity before he carried the negotiations for the
picture any further. Felix gave the pledge
readily, since Joan could not be in Delgratz
day ere she suspected the truth. At any rate,
Marulitch was satisfied he introduced Felix to
well known dealer in the Rue ST. Honore, and
thenceforth disappeared from the TRANSACTION
loan herself entered into the necessary business
arrangements, about which there was nothing
hidden or contraband. The terms proposed
were liberal, considering her poor status IN the
art world; but they were quite straightforward.
She given return tickets to Delgratz tor
herself and her maid; Felix was similarly pro-
vided for; five hundred dollars was paid in ad-
vance, and written guaranty was handed to
her that similar sum, together with hotel ex-
penses, would be forthcoming in exchange for
copy of the Byzantine Saint Peter.
OF course reviewing matters calmly in the
train she hardly expected that the second
part of the contract would be fulfilled. She
knew quite we'll that the conspirators hoped to
turn her presence in the kosnovian capital to
their own account, and when their scheme was
baked they would devise some means OF wr1g-
Cling out of the bargain; but she laughed at
the notion that she, unknown student,
should have suddenly become a pawn in the
game of empire. There was an element OF
daring, almost of peril, in the adventure which
fascinated her. 1t savored of those outlandlsh
incidents recorded in novels of a sensational
type, wherein fur coated sallow faced, cigarette
smoking scoundrels plotted the destruction of
dynasties and used fair maidens as decoys for
susceptible Kings. Certainly, Felix Poluski,
judged by his past, was no bad prototype OF a
character in that class of fiction; regarded in
his present guise, as he sat opposite her IN the
dining car Of the Orient Express, he looked the
most harmless desperate that ever preyed on a
quivering world.
His face seemed to be smaller and more
height his hump was accentuated till it showed
above the top Of his head, and the girl was con-
scious, though she resolutely closed her eyes to
the fact, that the admiring glances with which
she was favored by some OF her fellow paSSen-
gers were somewhat modified by the humorous
incongruity of Poluskis appearance.
A T first they tacitly avoided any reference
Z = to Alec or Delgratz. Their talk dealt with
art and artists, and Joan had good deal to say
Felix blinked at her sagely. Behold, then,
the beginning of the end!" he cackled.
The end of WHAT" she asked, with some
kindling of suspicion, since her queer little
friends tricks Of conversation were not new
to her.
"Of your career as an artist. Barbizon is
fatal to true emotion. 1t induces fine sense of
the beauty of sunsets, of diffused lights In syl-
van solitudes, of blues that greens and
browns that are reds. In word, the study Of
nature inclines one toward truth, whereas art
is essentially gracious lie. That is why the
Greeks were the greatest artists: because they
were most pleasing liars. They understood the
crassness of humanity"
Joan laughed. and the CHEEKY sound of her
mirth seemed to startle the stad folk in the car.
At neighboring table middle aged couple
were dining, the woman dignified and matronly.
the man small, slight, with curiously bloated
aspect, which, on analysis, seemed to arise from
puffy cheeks and thick, sensual lips. He said
something that caused his companion to turn
and look at Joan; for the woman is yet unborn
who will hear another woman described as
pretty and not want to decide for herself how
far the statement is justified.
So the eyes of the two met. and Joan saw
worn, kindly face, endowed with quiet charm
of expression and delcacy of contour that Of
fered marked contrast to the mans unprepos-
sessing features. Both women were too we'll
bred to stare, and Joan instantly brought her
wits to bear on Poluski's quip; but that fleeing
glimpse had thrilled her with subtle recognition
of something grasped yet elusive, of knowl
edge that trembled on the lip of discovery, like
half remembered word murmuring in the
brain but unable to make itself heard.