diff options
Diffstat (limited to '25947-h/25947-h.htm')
| -rw-r--r-- | 25947-h/25947-h.htm | 5168 |
1 files changed, 5168 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/25947-h/25947-h.htm b/25947-h/25947-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c4faec --- /dev/null +++ b/25947-h/25947-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5168 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Devil, by Ferenc Molnar. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .character {text-align: left; padding-right: 1em;} + .actor {text-align: right; padding-left: 1em;} + .illo {text-align: left; padding-right: 1em; + font-variant: small-caps; padding-left: 2em; + text-indent: -1em;} + .illolink {text-align: right; padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 2em;} + .chapnum {text-align: left; padding-right: 2em;} + .chappage {text-align: right; padding-left: 2em;} + + .caption {text-align: center; margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; font-size: 80%;} + .link {text-align: center; margin-left: 25%; + margin-right: 25%; margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.5em; font-size: 60%;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Devil, by Joseph O'Brien + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Devil + A Tragedy of the Heart and Conscience + +Author: Joseph O'Brien + +Commentator: Beatrice Fairfax + Ella Wheeler Wilcox + +Contributor: Henry W. Savage + Ferenc Molnar + +Release Date: July 2, 2008 [EBook #25947] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEVIL *** + + + + +Produced by Steven desJardins and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 319px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="319" height="500" alt="cover illustration of The Devil" title="" /> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>THE DEVIL</h1> + +<h2>A TRAGEDY OF THE HEART AND CONSCIENCE</h2> + +<p class="center" style="margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%;"><i>Novelized by Joseph O'Brien from<br /> +Henry W. Savage's great play</i></p> + +<h2><span style="font-size: 60%;">BY</span><br /> +FERENC MOLNAR</h2> + +<p class="center"><span style="font-size: 90%;">NEW YORK</span><br /> +GROSSET & DUNLAP<br /> +<span style="font-size: 90%;">PUBLISHERS</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by<br />American-Journal-Examiner.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyright, 1908, by<br />J. S. Ogilvie Publishing Company.</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 335px;"><a name="IMAGE_1" id="IMAGE_1"></a> +<img src="images/img001.jpg" width="335" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">DR. MILLAR: "WHAT AN IDEAL COUPLE YOU TWO WOULD +MAKE."—Page 56.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img001-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="FOREWORD" id="FOREWORD"></a>FOREWORD</h2> + + +<p>There is a great lesson for all women and men in this wonderful story. +It is one that will impress with its power. But I am glad to say that I +do not believe fully in its truth. The Devil here wins his victory, as +he has won many. But each year, as men and women get better, the +victories of Satan are fewer. Good men and good women fight against evil +and do not yield.</p> + +<p>This tragic, heart-breaking story, by the wonderful new writer, tells +one side of the battle between good and evil that goes on in every human +heart. It has its lesson for all men and women.</p> + +<p>It is a powerful warning against playing with fire. Its lesson, taught +in the downfall of the man and woman, is "Keep away from evil, and the +appearance of evil."</p> + +<p style="text-align: right;"><span class="smcap">Beatrice Fairfax.</span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="THE_CHARACTERS" id="THE_CHARACTERS"></a>THE CHARACTERS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary="cast list"> +<tr> +<td class="character">Karl Mahler</td> +<td class="actor">An Artist</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">Heinrich</td> +<td class="actor">His Valet</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">Mimi</td> +<td class="actor">His Model</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">Herman Hofmann</td> +<td class="actor">A Banker</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">Olga Hofmann</td> +<td class="actor">The Banker's Wife</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">The Devil</td> +<td class="actor">Calling Himself Dr. Millar</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="character">Elsa Berg</td> +<td class="actor">An Heiress</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The scenes are laid in Vienna, Austria, in Karl +Mahler's studio, and in the conservatory +reception-room at the Hofmanns', and all the events +transpire within the space of one day.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + +<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary="list of illustrations"> +<tr> +<td class="illo"> </td> +<td class="illolink"><span style="font-size: 90%;">PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">Dr. Millar: "What an Ideal Couple You Two Would Make"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_1"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">Mimi: "You Do Not Love Me; You Have Ceased to Care for Me"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_2">16</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"Call Me Dr. Millar. My Social Position is Beyond Question"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_3">40</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"The Art Dealer," He Said Sarcastically</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_4">70</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"They Seem to be Growing Fond of Each Other," Olga said Jealously</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_5">108</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"Let Only Your Bare Neck Show Above Your Cloak, and the Tips of Your Shoes Beneath It"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_6">115</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"I Have Begun This, Let Me Finish It. Let Me Dictate This Letter"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_7">136</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="illo">"I Wanted To Feel That You Loved Me As I Hoped You Did"</td> +<td class="illolink"><a href="#IMAGE_8">173</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p><span class="smcap">Note</span>:—The illustrations used in this book are reproduced from scenes in +Henry W. Savage's production of "The Devil," the only version approved +by the author.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2>TABLE OF CONTENTS</h2> + +<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">FOREWORD</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#FOREWORD">3</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER I</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">9</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER II</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">19</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER III</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">34</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER IV</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">45</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER V</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">56</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER VI</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">72</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER VII</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">83</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER VIII</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">88</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER IX</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">104</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER X</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">134</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER XI</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">156</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER XII</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">162</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER XIII</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">168</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">CHAPTER XIV</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">175</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="chapnum">THE MORAL OF "THE DEVIL"</td> +<td class="chappage"><a href="#THE_MORAL_OF_THE_DEVIL">185</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<h1><a name="THE_DEVIL" id="THE_DEVIL"></a>THE DEVIL</h1> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + + +<p>Herman Hofmann, the wealthy banker, and his beautiful young wife, Olga, +had as their guest at dinner Karl Mahler, an artist. Some years earlier, +before Hofmann married, Mahler, befriended by his family, had been sent +away to Paris to study art. Olga, at that time a dependent ward in the +Hofmann family, and the poor young art student loved each other with the +sweet, pure affection of boy and girl.</p> + +<p>In the absence of Karl, Olga yielded to the pressing suit of Herman and +the importunities of her own relatives, all poor, and became his wife. +Karl returned to find the sweetheart whom he had kissed for the first +time when he told her good-by, married<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> to another. He was not greatly +shocked at the discovery, the life of an art student in Paris having +somewhat dimmed the memory of his boyhood's love, and neither he nor +Olga alluded to their early romance.</p> + +<p>For six years the two had been friends, although they never saw each +other alone. Karl was a frequent visitor at their house and Herman was +his devoted and loyal friend. Olga honestly believed that she loved her +husband and had long ago forgotten her love for Karl. Lately she had +interested herself in his future to the extent of proposing for him a +bride, Elsa Berg, a beautiful and youthful heiress, and she had arranged +a grand ball, to be given so that the two young people might be brought +together.</p> + +<p>In all the six years of her married life Olga had never visited Karl's +studio. Karl had never even offered to paint her portrait. Although +neither would confess it, some secret prompting made them fear to break +down the barriers of convention, and they remained to each other +chaperoned and safe. On this evening, however, when Karl<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> was with them, +the subject of a portrait of Olga came up for the first time, and Herman +declared that it must be painted.</p> + +<p>"She is more beautiful than any of your models or your patrons," he said +to Karl.</p> + +<p>Olga was strangely disturbed, she could not tell why. She blushed and +looked at Karl, whom the proposition seemed to excite to strange +eagerness. She did not trust herself to speak, but listened to the +artist and her husband.</p> + +<p>Neither Olga nor Karl could have defined the strange, conflicting +emotions with which they separately received Herman's proposition. +Unwillingly Olga's mind traveled swiftly back to the old days and her +girlhood, and she recalled the day of Karl's departure, the day he took +her in his arms and kissed her lips and said:</p> + +<p>"I love you, Olga; I will not forget."</p> + +<p>The memory thrilled her and the color flamed into her cheeks. Karl +looked at her, so enraptured and absorbed that he could scarcely give +attention to Herman, who rattled on about the portrait. It was finally +settled that the first sitting should be the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> following day at Karl's +studio, where Olga would be left with him alone.