Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-01-21
VERA'S VILLAIN
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

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 Neru's bran-a talent for
either illustrating or writing, both
gifts being in state of uudeyolop-
meut
1t was during her quest for vii
famous type for story she was writ
ing that Vera stopped and looked into
the diugy window of small cafe that
seemed coated with the atmosphere of
vilIainy.
Her alert glance leaped about the
room. scanning swiftly the quaint as
sortmrnt of faces. She dropped into
the chair opposite lone, detected
looking man.
He was ugly beyond description.
There was an almost solemn gran
deur about the extreme ill-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.
Vera supposed he was bordering
darkIy on sinister deeds accomplished
and in process of achievement.
Had Vera suspected that she was in
a most famous rendezvous of Green
witch village instead of being in low
dive where thieves hatch out their vii
famous plots she might have watched
her steps a 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 if he knew
anyone about his style who would be
willing to pose for a few sketches.
Veras 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 in which he bru-
talized the kings English made Vera
shudder with delight. AsSuredly she
had found 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 flutter Vera had
taken into the realm of criminals, but
somehow this particular individual
had peculiar fascination.
Her fertile brain was Matching ma
neuvers 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 unpunc-
tuality quite in accordance with his ma
ture, Vera felt great wave of in
spiration.
While he sat in the strong light,
posed so that she might rapidly sketch
in his great leonine head and Shout
ders, he told blood-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 gobbe 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 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 alluring
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 awaited 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
much Of the business Of getting him in
the correct light He seemed obsti-
nately disinclined 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.
"Now, my little dissector of human
nature-what are you going to do
nowY' He was looking intently at her
and her hand dropped. you have
studied me quite long enough, 1t is my
turn now"
Vera was so utterly amazed at the
softness of voice, the beauty Of her
villains English as he continued talk
ing that she made no move to restrain
the hand that was resting on her