The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-09
AZ DORfyTHY DOUGLAS.


baton while they sang an exercise In
solfeggio.
Mics Vance, you are not singing"
he said without stopping the rhythm.
Nadine Vance looked at him and a
dull red crept Up even to the line OF
her softly waving hair. her eyes were
brooding and somber. She made an
effort to sing. but no sound Issued
from the lips that were trembling.
When the exercise was finished the
little professor still kept his eyes on
the girl.
Why do you not sing" he asked
in his kindly manner,
Madness heavy eyes were again
raised to his and the hunted look Of
deer at bay sent an expression of
gravity into the professor's face.
Il cannot sing today" Nadine said
til hardy, jerky voice. ut doesn't
matter anyway--I-I am giving up
the class this week"
A swiftly hidden emotion swept
across the professors eyes: then he
went on with the rhymthical move-
ment exercise.
But the large class OF girls. who one
and all adored the little professor. felt
strangely antagonistic toward Nadine
Vance. In some way she had turned
harmony into discord. II was with
a certain sense of relief that the noun
ended. and the little professor dis
missed his class with kindly. pster-
nal smile for each girl as she left the
studio.
Nadine Vance would have slipped
out, too. but she found her escape
blocked by his OBTAINING hand.
Miss Vance" the professors voice
and eyes are serious, even grave, Il
want to talk to you. Can you come
hero at about o'clock this after
noon?"
NO" Nadine put in swiftly. The
girls usually sweet. caressing voice
was hard and strained. The profess
sor's searching eyes did not leave her
face. II will do no good to talk"
she continued jerkily. II have deter
mined to give UP this branch of
music"
The professors voice took on a
compelling note.
L want to talk TO you this after
noon at f." he took her hand as he
often did when parting from his pu-
pills You will come
The color came fitfully into Ma
dimes cheeks. then II left her with
suddenly tense wilderness.
Yes. l will come. But you are
compelling me TO do something for
which ] know you will be sorry" She
turned and was gone.
The professor went slowly and
thoushtfully back to the piano
ay..ioT. dmCufrn. l. awless
She is unstrung-sonie iove al
fair" He communed with hims, y
while his fingers strayed at random
over the keys. What strange vaga-
ries the feminine temperament In
dulges In !" The professors fingers
were playing the rhapsody OF his own
mind and he was not quite conscious
that the inner man was seeking to
forget the hours between the present
and the hour Of 4.
Nadine dressed with unusual taste.
She had sufficient of the feminine
weakness struggling with tempera-
ment to realize the value of becoming
clothes. Her costume was ravishing
He win probably not even notice
whether have on heliotrope or
burnt orange" A wistfui little smile
played about her lips. But In truth
she knew that nothing escaped the
professors keen eyes. not even the
gradually increasing turmoil in her
own heart And now he Is going
to drag my secret awoy from mel
know he H." A blush tins'ed over
Madness entire being and she dropped
her lids over the shamed eyes re-
fiected in the mirror.
When she entered the studio at 4
O'Clock she still felt an utter lack IT
control over herself.
Now. Miss Vance" the hint Of nm
eternal smile in his eyes. and which
was a part OF the professor. mingled
oddly with the gravity of his voice.
you and I are going to have a GOOD
talk He seated her on the wide
couch and dropped into his big arm
chair. He looked steadily into her
great brooding eyes for moment
and said tenderly, my nightingale's
eyes are Swallowed. her song Is
silenced and"-the little professor put
in his usual portion Of the lighter
vein-'her features are extraordi-
narily beautiful"
A aeetinx smile spent itself quick.
ly in Madness eyes. Then she looked
at him in mute appeal. but she re-
manned silent.
Come, tell your old teacher all
about II. You are fighting something
out In your own heart. little girl
and 1t doesn't pay. Something is
bound to give way
Az the words give way" left his
lips Nadine felt the click OF key
open the door OF her heart She cast
quick glance at the professor END
slipped over and onto the wide arm
of his chair.
And because the little professor
ives o strong man and OF well-con-
trolled emotions he in no way
showed surprise. but only looked mt
her with his paternal smile in ais
eveS. He could feel the tfbyntfon
from her slender body and wondered
at the pent-up struggle within her.
He was not prepared for the Try hus-
kiness which spoke OF deep feeling
when after q moment she found
voice.
"Call me childish. unstrung-any-
thinx you like" She buried her head
in her arms on the back Of his chair
ana drew q few spasmodic oreaths.
But It 10 obsesston. tyranny DOM
fousht against this think 'ca:ted 1--we.
I Bur II IL SbsSssion. tyrrany--a dom
ineerinR master. And ] am utterly
weary trying to escape II"
Nadine gianced shyiy up. H.r eyes
were no longer broodinE. but lun,in-
GUS and Wonderful Tho little pro-
lessor felt subtle warmth stealing
over him. Cnconscious1y he drew IN
a deeper breath OF her fraCranre. He
wondered. a trifle aprrchensiveiy.
! turt what the faint stirfinx Within
the depths Of his being might .cr-
| tend.
Nndine's voice continued In lew
pitched, emotional cAd0Hcs. She
Grouped her head again on her arms
ana spoke alrnost 10 herssn. Fer
/ han ta ia