</p> + +<p>It was there that Olga was then to encounter the materialization of the +impulses she had been, only half unconsciously, struggling against for +six years; the spirit of evil purpose against which good contends; the +incarnation of the arch fiend in the attractive shape of a suave, +polished, plausible, eloquent man of the world, whose cynicism bridged +the years of married life; whose subtle suggestions colored afresh the +faded dreams which she believed faintly remembered, and believed would +come no more.</p> + +<p>Karl left them with the promise of a sitting on the morrow.</p> + +<p>Karl's fitful slumber was disturbed that night by vague half dreams +which oppressed him when he arose. He was filled with misgiving, doubt, +uncertainty. His thoughts, half formed, disturbing, were of Olga.</p> + +<p>He tried to think of marriage with Elsa, but it was without enthusiasm. +Warm, beautiful, affectionate, she made no impression on his heart, +which seemed like ice.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>He looked around the studio with aversion.</p> + +<p>The pictures on the walls seemed no longer to represent the aspiration +of the artist; they were mementos of the models who had posed and +flirted and talked scandal within his walls.</p> + +<p>He paced the floor restlessly, nervously, twisting his unlighted +cigarette in his fingers until it crumbled, his mouth tight, his +eyebrows drawn together. Then he seized his hat and overcoat and flung +himself out of the door into the gathering winter storm.</p> + +<p>For an hour he plunged through the snow, the chaos of the storm matching +his mood. Almost exhausted, he turned back toward his home and entered. +The room glowed warmly. In front of the inviting fire was the big +arm-chair with its wide seat, comfortable cushions and high pulpit back. +As he laid aside his greatcoat he stepped toward the chair, intending to +bury himself in its depths and surrender to his mood. A shudder ran over +him and he drew back, staring at the seat.</p> + +<p>It was empty, his eyes assured him, but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> he could not rid himself of a +feeling that it was occupied. He pressed his hands to his eyes and then +flung them outward with the gesture of one distraught.</p> + +<p>"I am going mad!" he thought.</p> + +<p>He called loudly, harshly:</p> + +<p>"Heinrich! Heinrich!"</p> + +<p>His old servant, alarmed at the unwonted violence of his master's voice, +hastened into the room. Karl flung aside his coat and Heinrich held for +him his velvet dressing jacket. He slipped into it, shook himself, and +lighted a cigarette. His hands shook with nervousness, and he held them +out from him that he might look at them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a terrible sight!" he groaned.</p> + +<p>"Monsieur?" Heinrich said inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"Has any one been here?" Karl asked.</p> + +<p>"No, Monsieur, only Ma'm'selle Mimi. She is waiting in the studio to +pose."</p> + +<p>With an impatient gesture Karl walked across the room, picked up a +newspaper, flung himself on a couch and held the sheet before his eyes. +He did not even see the print, but he persisted, trying to banish his +restless thoughts.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>Heinrich, solicitously brushing and folding Karl's coat, waited. The +artist looked at him impatiently:</p> + +<p>"Tell Ma'm'selle Mimi I shall not need her to-day. She may go."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Monsieur," Heinrich said.</p> + +<p>The servant stepped to the door of the studio and threw it open. He +called out:</p> + +<p>"Ma'm'selle, Monsieur Karl says he will not need you to-day; you may go +home."</p> + +<p>Heinrich withdrew. Karl lay at full length on the couch, holding the +paper before him.</p> + +<p>A young woman, daintily featured, with rounded figure whose lines showed +through her close-fitting costume, burst into the room.</p> + +<p>Although conscious of her presence and irritated, Karl did not look. He +pretended to be absorbed in his newspaper. Mimi looked at him and +waited, but as he did not speak, she ventured timidly:</p> + +<p>"Aren't you going to paint me to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Er—no, not to-day."</p> + +<p>"Do you not love me any more, Karl?"</p> + +<p>The newspaper rattled with the artist's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> impatience and irritation, but +he did not answer. Mimi approached him.</p> + +<p>"You do not love me; you have ceased to care for me. Ah, Karl, when you +loved me you painted me every day. Now you paint nothing but +landscapes."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 292px;"><a name="IMAGE_2" id="IMAGE_2"></a> +<img src="images/img002.jpg" width="292" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">MIMI: "YOU DO NOT LOVE ME; YOU HAVE CEASED TO CARE FOR +ME."—Page 16.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img002-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p>Karl forced a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" he said. "You talk like a silly child, Mimi."</p> + +<p>"You say that now, but you did not say such things when you loved me, +Karl. It is always the way with us poor models. At first it is, 'Ah, +what shoulders, what beautiful coloring, what perfect ankles!' Then you +paint us every day.</p> + +<p>"And then it is, 'What in the world have you done with your figure? It +is all angles!' or, 'What on earth have you put on your face? It is as +yellow as old parchment.' And then you paint landscapes."</p> + +<p>Mimi burst into tears, and vigorously dabbed her eyes with her +handkerchief. She was an extremely pretty girl of the bourgeois type, +with heavy coils of straw-colored hair piled high on her head, and big +blue eyes that were quick to weep.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>Karl arose, threw aside his paper and essayed to comfort her.</p> + +<p>"There, there," he said, patting her shoulder, "don't cry, Mimi; you are +full of folly to-day."</p> + +<p>As quick to smile as she had been to cry, Mimi unveiled her eyes and +looked at him eagerly, her lips parting over her white teeth.</p> + +<p>"Then you do love me, Karl? Ah, tell me that you love me."</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"And you will paint me again? If not to-day, perhaps to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps, but I am very busy."</p> + +<p>He turned from her and sat on the couch again. Mimi's mood suddenly +turned to anger, and she cried out at him furiously:</p> + +<p>"I know that you do not love me, and I know why. You are going to be +married.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," as Karl made an impatient gesture; "I know it is true."</p> + +<p>"You are very silly, Mimi," he said.</p> + +<p>"Ah, no; I am not. It is true what I have said. I have heard all about +it, but I did not believe it, because I was a fool. You are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> going to +marry Ma'm'selle Elsa Berg, who is said to be very beautiful and who +will be a great heiress; and then you will forget me, as you would be +glad to do now."</p> + +<p>"Where in the devil have you heard all of this?" Karl demanded, +springing angrily to his feet.</p> + +<p>"It does not matter; you cannot deny that it is true."</p> + +<p>Then her mood changed swiftly to contrition, and she went close to Karl.</p> + +<p>"But forgive me; I know it must be. I have always known, and I must have +annoyed you. We models are always annoying—in our street clothes. +Forgive me, Karl."</p> + +<p>She looked appealingly at Karl, and he was moved.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Mimi; run along home, now, and I promise to paint you +again, perhaps to-morrow, perhaps the next day."</p> + +<p>She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Then she fled from +the room. Karl flung himself down on the couch again and hid his face +with his arms.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + + +<p>Olga's dream journey had been through the flowering orchard of girlhood, +hand in hand with Karl, and she awoke with a sense of regret that the +realities of everyday life should take the place of such joyous visions. +She felt strangely elated during the day, and eagerly waited for the +hour when Herman was to call for her and take her to Karl's studio.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what it will be like there?" she asked herself a dozen times. +"I think I have always been jealous of that studio and its +possibilities, and I have always wanted to go there—but I did not +dare."</p> + +<p>Then she chided herself for the thought she had not uttered.</p> + +<p>"Why, I am a goose! What am I confessing here to myself? That I am in +love with Karl? What silly nonsense. Come, Olga, you are getting +romantic."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>Herman came after luncheon and they drove together to the studio +building. Old Heinrich admitted them, his eyes growing big and round at +the imposing splendor of Herman's greatcoat and the bewildering beauty +of the grand lady.</p> + +<p>Karl, in his artist's velvet jacket, hurried forward to greet them.</p> + +<p>"Welcome to my workshop," he cried.</p> + +<p>"How do you do?" Olga said, barely giving him her hand, and turning at +once to let her eyes rove curiously around the walls of the room.</p> + +<p>"How do you do, Karl?" Herman said. "You see, we are prompt. And now I +am curious to see your place."</p> + +<p>Karl watched Olga as she surveyed the room. He felt piqued at her +seeming lack of interest in him.</p> + +<p>"So this is your wonderful studio," she said absently.</p> + +<p>"It is much like a junkshop," Karl said deprecatingly.</p> + +<p>"It is very interesting," Olga said. "Whose picture is that?" she asked, +point<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span>ing to a painting of a half nude figure on the wall.</p> + +<p>"That? Oh, that is a model who has posed for me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I recognize it. We met the girl on the stairs, Herman."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; that is she."</p> + +<p>Herman busied himself looking at the pictures, chuckling over those that +caught his unpoetic fancy, and nudging Karl in the ribs at some of them.</p> + +<p>"I must come again and inspect them more at my leisure," he said. "This +afternoon I have to go away."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry you are not to remain," Karl said politely.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I suppose we might put off the sitting in view of the fact that the +picture might have been painted any time these last six years," Herman +said. "But Olga has been nervous about the ball we are going to have +to-night, and I thought it best to bring her to-day to distract her. You +know this is really a house-warming to-night."</p> + +<p>"And we were obliged to invite so many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> people," Olga said, still +looking at the pictures.</p> + +<p>"I hate these social affairs," Herman rattled on, "but I suppose in our +position they are inevitable. What time shall I return for Olga?"</p> + +<p>"It grows dark quickly," Karl said, looking at his watch. "In another +hour we shall not be able to see. Suppose you return about 4 o'clock."</p> + +<p>"Very well; and now I must be going. You are coming to the ball +to-night, Karl? You know you really are the guest of honor; isn't he, +Olga?