The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-27
Eoening Story
Yera,s Villain.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

| Vera Copeland was possessed of con-
siderable courage. Had she been
other than brave she would never have
left her home in the west to come as
she had to New York. There was
latent talent in Vera's brain-a talent
for either illustrating or writing, both
gifts being in a state of undevelopment
At times the urge to write was speed
| ing her onward to fame and again
\ her crayons flourished over the paper
with an undoubted skill in character
drawing.
Accuracy of type was one of the
assets Vera had as an added help to
success. Her study of human beings
was an obsession and led her into
many byways of the city that less
courageous girl would have hesitated
to enter.
1t was during her quest for a
Villainous type for a story she was
writing that Vera stopped and looked
into the dfngy window of a small cafe
! that seemed coated with the atmos-
phere of villainy. Peeping within she
saw human beings hanging over
| rickety tables and the strange assort-
ment sof driftwood therein induced her
to go down the few steps that Landed
her in a smoke-laden basement room
Her alert glance Ieaped about the
room, scanning swiftly the quaint as
sortment, of faces. She dropped into
the chair opposite a lone, detected
looking man.
He was ugly beyond description.
mere was an almost solemn grandeur
about the extreme ill-favor with which
the gods had treated him. His brood
ing eyes lifted slowly, and he gave
Vera one long, searching glance when
sne sat down at the small table beside
HIM Ne9-Ns
Vera supposed he was bordering
daTkly on sinister deeds accomplished
and IN process of achievement.
HAD vera suspected that she was in
| most famous rendezvous of Green
wien village instead of being in a low
owe where thieves hatch out their
INFAMOUS plots she might have
"%Icneo her steps bit more closely.
happily in ignorance of this sacred
meeting place, Vera neither watched
her step nor guarded her tongue. she
was very shortly in conversation with
her ugly type, and had begun the ac-
qualntance by asking him il he knew
any one about his style who would be
willing to pose for a few sketches
Nera's heart lost a beat when the
mans eyes swung across at her and
held her glance for a moment or two
before he answered. When he finally
replied, the manner i'm which he
Drutalized the kings English made
vera shudder with delight. Assurediy
she had found q true type for her
/ In imasination Vera saw her story
taxing place among the tales of Poe
and Maupassant, with this interesting
villain to weave her plots around
The appointment with the Ugly One
was made the following day., He was
to come to Vera's studio, 1t was bv
taken into the realm of criminals, but
somehow this particular individual
had peculiar fascination.
Her fertile brain was Matching
rnaneuvers that would bring out the
mans true haracter-wondering how
he would act under various conditions.
And when he lounged into her
studio the next day with a degree of
unpunctualitg quite in accordance with
his nature, Vera felt a great wave of
inspiration.
While he sat in the strong light,
posed so that she might rapidly sketch
in his great leonine head and shout
ders. he told ood-curdling tales so
wildly that Vera was set to marveling.
; Her mind was set brilliantly alight
now with strangely powerful plots.
: The stories she wrote during the
few weeks following seemed to leap
into the magazine market and find
: editors ready to gobbie them UP. She
: had seven profitable acceptances in
the same number of weeks
Many, many times Vera was thank
full to the kind fate that had steered
: her feet straight into that dreadful
: den of crime where she had found her
villain.
The villain himself remained very
much the same during the weeks he
was under Vera's microscopic study.
The day came when she decided to
: test the emotional side of his nature
as regarded herself.
: She slipped into the most al1uring
batik gown that the proceeds from her
: last story had permitted her to pur-
: chase, added a few strictly feminine
,, touches to her attire and waited
in the ambush of a softly lighted
studio for the arrival of the villain.
He came-and there was that in his
eyes when they rested upon her which
quite made Vera fearful for the safety
of her study of human nature.
When he took his pose that she
{ might resume her sketching, she made
l much of the business of getting him
1 to the correct light. He seemed OBJ
! stinately disincIined to adopt the exa ct
l posture she wanted. She went over
l until she stood close beside him and
deliberately laid one soft. cool hand
Y against his cheek in an effort to tilt
the head to her liking.
Now my little dissector Of human
= nature-what are you going to do
. now?'' He was looking intently at her
4 and her hand dropped. You have
l studied me quite long enough, it is
/ my turn now"
s Vera was so utterly amazed at the
e softness of voice. the beauty of her
ST villains English as he continued talk
ing that she made no move>to restrain
the hand that was resting on her
. shoulder.
That was not a den of thieves and
!. murderers.'' he told her, but one of
: Bohemia's haunts. 1 am not a cut
, throat. but John Verger-"
J, John Eerger-Ohi" It was then
e than Vera hid her face against the
: famous writer's shoulder.
: There have been many big things
;, in my life" the villain continued. "bui
q this is tSr and AVA the biggest
can It possibly be so great to YOU -
5 Vera looked up into the ewes a gain