The Washington times., 1913-03-26
DAILY SERIAL
TIIF HH0CT CTDT By Henry Kchen Webster
IL NJ t Whispering
C A Mmea
AutnOr OF Inc Whispering Man.
Copyright. 1912, Frank A. Munsey Co.

say Miss Meredith was a great beauty
in her day.
Yes. Yes" said Jeffrey. '1t was extraor-
That wasn't what you meant
though commented Gwendolyn.
No. it wasn't" jeffrey admitted.
There was something about 1t that
plain it any better than that. And
that's not explaining ii at ALL"
He fell into little thoughtful silence.
and we all watched him curiously. I'd
felt all the evening. and found after
feeling. a sense of difference in him.
He seemed well again, but felt per-
fectly sure that the thing he had re-
covered from cut a good deal deeper
a 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. l 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 to
see her. l wasn't surprised when the
arrangements for the portrait were
made by a man who seemed to be
sort Of confidential agent of hers, as
well as her private physician-a rather
the arrangements were completed and
expressed a wish to talk with Miss
Meredith herself. as some one who had
known the girl whose portrait I was
to paint, and could supply me with
some of those intimate little. details.
tricks of speech, habits Of manner. and
SO on. that you have to know before
you can print portrait. Crow seemed
little embarrassed and said he was
afraid 1t was impossible.
Miss Meredifh WAS rafbar die
turbed, nervous state and couldn't see
anybody. If I'd ask him the questions
or. better still. write them out. he'd un-
dertake to get answers for me. 1 was
whole thing. but 1t seemed Miss Mere
dith was very anxious that I paint the
portrait And then-well. 1 wanted to
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 It 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 1t. the day went
away"
Surely you saw her then." said Jack.
Jeffrey shook his head. No" said he
They made a special ARRANGEMENT to
come and look at 1t while 1 was out As
matter Of fact. I 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 SO we'll with
it,
He fell silent again after that. Said
nothing at all for a long time. At last,
with little sigh. and another shake OF
the head, he rose to go.
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 vet
couldn't be true. Well. that's the sort
Of problem I've been gnawing away at
for the last three months. perfect
circle. You follow IT all the way around
and bring up where you began. I'm go
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.