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed. Karl is to fall in love with his future wife to-night."</p> + +<p>Karl looked at her, but she spoke with perfect self-possession, and +lightly.</p> + +<p>"I shall do my best," he said, and he tried to speak with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"Ah, you are not half grateful enough for this treasure, Karl; you +should be happy," Olga said.</p> + +<p>"Of course he should, and he will," Herman interposed, moving toward the +door.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> "We will all be happy—you and Elsa and Karl and I—everybody, I +hope."</p> + +<p>Olga went nearer to Karl and spoke seriously.</p> + +<p>"She is a very charming girl, Karl."</p> + +<p>"If you say one word more about that girl I shall fall in love with her +immediately, which would be ahead of my matrimonial scheme," Karl +replied jestingly. "You know I am not obliged to fall in love until +to-night."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, I must be off," Herman said, as he went up to kiss Olga. +"Good-by, dear; I shall call for you at 4 o'clock."</p> + +<p>Almost against his will, Karl asked a question which he had never before +in all his life thought of.</p> + +<p>"Aren't you afraid to leave your wife alone?"</p> + +<p>"Alone?"</p> + +<p>"With me, I mean?"</p> + +<p>Herman looked at him, and then spoke jestingly, but with an effort. "I +am hurrying away because I am afraid I shall change my mind and take +Olga with me," he said.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span>"You are not jealous?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"If you don't want the truth—no, I am not," Herman replied, and in his +tone there was the peculiar meaning which his words did not convey. "If +I were not afraid of becoming ridiculous, I should say warningly, +'Children, be sure to be good.'"</p> + +<p>He paused and looked at both of them. Then he said:</p> + +<p>"Good-by."</p> + +<p>As he turned, Karl followed and escorted him through the door. Olga +stood frowning, worried, ill at ease. Karl looked at her in surprise +when he returned.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Olga started nervously and looked at him. She pressed her hands before +her eyes and for a moment did not speak. She looked away as Karl +approached her and said tenderly:</p> + +<p>"Are you afraid? Please tell me."</p> + +<p>"I don't know what is the matter with me, but just now, when my husband +went away, I felt as if I had been left without a protector."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>She broke off abruptly, and Karl urged her to explain.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean? I don't understand," he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you do, Karl," Olga said, as she turned and faced him. "You know. +I have fought against coming here for six years; ever since my +marriage."</p> + +<p>She looked away from him, around the studio, with its bizarre +decorations, and shuddered.</p> + +<p>"Ugh! this place looks like a devil's kitchen," she cried. "These +strange things, terrible monsters, cold, white statues, heads without +bodies, and you in their midst like a conjurer. I did not notice them +while Herman was here, but now——"</p> + +<p>Karl turned swiftly toward her.</p> + +<p>"But now?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Olga looked at him with an expression of terror in her eyes. The two +stood thus at bay.</p> + +<p>Left to themselves in the big studio, facing each other, Karl and Olga +were silent. There was a look in Karl's eyes that Olga had never seen +before; there was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> tumult in her heart that she had never before felt. +It was Karl who first recovered himself and broke the silence, trying to +speak lightly:</p> + +<p>"Don't be nervous," he said, reassuringly. "This is the reception-room +of my studio. Every woman I paint comes here."</p> + +<p>"And do you paint every woman who comes here?" Olga asked slowly.</p> + +<p>"No," Karl replied shortly.</p> + +<p>There was another awkward pause. Olga could not tell why she had asked +that question any more than Karl could have told why he had asked Herman +if he was not afraid to leave them alone. It was some unsuspected +jealousy that prompted it.</p> + +<p>"Did you understand my husband?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I think I did."</p> + +<p>"He said, 'I trust you.' Why should he say that? Why should it not be a +matter of course?"</p> + +<p>"You don't think he is really jealous?"</p> + +<p>Olga shook her head.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," she said. "During the six years we have been together +and you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> have been our friend, he has often pretended to be jealous. +This time there was something in his voice that made me believe it was +more than pretense. It is the first time he has ever left us alone."</p> + +<p>They were standing, Karl near the door, where he had bidden Herman +farewell, and Olga across the apartment. In an alcove in one corner an +open fire burned brightly, casting a red glow over the big, comfortable +arm-chair drawn up before it, with its high, pulpit-shaped back toward +them. Karl walked over to Olga and said with quiet earnestness:</p> + +<p>"We have tried to avoid it, Olga; tried for six years. Now that the +situation is forced upon us, why not be honest? Let us talk about it +frankly."</p> + +<p>"I think it was sweet not to discuss it for six long years," Olga said, +smiling at him. "A clean conscience is like a warm cloak, Karl; it +enfolds us and makes us feel so comfortable."</p> + +<p>She tried to make her mood seem light, but Karl would not fall in with +it.</p> + +<p>"Last night, when it was suggested that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> I should paint your portrait, +you gave me a look I had never seen before," he persisted. "I wonder +why?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Olga answered, her fear returning. "Don't let us talk +about it; I don't want to."</p> + +<p>"You must not be afraid of me, Olga; if I were not I you might be +frightened. I am fond of you, yes; but respectfully. I do not see what +harm can be done by talking everything over quietly. It seems so long +ago—seven years—since they told me that Herman was to be your husband. +It was on the anniversary of the day——"</p> + +<p>"Oh, Karl!" she protested, holding out her hands to silence him.</p> + +<p>"The day we kissed each other," he went on, speaking so quietly that it +seemed almost a whisper. "We were almost children then. I was a poor +little chap, who gave drawing lessons to Herman and his sisters. You +were a little waif, fed cake and tea at the millionaire's table. There +we met, a beggar boy and a beggar girl, thrown together in a palace. We +looked at each other, and I think we understood."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>Olga covered her burning face with her hands, and Karl went on:</p> + +<p>"We kissed each other, quite innocently; just one kiss, the memory of +which has almost faded."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Karl, faded," Olga cried eagerly. "We have grown up sensibly and +we never mentioned it."</p> + +<p>Karl seemed not to hear her interruption. He went on:</p> + +<p>"You became Herman's wife and went to live in a palace. I found you +there when I came back from Paris, still fond of you, but determined +never to tell you so, and when I met you again I, too, was somewhat +changed. Still, when our eyes met, Olga, it was with the same look of +the two poor, longing little beggars of the years ago. But we did not +kiss again."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" Olga breathed.</p> + +<p>"Your husband and I are the best of friends," Karl said. "Though we have +met hundreds of times, you and I, we have not mentioned it."</p> + +<p>Olga turned to him gratefully and held out her hand to clasp his.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span>"You are a good, true friend, Karl."</p> + +<p>"Are you satisfied now?" Karl asked her, smiling. "You are not afraid of +me, are you?"</p> + +<p>"No; but there was something in my husband's voice that frightened me," +Olga answered. "He knows what we were to each other, and when he was +leaving us here alone I think it made him feel uncomfortable. We aren't +in love any more, are we, Karl?"</p> + +<p>"No, of course not."</p> + +<p>"And it is sweet to think that we have not entirely forgotten old times, +isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he answered absently.</p> + +<p>"And, of course, if we loved each other still you would not marry, would +you, Karl?"</p> + +<p>"Of course not," he said shortly.</p> + +<p>"Now you will get married and you will be very, very happy. And I, too, +shall be happy, because I want you to marry, and I myself have chosen a +sweet, clever girl for you."</p> + +<p>"Exactly," Karl acquiesced dryly.</p> + +<p>"And now let us think no more of it,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> Olga cried, her mood changing to +one of gayety.</p> + +<p>She ran over to the door, turned and faced Karl, knocking loudly on the +panel.</p> + +<p>"Now for work; we have done nothing," she said. "Monsieur, I have come +to have my portrait painted."</p> + +<p>"Come in, madame," Karl said, bowing gravely and entering into her play. +"Good-morning."</p> + +<p>"I have come to have my portrait painted," Olga said again.</p> + +<p>Karl forgot the playing and exclaimed seriously:</p> + +<p>"Ah, last night I made a memory sketch of you after I got home. I have +made many, very many, but now I see you differently."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Olga asked, startled again by his vehemence.</p> + +<p>"Yesterday I saw the lines of your figure; to-day I see your soul," he +said. "Yesterday you were a model; to-day you are an inspiration."</p> + +<p>"Please, Karl; please, don't; we agreed to end everything," she +pleaded.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>"It is hard to end everything so suddenly."</p> + +<p>"Karl, my good friend, I did wrong in coming here," Olga said. "Now that +I did come, let us work. Take your colors and brush. We must get through +with it as soon as possible."</p> + +<p>"You are right, Olga; as soon as possible."</p> + +<p>"What shall I do first?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Take off your hat and coat, please."</p> + +<p>Karl stepped toward her with outstretched hands as if to help her. She +drew back, with a little gesture of apprehension.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't touch me," she said.</p> + +<p>As she brushed past him Karl caught a whiff of fragrance from her hair +that was intoxicating.</p> + +<p>"Do you use perfume on your hair?" he asked, quite innocently.</p> + +<p>"Certainly not," she laughed.</p> + +<p>"Oh, then, it is the natural perfume of your hair. Pardon me; I stood +too close to you."</p> + +<p>Olga removed her hat and cloak. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> looked up and saw that Karl was +regarding her intently.</p> + +<p>"You seem to be studying my features," she said.</p> + +<p>"I know them by heart, each one," he answered. "I am thinking of a pose. +You know your husband wished a half length in evening gown."</p> + +<p>"Yes; I should have preferred a full length in street costume."</p> + +<p>"I agree with Herman. You must be quick; it is getting dark."</p> + +<p>"What shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Your waist; you must take it off; you will find some shawls there from +which to select one for your shoulders. I will go into the studio."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Karl."