The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-02-01
yERA,s VILLAIN
~ DOROTHY DOUGLAS.


ten lsSo. ~ Mcclure Newspaper Syndicats)
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 vefa's brain--a talent for
either illustrating or writing, both
gifts being In q state of undevclop.
ment.
1t was during her quest for a vii
lainous type for story she was writ
Ing that Vera stopped and looked into
the dingy window of a small cafe that
seemed coated with the atmosphere Of
villainy.
Her alert glance leaped about the
room. scanning swiftly the quaint as.
sortment OF faces. She. dropped into
the chair opposite lone, detected.
looking man.
lie was ugly beyond. description.
There was an almost solemn gran.
deur about the extreme hl-favor,
with which the gods had treated him.
His brooding eyes lifted slowly, and he
gave Vera one long searching glance!
when she sat down at the small table
beside him. t'af t4, s
Vera supposed he was pondering
darkly on sinister deeds accomplished
and In process of achievement.
Had Vera suspected that she was Id
most famous rendezvous Of Green.
wlch village instead of being in low
dive where thieves hatch out their vii
Iainous plots she might have watched
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-'
quaintance by asking him II he knew
anyone about his style who would be
willing to pose for few sketches.
yera's heart lost beat when the
mans eyes swung across at her and
held her glance for moment or two
before he answered. When he finally
replied, the manner in which lie bru-
talized the kings English made Vera
shudder with delight. Assuredly she
had found a true type for her villain.
In Imagination Vera saw her story
taking 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 for the following day. He
was to come to vera's studio. 1t was
by no means the first futter Vera had
taken into tho realm Of criminals, but
somehow this particular individual
had n peculiar fascination.
Her fertile brain was Matching rn0-
neuvers that would bring out the
mans true chAracter-wondering how
he would act under various conditions
And when he lounged into her studio
the next day with q degree Of unpunc-
tuality quite In accordance with his ma.
ture, Vera felt great wave OF In
spiration.
whils he sat in the strong light.
posed 30 that she might rapidly sketch
In his great leonine head and shoul-
ders, he told blood-curdling tales 80
vividly 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 gobble them up. She had
seven profitable acceptances in the
same, number Of weeks.
Many, many times Vera was thank
ful to the kind fnte that had steered
her feet straight into that dreadful lit
tie 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 tc
test the. emotional side OF his nature
as regarded herself.
She slipped into the most allurlng
batlk gown that the proceeds from her
last story had permitted her to pur-
chase, added a few strictly feminine
touches to her attire and awaited In
the ambush OF a softly lighted studio
for, the arrival OF the villain.
He came and there was Tint I'm his
eyes when they rested upon her which
quite made Nern fearful for the safety
of her study Ot,human nature.
When he took his pose that she
might resume her sketchlng, she made
much Of the business Of getting him In
the correct light. He seemed obsti-
nately dlslnclined TO adopt the exact
posture she wanted. She went over
until she stood close beside him and
deliberately laid one soft. cool hand
against his cheek In an effort to tilt
the head to her liking.
snow, my little dlssector Of human
nature-what are you going to do
nOw?' He was looking intently ut her
and her hand dropped. "You have
studied me quite long enough, 1t is my
turn now" tU
Vera was so utterly amazed at the
softness of voice, the beauty OF he,
villains English as he continued talk
Ing that she made no move to restrain
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