The Washington times., 1913-03-26
DAILY SERIAL STORY
TTTT TIINCT TTDT By Henry Kchen Webster
7 t. ~ Author Of The
aA
Author OF The Whispering Man.
Copyright. 1912, Frank A. Munsey Co.

|, say Miss Meredith was a great beauty
in her day."
Yes" said Jeffrey. 1T was extraor-
dinarily beautiful
.hohs. That wasn't what you meant
No. it wasn't" JEFFREY admitted.
There was something about 1t that
| was queer. IL don't believe can ex-
plain 1t any better than that. And
that's not explaining It at all
and we all watched him curiously. I'd
felt all the evening. and / found after
he'd gone that the others shared the
feeling, a sense of difference in him.
He seemed well again, but I felt per
fectly sure that the thing he had re-
| covered from cut a good deal deeper
than a mere attack Of nerves. and had
| solder cause than the activities of
| the decorators who were pulling down
/, loose plaster In his studio-building.
Whatever the cause was, he didn't
| mean to tell 1t. He brought back with
a little effort. would have sworn, his
,, old smile and took up the conversation
again.
said. that Miss Meredith herself never
| came to see me, nor let me come tc
see her. 1 wasn't surprised when the
arrangements for the portrait were
made by a man who seemed to be a
| sort Of confidential agent Of hers. as
charming chap. named Crow. When
the arrangements were completed and ]
expressed a wish to talk with Miss
Meredith herself. as some one who had
to paint. and could supply me with
some of those intimate little details,
tricks Of speech, habits of manner. and
30 on. that you have to know before
you can print portrait. Crow seemed
a little embarrassed and said he was
afraid II was impossible.
Miss Meredith was in a rather dis
. . turbed. nervous state and couldn't see
anybody. II I'd ask him the questions
or, better still. write them out. he'd un.
| in tive minds about chucking UP the
whole thing. but 1t seemed Miss Mere.
dfth was very anxious that I paint the
| portrait And then-well. I wanted tc
paint II myself"
The same troubled, thoughtful look
| came back into his face with that last
| sentence
How did you come out with IT." ]
| asked. Il suppose under such a handi.
cap 1t would be impossible to really sat.
| isfy her."
"On the contrary" said jeffrey, "she
was greatly pleased with It She came
to the studio to see II, the day wen,
| away"
Surely you saw her them" said Jack
Jeffrey shook his head. NO" said he
AhSS ihooc a epCSiol arrangement
come and look at II while I was out As
a matter Of fact, / haven't been back
| to the studio myself since she came and
| saw 1t. Crow called me UP at my apart.
ment that evening and congratulated
me on having succeeded 20 we'll with
It."
He fell silent again after that. Said
nothing at ell for a long time At last
with little sigh. and another shake OF
the head, he rose to 60.
Il m quite all right again." he assured
US. You're not to worry about me-" for
he saw. plainly enough, what we were
thinking. 'All I need is work, and I
imagine there's plenty Of that stacked
| up ahead Of me at the studio"
But, after he had got into his over
coat and gloves, he stood a moment
looking at US thoughtfully, hat in hand,
his other hand on the doorknob.
You people were faced once with an
insoluble contradiction" he said slowly,
"A thing that must be true and yet
couldn't be true. Well, that's the sort
Of problem I've been gnawins away at
for the last three months. A perfect
circle. You follow II all the way around
and bring up where you began I'm 60
ing to quit. I'm going back to work
Good night"'
And with nod he was gone.
A Continuation of This Story VIII
BE Found In Tomorrow
Issue OF The Times.