</p> + +<p>"Don't mind; I shall close the door. Oh, it is snowing terribly," he +added as he moved toward the big studio.</p> + +<p>"Snowing! Oh, Karl, can't we postpone this? I don't feel well to-day; +to-morrow I could come and bring my maid."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not; your husband would surely want to know why we did no +work to-day. Now I will leave you."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + + +<p>He left the room, closing the studio doors behind him. Olga looked +apprehensively about her. Some mysterious presence seemed to oppress +her. She fumbled with nerveless fingers at the buttons of her waist.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what folly!" she cried to herself. "What is the matter with me?"</p> + +<p>Resolutely she set to work and drew from her beautiful shoulders and +gleaming, rounded arms the silken waist that covered them. She turned to +get the shawl, and the waist fell to the floor, as she recoiled with a +shriek of terror from an apparition that arose slowly from the depths of +the big arm-chair.</p> + +<p>Where there had been no human being an instant before Olga saw a tall, +strange-looking man. He was in conventional afternoon attire, save that +his waistcoat was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> red, in sharp contrast to the somber black of his +frock coat. His hair was black. His upward pointing eyebrows were black, +and his eyes shone like dull-burning lumps of coal. His face was like a +mask, matching his immaculate linen in whiteness. It was cynical in its +expression and almost sinister as he bowed low, with his hands folded +over his breast, and said in a low, musical voice:</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, madam, I think you dropped something."</p> + +<p>He stooped and picked up the silken waist which had fallen from Olga's +hands. As he held it out to her she drew back in horror.</p> + +<p>Olga shrank from this strange being, sensible of his serpent-like +fascination, even while he repelled her. It flashed across her +consciousness that he was something more than human, something +worse—the embodiment of malevolent purpose—a man devoid of good—the +Devil himself.</p> + +<p>He came from behind the chair, and as he moved toward her his every +action heightened the impression she had received. In a situation where +any man might have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> been confused he was perfectly self-possessed. His +attitude was neither offensive nor ingratiating. He became at once a +part of her surroundings, of her thoughts, yes, of her soul. It was this +influence that she felt herself combating with growing weakness.</p> + +<p>"I hope you will forgive me," his smooth, suave voice went on, breaking +the stillness almost melodiously, and he bowed again. "I permitted +myself to fall asleep."</p> + +<p>Still Olga could not find tongue, and she drew yet farther away. The +man, or the devil, watched her as she groped for the shawl, found it and +quickly wound its filmy length around her beautiful shoulders and arms. +An expression of cynical amusement crossed his face.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, but I awoke just as you were about to unbutton your blouse," +he said. "Propriety should have made me close my eyes, but——"</p> + +<p>"Oh!" Olga cried, shocked into speech.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know, madam," he said, with a bow, "you think I am suspicious, +and you only came here——"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>"To have my portrait painted," Olga said quickly.</p> + +<p>"Precisely," he acquiesced, with the same cynical expression. "Only +yesterday I met a lady at the dentist's, and I observed that she +permitted him to extract a perfectly good and very pretty tooth."</p> + +<p>"But I——" Olga began, accepting the defensive position into which he +placed her, when he interrupted her:</p> + +<p>"Yes, you, I know, speak the truth. I am even at liberty to believe you, +but I cannot."</p> + +<p>For an instant Olga recovered her self-possession, and her indignation +sprang into a flame that she should be addressed in this manner by a man +whom she had never seen before—an intruder.</p> + +<p>"I don't know why I permit a stranger to talk to me in this fashion," +she exclaimed. "It amazes me."</p> + +<p>The man stepped toward her. Terrified, she turned and fled toward the +door of the studio.</p> + +<p>"Karl! Karl!" she called.</p> + +<p>The stranger smiled as the doors were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> flung open and Karl burst into +the room. The young artist paused, astonished at the presence of the +stranger. He was more amazed when the man cried out in the voice of +genial comradeship:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Karl; how do you do?"</p> + +<p>"Why, how do you do?" Karl faltered, looking blankly from Olga to the +mysterious visitor. "I don't——"</p> + +<p>"You don't remember me," the other said. "Don't you recall me at Monte +Carlo?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, at Monte Carlo," Karl said with dawning recollection.</p> + +<p>"It was an eventful day," the stranger said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, of course, I remember; it was last fall, when I had lost all +my money playing roulette. Some one stood behind me, and it was you. I +was afraid when I turned and saw you, because I fancied I had seen you a +moment before, beside the croupier, grinning at me as my gold pieces +were swept away. But when I had lost everything you offered me a handful +of gold."</p> + +<p>"Which you refused, but I saw the longing to accept in your eyes."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span>"I did not know you."</p> + +<p>"But I offered it again and you accepted."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and in ten minutes I had recouped my losses and won $20,000 +besides," Karl cried with growing enthusiasm. "I remember indeed. Your +money seemed to possess mystic luck. When you put it in my hands it +glowed, and I thought it was hot. It seemed to burn me."</p> + +<p>"You were excited, my boy," said the other genially. "But you repaid me +and invited me to dine. I could not accept, because I was forced to +leave for Spain that same evening. I promised, however, to call on you +when you needed me—and here I am."</p> + +<p>He bowed to Karl and Olga, who stood in speechless astonishment at this +strange dialogue. She could understand nothing of this uncanny stranger; +this specter in black and white, who seemed to emit a lurid radiance as +if his red waistcoat were alive.</p> + +<p>"It was kind of you to come," Karl said. "I am glad."</p> + +<p>"You were not here when I entered," the visitor said, "and I took a seat +in that com<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>fortable arm-chair. The warmth of the fire affected me, and +I permitted myself to fall asleep."</p> + +<p>He indicated, with a sweeping gesture, the big pulpit-backed arm-chair. +Olga started and cried out:</p> + +<p>"That chair was empty; I remember quite well, when my husband was here. +There was no one in it, I am absolutely certain."</p> + +<p>Karl was so strangely affected by the stranger's presence that he did +not notice Olga's agitation. The other regarded her with his expression +of cynical amusement, bowed gravely and said:</p> + +<p>"Then I was mistaken, madam."</p> + +<p>"Won't you sit down?" Karl said. "Allow me to present you to—but I +can't remember your name."</p> + +<p>"It does not matter," the other said with an expansive outward gesture +of his restless, eloquent hands. "I am a philanthropist, traveling +incognito. You may call me anything you like; call me Dr. Millar."</p> + +<p>"Dr. Millar," Karl repeated, seeming for the first time to have some +doubt as to the character of his guest.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span>"Oh, you may rest assured my social position is beyond question," the +stranger said, as if divining his thought.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="IMAGE_3" id="IMAGE_3"></a> +<img src="images/img003.jpg" width="500" height="311" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"CALL ME DR. MILLAR. MY SOCIAL POSITION IS BEYOND +QUESTION."—Page 40.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img003-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p>Karl did not heed the irony of his speech, but presented him to Olga, +who distantly acknowledged his bow. As Karl appeared to succumb to this +strange influence, she felt herself growing indignant. Millar seemed +bent on provoking an outburst, and his astonishing remarks in another +would have seemed vulgar insolence, but in him they possessed a singular +meaning that made both Karl and Olga shiver.</p> + +<p>"Under different circumstances I should now take my hat and say +good-by," Millar said, after the introduction. "But my infinite tact +compels me to force my presence upon you in this most unpleasant +situation."</p> + +<p>The innuendo stung Olga, and she turned to the artist.</p> + +<p>"Karl, I can hardly believe it," she exclaimed, indignantly. "Think of +it—this man dared to——"</p> + +<p>"How long has your husband been dead?" Millar interrupted with +exasperating coolness.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>"I am not a widow," Olga said, surprised that she should reply.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you are divorced?"</p> + +<p>"I am not."</p> + +<p>"Then if you feel that I have offended you I should think your husband +would be the proper man to appeal to," he said with the utmost coolness.</p> + +<p>He seemed like a trainer, prodding tame animals with sharp prongs out of +the lethargy of their caged lives to stir them to viciousness. Turning +to Karl he went on:</p> + +<p>"However, if you wish it, I am also at your disposal. But do you not +see, madam, that it would be an admission on your part?"</p> + +<p>He spoke as one who had dared read every secret thought of each. +Bewildered, Karl cried out:</p> + +<p>"What does all this talk mean? I don't understand anything. You come in +here unannounced; I don't know how nor from where. You make us feel +quite uncomfortable, just as if you had trapped us in some compromising +situation."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, that is it," Olga cried, relieved at Karl's outburst.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>The stranger looked at them amusedly.</p> + +<p>"You may be as impolite to me as you wish; I cannot go," he said.</p> + +<p>"Why?" Olga demanded.</p> + +<p>"My departure now would mean that I leave you because I have interrupted +you. On the other hand, by remaining I prove that I suspect nothing."</p> + +<p>"There is nothing to suspect," Karl declared angrily. "I do not want you +here."</p> + +<p>"Then that is settled; let us talk of something else," the visitor +remarked with the most casual inattention to Karl's rage. "The weather; +isn't it snowing beautifully? Art; are you preparing anything for the +spring exhibition at the Royal Academy?"</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I may send something," Karl answered sullenly.</p> + +<p>Olga's bewilderment gave place to panic. In her mind was formed the +purpose of snatching up her waist and rushing from the room. Before she +could do it the stranger was there, holding the waist out and bowing +profoundly.</p> + +<p>"Permit me, madam," he said.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>With a cry of astonishment Olga snatched at the garment.</p> + +<p>"Who are you? Where do you come from?" she cried.</p> + +<p>With his restless, vibrant hands in the air, the stranger said:</p> + +<p>"I come from nowhere, I go everywhere; I am here."</p> + +<p>He touched his forehead with his long, white fingers, and his black eyes +were fixed upon her. Clutching the silken garment she had worn, Olga +rushed into the studio. Millar, man or devil, looked after her and +chuckled.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + + +<p>Karl threw himself moodily into a chair as Olga fled into the outer +studio, and sat there, not looking at his unwelcome visitor. Dr. Millar +seemed to find his dejection amusing. He allowed the silence to remain +undisturbed, while he puffed a cigarette. Then he said, half to himself, +half to Karl:</p> + +<p>"Full of temperament, that woman, and pretty, too; extremely pretty."</p> + +<p>"Yes, she is pretty," Karl acquiesced, without looking at him.</p> + +<p>"It's a pity she doesn't love her husband," was the next cynical remark +that fell on Karl's ears.</p> + +<p>He wheeled in his seat and looked at the visitor, who went on with +perfect coolness:</p> + +<p>"How do I know? It was apparent when she fancied I had insulted her and +turned to you for protection."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>Karl angrily slammed down an ash tray he had picked up in his nervous +fingers and began to pace the floor. Millar went on in a light tone:</p> + +<p>"She does not love her husband. He must be a genius or a very +commonplace man. Marriage always is a failure with such men. Common men +live so low that women are afraid some one may steal into their lives at +night through a cellar window. Genius—well, genius lives on the top +floor, up toward the clouds, and with so many gloomy steps to climb and +no elevator, it's very uncomfortable for a pretty woman. Her ideal is +one easy flight of stairs to comfortable living rooms on the first +floor."</p> + +<p>Karl maintained silence, and continued to walk the floor. He looked at +his watch and started toward the door of the reception-room leading into +the hall, which was locked.</p> + +<p>"This is the second time I have seen madam's shoulders," Millar +remarked, casually, blowing cigarette rings in the air.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" Karl demanded, stung to speech by jealousy.</p> + +<p>"Ah, I saw them first in Paris, at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> Louvre, fashioned of snow-white +marble. They were the shoulders of Venus. Am I right, Karl?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," the artist snapped.</p> + +<p>"Well, you must take my word for it, then," Millar said lightly. "I have +seen both. And since Alcamenes I have known but one sculptor who could +form such wonderful shoulders."</p> + +<p>"Who?" Karl asked, turning to him.</p> + +<p>"Prosperity," Millar replied, sententiously. "Such tender, soft, +exquisite curves are possible only to women who live perfectly. Madam +must be the wife of a millionaire."</p> + +<p>Karl fell to pacing the floor again, glancing impatiently at the door +through which Olga had fled.</p> + +<p>"Is she dressing?" asked Millar slyly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Karl answered nervously.</p> + +<p>"Is there a mirror in your studio?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Madam must be very respectable," Millar said in an insinuating tone; +"she takes so long to dress."</p> + +<p>"Your remarks are in very bad taste,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> Karl cried angrily, walking up +threateningly to his visitor.</p> + +<p>Millar stood erect, without changing his expression of ironical +amusement, and said:</p> + +<p>"Do you wish to offend me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Karl snarled.</p> + +<p>"Then you, too, must be respectable," the visitor said coolly, adding, +as Karl looked at him with wonder: "In a situation like this only a very +respectable man could behave with such infernal stupidity."</p> + +<p>Karl was about to retort when the studio door opened and Olga entered. +He turned quickly toward her and she went to him without noticing +Millar.</p> + +<p>"What time is it?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Your husband will be here in ten minutes," Millar interposed.</p> + +<p>Olga turned toward him and cried accusingly:</p> + +<p>"Then you were not asleep in that chair when my husband was here. You +heard him say when he would return."</p> + +<p>"Madam is mistaken. Feminine presentiment always feels the approach of +the husband ten minutes ahead of time. Were it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> not for those ten +minutes there would be more divorced women, but fewer locked doors."</p> + +<p>As he spoke he walked over and unlocked the door leading into the hall, +then turned and looked at them calmly.</p> + +<p>"Is this never to finish?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"I tried to change the subject, but Karl would not let me," Millar +answered.</p> + +<p>"I have not spoken a word," Karl protested.</p> + +<p>"By your actions, Karl; by the way you jumped up, impatiently consulted +your watch, rushed to the door. Poor chap, he was afraid," he added to +Olga.</p> + +<p>"Afraid!" Karl exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, afraid that your husband would come before you finished dressing. +And you were right, Karl."</p> + +<p>"Why, my dear Olga——" Karl began impatiently, when the other +interrupted him.</p> + +<p>"Please, please, let us be logical," he urged. "Look at the situation. +The husband enters suddenly. 'Well, here I am, back again, my darling,' +he announces. 'Where is the picture? I must see the pic<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>ture.' There is +none. Karl did not work on the picture. Your husband is worried; he does +not speak, but he is irritated. He wants to speak and the words stick in +his throat. You look at each other, unhappy. Nothing has happened, but +the mischief is done. What mischief? Appearances. Whatever you say makes +matters worse, and a compromising situation like this is never forgotten +by the husband. You go home together in silence."</p> + +<p>"Ah, if it were like that," Karl broke in; "but we are not alone. You +are here."</p> + +<p>Millar shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is it; I am here, and with one word I could dispel the +illusion," he acquiesced. "But I know myself; I am cursed with a +peculiar, sinister sense of humor, and I am afraid I would not say the +word. Hence, when the husband enters we are all silent. Then I say, 'I +regret to have arrived at such an inopportune moment.' I take my hat and +walk out, leaving you, madam, your husband and Karl."</p> + +<p>He seemed to find keen pleasure in the possibility of forcing the two +into a posi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>tion which would cause them suffering and weaken the +barriers of self-control they had built up around that boy and girl love +that had come back so vividly to both. Had they regarded him as merely +human it is certain that Karl would have kicked this cynical being out +of the studio, with his infernal innuendoes. But there was something +supernormal about him. He dominated both the artist and the wife, and +they were completely under his spell, struggle as they would to break +it. Olga shrank from the cruelty of their tormentor.</p> + +<p>"If this is a jest it is a cruel one," she cried.</p> + +<p>"True, madam. But there is another way. If you wish it I can be quite +truthful. Should your husband arrive I can tell him the portrait has not +been touched and ask his pardon."</p> + +<p>"Pardon for what?"</p> + +<p>"For having seen your shoulders."</p> + +<p>"This is a trap," Olga cried, turning toward Karl for protection. "What +do you want? You overwhelm me with false insinuations. I hardly know you +five minutes,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> and I imagine I feel your long fingers at my throat."</p> + +<p>"Other pretty women do not feel them quite so soon," he murmured, +bending toward her.</p> + +<p>Enraged at the attitude of the man, Karl stepped toward him.</p> + +<p>"Stop! I won't allow any more of this," he commanded.</p> + +<p>The entrance of Heinrich checked his speech. The old servant said:</p> + +<p>"The tailor has sent some evening clothes, Monsieur Karl, but they are +not yours."</p> + +<p>"They are mine," interrupted the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Yours?" Karl said in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Yes; they were crushed in my trunk," the other said coolly. "I told the +tailor to press them and send them here for the evening. I must dress, +as I am invited to the ball of one of the most beautiful women in the +city to-night at the residence of the Duke of Maranese."</p> + +<p>"But the Duke is not living there any more," Olga interposed. "He is in +Madrid."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>"Yes, I know that; I met the Duke in Paris."</p> + +<p>"He has sold his house to us. We are living there now, and the ball is +given by me," she went on.</p> + +<p>The man looked at her, his black eyes seeming to burn through her own. +Shrinking, fearful, fascinated, Olga was held in the spell of those +eyes.</p> + +<p>"Was I mistaken? Am I not invited?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are invited," she faltered.</p> + +<p>She could not resist the subtle influence of the man, even while every +instinct of good made her recoil from him. With a triumphant smile he +bowed and said softly:</p> + +<p>"Madam, a little while ago you asked me what I wanted. It was your +invitation that I wanted. I thank you."</p> + +<p>"But my husband," Olga said, already repenting of the advantage she had +given him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he will be delighted to see me," the stranger assured her +confidently. "He speculates in wheat; I have information that will be of +value to him. The crop has turned out worse than was expected. You love +your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> husband; you should be happy that the wheat crop is bad."</p> + +<p>"I am," Olga assented. "We want wheat to be bad because the price will +go up."</p> + +<p>"Your husband will make another fortune, and you will have the new gown +you want."</p> + +<p>"How do you know I want a new gown?" Olga asked, falling in once more +with the devil's humor of the man.</p> + +<p>"I observe that you have a new hat, and a very pretty one; surely you +want a new gown."</p> + +<p>"You must be married."</p> + +<p>"Married! not I," he exclaimed. "A wife is like a monocle; it looks +well, but one sees more clearly without it."</p> + +<p>"Your views seem against marriage; why?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>The tone of Millar became suddenly serious as he said:</p> + +<p>"You want Karl to marry; I want to prevent him from marrying."</p> + +<p>"Please let's not discuss that," Karl protested.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Karl, but an artist should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> not marry," he went on. "Your +future wife will swear to stand by your side for life—until the wedding +day—and the day after she will be in your way."</p> + +<p>"Not the true wife," Olga declared.</p> + +<p>"Ah, but the true wife is always the other fellow's wife," he answered.</p> + +<p>Millar had talked so absorbingly that Karl and Olga unconsciously drew +near to each other. They stood in front of the high pulpit back of the +arm-chair, each one resting a hand on the chair back. Although they were +quite unaware of it, their position suggested that of a young couple, +before the altar, about to be joined in wedlock. The cynical humor of +the situation struck Millar, who walked around them, stood in the chair +and leaned over the back, like a preacher in his pulpit.</p> + +<p>"You are a pessimist," Olga declared, looking up at him.</p> + +<p>"No, not a pessimist; only practical."</p> + +<p>"I agree with you," Karl said. "A man should stay at home."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + + +<p>Millar leaned down, placing his hands over Karl's and Olga's as they +rested on the back of the chair. Looking at Karl, he said:</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you stay at home? You ran away to become an artist. You +refused a professional position and ordinary morals; a decent occupation +at so much a week. You wanted to go out and seek the Golden Fleece of +Fame. Now, fight your battle; fight it alone; don't get married."</p> + +<p>As he spoke he lifted the hands of Karl and Olga and placed them +together, holding them clasped in his own. They thrilled at each other's +touch; they looked into each other's eyes, and they hardly heard the +cynical devil's voice as Millar leaned yet farther toward them and said:</p> + +<p>"I was thinking what a splendid couple you two would make."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>Olga felt herself yielding to the devilish insinuation of Millar. She +made no effort to withdraw her hand from Karl's; she was completely +under his sinister, dominating influence. Karl's will seemed equally +impotent; he could not shake off the mysterious obsession. This man was +more than a mere physical presence; he was a part of their very +selves—the weaker, sensual impulses against which they had fought, but +which now seemed gaining the mastery. The struggle went on in the soul +of each as Millar's voice fell melodiously on their ears:</p> + +<p>"The most important thing to you in life is to find your proper mate. +Generations of conventional treatment will try to prevent you from doing +so, by pretending it is impossible. But down in your hearts, in their +depths where truth is not perverted by the veneer of convention, I know +and you know that it is the simplest thing on earth. Here you are full +of talent and longing; here is a woman, beautiful, passionate——"</p> + +<p>Karl made a last struggle against the inevitable consequence of this +demon's urging, drawing Olga away from him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>"I beg of you, don't!" he cried. "When I look at you I fear. Please +don't speak of it. For six years we have lived peacefully."</p> + +<p>"Say what you will," the soft, even voice persisted, "I can read your +eyes and they are telling me. Don't believe him; he lies," he went on to +Olga. "He dreams of her—you—every night and you of him, and he knows +it and you know it. Ah, I understand the language of your eyes. No +matter what you say, that little love light in your eyes discredits you, +reveals your inmost thoughts, and I read them through."</p> + +<p>"Let me speak," Karl pleaded. "For six years we have lived quietly in +peace, good friends, nothing else. Olga has not the least interest in +me, and I—I am quite, quite indifferent."</p> + +<p>"Any one who thinks Karl capable of a base thought must be base and +contemptible himself," Olga cried.</p> + +<p>The two were almost hysterical as they stood beside each other, warding +off the evil that seemed to emanate from the mysterious person who +towered over them from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> pulpit-backed chair. Karl held Olga's right +hand in his; his left hand was on her shoulder protectingly. Millar +spoke quickly, leaning far down toward them:</p> + +<p>"It is not a base thought; it is a beautiful thought, a thought shedding +happiness, warmth and joy upon your otherwise miserable lives. But +happiness, warmth and joy have a price that must be paid. He who loves +wine too well will go to a drunkard's grave, but while he is drunk with +wine angels sing to him.</p> + +<p>"Whatever the price, his happiness is cheaply bought. The poet sings his +greatest song when he is about to die, and is a poor, weak, human mortal +to live without wine and song and women's lips? A little stump of a +candle shines its brightest ere it goes out forever. It should teach you +that one glow of warmth is worth all this life can give. Life has no +object but to be thrown away. It must end; let us end it well. Let our +raging passions set fire to everything about us, burning, burning, +burning until we ourselves are reduced to ashes. Those who pretend +otherwise are hypocrites and liars."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span>The two listened spellbound to this amazing sermon of sin. Karl's arm +slipped down to Olga's waist. He felt himself drawing her closer to him.</p> + +<p>"Don't be a liar," Millar urged, his eyes still burning into them; +"don't be a hypocrite. Be a rascal, but be a pleasant rascal and the +world is yours. Look at me; all the world is mine, and what I have told +you is the honest confession of all the world. We are baptized, not with +water, but with fire. Love yourself; only yourself; wear the softest +garments, sip the sweetest wine, kiss the prettiest lips."</p> + +<p>No subtler tempter ever spoke to the hearts of a man and a woman. Karl +was leaning over Olga now; he saw her eyes, her lips, soft, warm, +rose-colored, he felt her arms as she clung to him, while over them both +gloated the sinister figure of Millar—the devil—triumphant, confident +that his work was done.</p> + +<p>There was a crashing ring at the doorbell that acted like an electric +shock on the group. Karl and Olga came to their senses, dazed, +trembling, thankful. Millar stepped<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> down from the chair, baffled, and +turned his back upon them.</p> + +<p>"My husband!" Olga gasped.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Moneybags!" Millar sneered contemptuously.</p> + +<p>Olga and Karl quickly drew apart. Both were relieved. Olga felt as if +she had stepped back from the brink of a terrible precipice, over which +she had almost fallen. Her face was colorless, and there were lines of +agony across her brow. The two unhappy people stood staring at each +other for a full minute before Heinrich entered and announced Herman.</p> + +<p>It had been growing dark in the studio during the remarkable discourse +by Millar, but so absorbed had both his listeners been in their own +tremendous emotions that they had paid no heed. Now, as Herman entered, +his first exclamation was:</p> + +<p>"How dark it is in here. I am sorry I am late."</p> + +<p>Heinrich turned on the lights, and the apartment was suddenly +illuminated. Karl and Olga had not yet recovered their self-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span>possession, +but Karl managed to indicate with a wave of his hand his strange +visitor.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Millar," he said.</p> + +<p>Millar nodded absently and barely replied to Herman's cordial greeting. +He was still enraged at the interruption which had prevented the success +of his infamous plan. Herman turned quickly to Karl and Olga.</p> + +<p>"Well, children, where is the picture? I am anxious to see it," he +exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"There is no picture," was all Karl could say. Olga, filled with +apprehension at she knew not what, was silent.</p> + +<p>"No picture!" Herman exclaimed. "What have you been doing all this +time?"</p> + +<p>"It has been dark for an hour," Karl explained.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but Olga has been here for two hours," Herman said, looking at his +watch.</p> + +<p>There was an instant of silence that threatened to become painfully +embarrassing. Olga was about to speak when Millar unexpectedly stepped +forward, briskly and politely.</p> + +<p>"My dear Monsieur Hofmann, it was my fault," he explained. "I came a +moment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> after you left. I had not seen Karl in two years. We chatted and +the time flew past. It was an extremely interesting conversation and +madam was so kind as to invite me to the ball this evening."</p> + +<p>"You will accept, I trust," Herman said with ready hospitality.</p> + +<p>"Yes, thank you," Millar said. "I have come direct from Odessa, where I +have had a talk with the Russian wheat magnate."</p> + +<p>"Ah, I know; I shall lose money; the wheat crop is bad," Herman said +impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Oh, isn't that good for us?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"No, dear, it is not; I am short on wheat."</p> + +<p>"What does short on wheat mean?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"It means digging a pit for others and falling into it yourself," Millar +remarked cynically. "However," he went on, "things are not so bad. I +have reliable information that the later crop will be abundant."</p> + +<p>"Good; I am delighted to learn this," Herman said, very much pleased +with Millar, who now spoke pleasantly and ingratiatingly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>Karl had paid little attention to the colloquy between Herman and +Millar. He tried to speak to Olga, but could not catch her eye. She +seemed to wish to avoid him. She watched her opportunity, however, and +managed to whisper to Millar:</p> + +<p>"I want to speak with you alone."</p> + +<p>Millar brought his subtlety into instant play. Turning to Herman he +asked:</p> + +<p>"By the way, have you seen the sketch of madam Karl made yesterday? It +is atrociously bad."</p> + +<p>"No; where is it? I would like to see it," Herman cried eagerly.</p> + +<p>"It is in the studio," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"You must show it to me, Karl," Herman said, walking toward the studio +door with the young artist. "I am sorry you didn't start on the picture +to-day, but I suppose it can't be helped. What in the world were you +talking about all that time?"</p> + +<p>As they went out talking, Olga followed slowly. As she passed Millar he +said:</p> + +<p>"I will await you here."</p> + +<p>Olga went with Karl and her husband. She had hardly left the room when +the door<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> from the hall opened and Mimi entered. As Millar turned toward +her with his ironical bow she drew back, affrighted.</p> + +<p>"Oh, excuse me," she murmured.</p> + +<p>"You wish to see the artist?" Millar said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, please."</p> + +<p>He walked over, took her by the shoulders and coolly pushed her through +the door into the hall.</p> + +<p>"Wait there, my dear," he said. "He is engaged just now."</p> + +<p>Then he turned to meet Olga, who entered suddenly, looking suspiciously +around the room.</p> + +<p>"I thought I heard a woman's voice," she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"The scrubwoman; I sent her away," Millar explained.</p> + +<p>"I wanted to speak with you alone," Olga began, turning toward him and +speaking very earnestly, "in order to tell you——"</p> + +<p>"That is not true," Millar interrupted her, cynically.</p> + +<p>"What is not true?"</p> + +<p>"What you wanted to tell me," he said with exasperating suavity. "You +really<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> want to talk with me because you regret that my sermon was +interrupted by Mr. Moneybags."</p> + +<p>"No, no, I simply want to tell you the truth," she protested.</p> + +<p>"You may want to tell the truth—but you never do. I might believe you, +if you told me you were not telling the truth."</p> + +<p>"Must I think and speak as you wish?" she cried desperately.</p> + +<p>"No, not yet. What may I do for you, madam?"</p> + +<p>"Please do not come to-night," she implored.</p> + +<p>Millar smiled deprecatingly. She went on rapidly, speaking in a low tone +that she might not be overheard by Herman and Karl.</p> + +<p>"I am myself again—a happy, dutiful wife. Your frivolous morals hurt +me. Your words, your thoughts, your sinister influence that seems to +force me against my will, frighten me. I must confess that I had become +interested in your horrible sermon when, thank God, my good husband +rang<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> the bell and put an end to it. He came in at the proper moment."</p> + +<p>"Yes, as an object-lesson," Millar sneered. "I observed you closely. We +three were beginning to understand one another when he came in."</p> + +<p>"Won't you drop the subject?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"Are you afraid of it?"</p> + +<p>"No," she answered coldly; "but please don't come to-night."</p> + +<p>Millar bowed deeply, as if granting her request, but he replied coolly:</p> + +<p>"I shall come."</p> + +<p>"And if my husband asks you not to come?"</p> + +<p>"He will ask me to come."</p> + +<p>"And if I should ask you in the presence of my husband not to come?"</p> + +<p>"I will agree to this, madam," Millar said, looking at her with +amusement. "If you do not ask me, in the presence of your husband, to +come to-night I will not come. Is that fair?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is more than nice. It is the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> first really nice thing you +have said," Olga said, greatly relieved.</p> + +<p>She wanted to be rid of this terribly sinister influence; to be out of +reach of the being who seemed to compel her thoughts to link her present +with the past. She wished to feel again the sweet, wholesome purpose +that had inspired her yesterday; to go ahead with her unselfish plans +for Karl's future. Now that he had given his promise, she was eager to +be away, and as Karl and Herman entered she suggested to her husband +that it was time to go.</p> + +<p>"Yes, put on your coat," Herman said, turning to talk to Millar, whom he +found interesting. Karl helped Olga on with her coat, and the touch of +it brought back the feeling that had surged over him when he had leaned +down to kiss her a few minutes before.</p> + +<p>"Now I see how unworthy is my sketch," he said softly.</p> + +<p>"Do not look at me like that," Olga protested.</p> + +<p>"Why not?" Karl asked hopelessly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> "Even when I don't look at you I see +you just the same."</p> + +<p>Olga covered her face and turned away from him.</p> + +<p>"Karl, you shall not do my portrait," she said. "Come, Herman, let us go +home," she called to her husband.</p> + +<p>Herman and Millar were deep in the discussion of a subject on which the +stranger seemed to be amazingly well informed. The business instincts of +Olga's husband were uppermost, and he did not like to be drawn away, but +he said:</p> + +<p>"We shall continue this talk this evening, then."</p> + +<p>"No, I regret to say that I can't come; I have made my apologies to +Madam Hofmann. I had forgotten an engagement with the Russian Consul for +this evening."</p> + +<p>"Ah, the Russian Consul will be at our house. Olga, dear, add your +entreaties to mine. Persuade Monsieur Millar to come."</p> + +<p>In dreadful embarrassment Olga turned to the smiling, cynical mask of a +face that looked at her triumphantly. She could not refuse.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>"I hope we may have the pleasure of seeing you this evening," she said, +and turned wearily toward the door.</p> + +<p>"Thank you, madam," the fiend replied. "I shall be more than delighted."</p> + +<p>Karl interrupted to say that he would not reach the house that evening +before 11 o'clock. He explained that he expected an art dealer. In +reality he had just recalled his promise to stop at the house of Mimi. +Herman, suspecting his design, made some jesting allusion to it, which +caused Olga to ask what he meant. He evaded her question, and Millar, +seeing another excellent opportunity to point a moral, declared that he +heard a knock.</p> + +<p>He walked over to the door, opened it, and to the amazement of the +others, ushered the embarrassed little model into the room.</p> + +<p>"The art dealer," he said sarcastically.</p> + +<p>Olga felt instantly consumed with jealousy. As she and her husband +walked out Millar said to her:</p> + +<p>"I will repay you for your invitation, madam. I shall manage to forget +my overcoat, and in five minutes I shall return for it and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> break up the +chat which you anticipate with such displeasure."</p> + +<p>Olga could not deny the insinuation. She did feel jealous of the pretty +model; she did wish that the girl and Karl might not be left alone, and +she felt almost grateful to Millar for his promise. Karl had ushered +Mimi into the studio, and then he bade his guests good-by. Left alone, +he threw himself face downward on the sofa, where Mimi found him a few +minutes later.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="IMAGE_4" id="IMAGE_4"></a> +<img src="images/img004.jpg" width="500" height="308" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"THE ART DEALER," HE SAID SARCASTICALLY.—Page 70.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img004-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + + +<p>Karl paid no attention to Mimi until she walked over to him and touched +him on the shoulder. Then he sat up impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Did I not promise to call at your house?" he asked. "Why did you come +here?"</p> + +<p>"Are you ashamed because I came while all those people were here?" Mimi +asked, hurt and drawing away from him.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, not at all. I promised to call, and I can't understand why you +did not wait," Karl answered.</p> + +<p>Mimi timidly leaned down and put her arms around his neck. Then she said +pleadingly:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Karl, dear, please don't get married."</p> + +<p>"Don't! you'll spoil my collar," Karl exclaimed, trying to avoid her +embrace. Mimi began to cry softly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span>"Before I saw these people I hardly ever thought of your marriage," she +said. "But now—Karl, dear, my heart aches. Please don't get married."</p> + +<p>Karl was touched by her grief, in spite of himself. He reached over and +patted her cheek.</p> + +<p>"There, don't cry, dearie; please don't cry," he said. "It makes you +homely."</p> + +<p>Mimi brightened instantly, and her tears vanished, leaving her face +smiling.</p> + +<p>"I am a silly little girl," she said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are, but I like you very much," Karl said, taking her in his +arms. "Now, Mimi, suppose we talk over our marriage quietly and +sensibly. You may as well stay, now that you are here. Take off your hat +and your jacket."</p> + +<p>He arose and was helping her off with her red woolen jacket. Then he +hugged her and said as he kissed her lips:</p> + +<p>"I am your best friend, after all, Mimi, and you are my——"</p> + +<p>The door opened suddenly and Millar entered, taking up Karl's speech +with:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>"My overcoat; it is here somewhere. Your servant gave me yours."</p> + +<p>Karl and Mimi drew away from each other, and Millar looked at them, +smiling.</p> + +<p>"It's very singular," he said, "but each time I enter your studio I find +a lady disrobing. You might think this was a ladies' tailoring +establishment."</p> + +<p>Mimi looked at Karl jealously as he glared at Millar. Then she burst +into tears and ran out of the room. Karl watched her, and as she slammed +the door, he turned to Millar and quietly said:</p> + +<p>"Thank you very much."</p> + +<p>"Oh, don't mention it."</p> + +<p>"I will get your overcoat, and don't let me detain you," said Karl with +significant emphasis.</p> + +<p>"I broke the hanger; your man is mending it and will bring it here," +Millar said coolly, ignoring the marked impoliteness.</p> + +<p>Karl said nothing more, and after a few minutes of silence Millar +resumed:</p> + +<p>"I just saw something that touched me deeply. Madam Hofmann clinging to +her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> husband's arm as if she were begging him to protect her——"</p> + +<p>"Protect her?" Karl exclaimed angrily. "You don't mean to protect her +from me?"</p> + +<p>"Look here, Karl, do you think you are wise to be a fool?"</p> + +<p>"I prefer not to discuss this subject," Karl answered coldly. "You don't +seem to understand my position. Why, it is absurd; I have seen this +woman every day for years; met her and her husband; we have been good +friends. That's all, absolutely, and had I thought of anything else I +should laugh at myself. In wealth, position, everything, she is above +me."</p> + +<p>"No woman is above her own heart," Millar replied cynically. "Look at +her. She is yours if you want her. Just stretch out your hand, my boy, +and you have your warmth, your happiness, your joy, unspeakable joy, the +most supreme joy possible to a human being, and you are too lazy to +reach out your hand. Why, another man would toil night and day, risk +life and limb for such a woman; yet she drops into your arms unsought—a +found treasure.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span>"</p> + +<p>Karl laughed bitterly.</p> + +<p>"A found treasure," he repeated. "Perhaps that is why I am indifferent."</p> + +<p>Millar moved over to where the young artist was seated on the couch and +sat beside him. He leaned toward Karl and spoke low and earnestly, +keeping his big, black, glittering eyes fixed on him.</p> + +<p>"Last fall, on the 6th of September—I shall never forget the date—I +had a singular experience," he said. "I put on an old suit of +clothes—one I had not worn for some time—and as I picked up the +waistcoat a sovereign dropped out from one of the pockets. It had been +there no one knew how long. I picked it up, saying to myself, as I +turned the gold piece over in my hand, 'I wonder when you got there?' It +slipped through my fingers and rolled into some dark corner.</p> + +<p>"I searched the room trying to find it, but my sovereign had gone. I +became nervous. Again I searched, with no result. I became angry, took +up the rugs, moved the furniture about, and I called my man to help me. +I grew feverish with the one thought that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> must have that sovereign. +Suddenly a suspicion seized me. I sprang to my feet and cried to my +servant, 'You thief, you have found the sovereign and put it back in +your pocket.' He answered disrespectfully. I rushed at him. I saw a +knife blade glimmer in his pocket and I drew a pistol—this pistol—from +mine."</p> + +<p>He drew a shining revolver from his hip pocket and laid it on the table +at Karl's elbow.</p> + +<p>"And with this pistol I nearly killed a man for a found sovereign which +I did not need," he finished quietly.</p> + +<p>Karl was profoundly stirred by the story, although he could hardly tell +why.</p> + +<p>"I give found money away," he said, laughing uncertainly, and adding, +"for luck."</p> + +<p>"So do I," said Millar quickly, "but it slipped through my fingers, and +what slips through our fingers is what we want—we seek it +breathlessly—that is human nature. You, too, will seek your found +treasure once it slips through your fingers. And then you will find that +worthless thing worth<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> everything. You will find it sweet, dear, +precious."</p> + +<p>Karl turned away from him, trying not to listen to him.</p> + +<p>"Kill a man for a found sovereign," he repeated.</p> + +<p>"That woman will become sweeter, dearer, more precious to you every +day," the malignant one went on, his words searing Karl's soul. "You +will realize that she could have given you wings, that she is the +warmth, the color—her glowing passion the inspiration of your work. All +this you will realize when she has slipped through your fingers. You +might have become a master—a giant. Not by loving your art, but by +loving her. Oh, to be kissed by her, to look into her burning eyes and +to kiss her warm, passionate mouth."</p> + +<p>Karl covered his face with his hands. Millar picked up the delicately +scented shawl which had covered Olga's bare shoulders.</p> + +<p>"This has touched her bosom," he cried, twining it around Karl's head +and shoulders, so that its fragrance reached his nostrils.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>The boy lost control of himself and caught the drapery, pressing it to +his lips.</p> + +<p>"Both so beautiful," Millar persisted in his soft, even, melodious +voice. "Oh, what you could be to each other. What divine pleasure you +would find."</p> + +<p>Dropping the shawl, Karl started to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Be quiet! You are trying to drive me mad," he cried. "Do you want to +ruin me? For God's sake, man, be still!"</p> + +<p>"Afraid again, O Puritan," Millar sneered. "Why, boy, life is only worth +living when it is thrown away."</p> + +<p>"Why do you tell me that?" Karl demanded. "Why do you hover over me? +What do you want? Who sent you?"</p> + +<p>"No one; I am here."</p> + +<p>He again touched his forehead significantly and Karl shuddered. "I won't +do it; no, no, no! Do you hear? I won't," the boy cried hysterically. "I +have been her good friend for years—we have been good friends; we will +remain good friends. I don't want the found sovereign."</p> + +<p>"But if it slips through your fingers," Mil<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>lar cried. "Suppose another +man runs away with her."</p> + +<p>"Who?" Karl demanded.</p> + +<p>"Myself," Millar replied coolly.</p> + +<p>"You!"</p> + +<p>"To-night! This very night!" Millar cried, laughing satanically and +triumphantly. "To-night I shall play with her as I please. Oh, what joy! +What exquisite joy! For ten thousand years no lovelier mistress."</p> + +<p>"What's that?" Karl cried, taking a step toward him.</p> + +<p>"Mistress, I said—mistress! She will do whatever I wish—to-night, at +her home. You will see, when the lights are bright, when the air is +filled with perfume—before day dawns, you will see."</p> + +<p>"Stop, stop!" Karl cried warningly.</p> + +<p>"Be there and you will run after your lost sovereign," Millar went on +tauntingly. "Every minute you don't know where she is she is spending +with me. A carriage passes you with drawn blinds, and your heart stands +still. Who is in it? She and I. You see a couple turn the corner with +arms lovingly interlocked. Who was that? She and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> I—always she and I. +We sit in every carriage. We go around every corner. Always she and +I—always clinging to each other, always lovingly. The thought maddens +you. You run through the streets. A light is extinguished in some room, +high up in a house. Who is there? She and I. We stand at the window, arm +in arm, looking down into your maddened eyes, and we hold each other +closer, and we laugh at you."</p> + +<p>"Stop, damn you, stop!" Karl cried, beside himself and trying to shut +out the terrible monotony of Millar's voice.</p> + +<p>"We laugh at you, you fool," the fiend cried again hoarsely. "And her +laughter grows warmer and warmer until she laughs as only a woman can +laugh in the midst of delirious joy."</p> + +<p>With a maddened scream of rage Karl reached the table with a bound and +snatched up the revolver. But Millar, with a spring as lithe and agile +as a cat, was there beside him, holding the arm with which he would have +shot down the man who was pouring insidious poison into his ears—into +his soul.</p> + +<p>Millar smiled as he looked at the helpless<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> boy before him. Karl +released the revolver, and as he replaced it in his pocket, Millar said +quietly:</p> + +<p>"You see, Karl, a man may kill a man for a lost sovereign."</p> + +<p>Karl's paroxysm of rage and pain over, he threw himself into a chair and +buried his face in his hands. He did not even look up as Millar, his +cynical glance fixed on him, walked out, closing the door softly behind +him. His departure seemed to clear the atmosphere of its oppressive +burden of evil, however, and Karl jumped to his feet. He made a few +turns up and down the studio and then changed his velvet studio jacket +for a greatcoat and plunged out of doors into the storm.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + + +<p>A brisk walk through the snow and gathering darkness revived him and he +turned back to the studio with a clearer brain. His old servant, +Heinrich, met him at the door.</p> + +<p>"Monsieur, the gentleman has returned and is dressing," the old man +said, in an awe-struck whisper. "I think he is the devil," he added +vindictively.</p> + +<p>Heinrich had been terrified when Millar, returning to the studio in +Karl's absence, had taken possession, with the utmost coolness, of +Karl's guest-chamber and proceeded to change to the evening clothes +which had been sent to him there from the tailor's. Unwilling to meet +the man again, Karl hurried into his own room and locked the door. He +did not emerge again until long after Millar had completed his dressing +and had left the studio.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>Karl tried desperately to drive thoughts of Olga from his mind; but the +terrible flame of passion which had grown from the tiny, buried spark of +boy love that lurked in his heart, under the sinister suggestion of +Millar, tortured him. He could hardly keep himself from rushing off to +Olga's house, in advance of the ball, to beg her not to proceed with her +design of bringing him and Elsa together; to tell her that he loved her +and that in all the world there lived no other woman for him. +Desperately, at last, he remembered his promise to see Mimi, and he +hurried out and made his way afoot to the tattered little buildings in +which she lived, hoping there to find forgetfulness. But, go where he +would, the haunting black eyes, the cynical smile, that even, persistent +voice, the insidious suggestions of Millar, the devil, followed him and +would not be shaken off.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>In a state of mind even more desperate than that of Karl, Olga went home +with Herman. Their journey was as silent as their carriage was silent. +Herman was ab<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>sorbed in contemplation of the information Millar had +given him regarding business affairs in Russia, in which he was heavily +interested. Olga was torn by conflicting emotions. The man had roused in +her the dormant love for Karl which she believed buried forever. She +could not deny to herself now, as she had denied for six years, that she +loved him. She knew now that during those six years it had been to Karl, +not to Herman, that she had turned for sympathy, for understanding, and +the knowledge maddened her.</p> + +<p>Deep in her heart Olga exalted duty before every other virtue, and the +duty of a loyal wife before every other duty. She could feel now the +crumbling away of all her principles. She had believed for six years +that she had given to Herman every bit of her love and loyalty, and now +she was forced to the self-confession that she had lived a lie, even to +herself. She loved Karl.</p> + +<p>But, away from Millar's influence, she resolved that she would yet +battle with and overcome the terrible impulses he had aroused. She would +make the artist love the beautiful, accomplished girl whom she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> herself +had selected for his bride. She would make him happy; make them both +happy, even if it meant that she must crush out her own hopes of +happiness in doing so.</p> + +<p>"That is a very remarkable man, that friend of Karl's," Herman said +after they had driven some time in silence.</p> + +<p>"Yes; he is very disagreeable," Olga replied.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't think so," Herman protested. "To me he seemed very +agreeable. Where does he come from? He seems to have been everywhere and +to know everybody."</p> + +<p>"And everything," assented Olga wearily. "I cannot tell you anything +about him. Karl met him a year ago at Monte Carlo."</p> + +<p>"I am glad you persuaded him to come to-night," Herman said. "He is +going to give me information that will be of great value to me."</p> + +<p>Olga was on the point of telling Herman all about the terrible sermon +the stranger had preached to them; of his wicked insinuations and of her +terrible dread, but she checked herself. Herman seemed fatuously<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> +delighted by Millar, and she could not bring herself to talk to him now. +They continued the ride in silence until home was reached.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + + +<p>Herman and Olga occupied one of the finest residences in Park Lane. It +had been built by a wealthy nobleman and completed with a princely +disregard for expenditure. It stood in the center of a considerable +park, surrounded by trees and gardens.</p> + +<p>Preparations were already going forward for the ball when Herman and +Olga reached home. Decorators were putting the finishing touches on the +magnificent ballroom. Florists were banking ferns and potted plants +along the stairs and halls. All was bustle and preparation. Herman +delightedly went forward and examined every detail of the work. Olga, +who ordinarily would have taken the same keen interest in the +preparations, turned wearily away and went to her own room. She dined +alone, under the plea of a headache, and did not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> again appear until the +guests began to arrive in the evening.</p> + +<p>"You look very beautiful, my dear," Herman said to her when she entered +the drawing-room.</p> + +<p>Her mood had changed. Her eyes seemed unnaturally bright. She herself +could not tell what had caused the change. When she reached home she had +looked forward with shuddering aversion to her second meeting with +Millar. Now she was impatient for him to arrive. She wanted to talk to +him; to hear again the soft, persuasive voice, the insidious harmony of +his words that seemed to frame for her the thoughts she had never dared +express.</p> + +<p>She was bright, alive, witty, charming in the beauty of her fresh color, +her glorious hair, her splendid figure set off charmingly in an evening +gown of white satin brocade. She stood at the head of the winding +stairway leading to the drawing-room when Millar came.</p> + +<p>The man seemed more suggestive of malignant purpose in his evening +clothes than he had been in the afternoon. Immaculate<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> in every detail +of his dress, his very grooming suggested wickedness. He walked slowly +up the stairs, feasting his eyes on Olga as she stood with hand extended +to meet him.</p> + +<p>"Madam, I am charmed to greet you again," he said. "I congratulate you +on the wonderful transformation, and I need not ask in what way it was +effected."</p> + +<p>"It may be that I owe it to you, monsieur," Olga replied gayly, her eyes +frankly meeting those of Millar as he looked at her with admiration he +did not attempt to disguise.</p> + +<p>"I trust we are soon to have the pleasure of seeing Karl again."</p> + +<p>"He will be here—later, I believe," Olga answered. "Meanwhile, +monsieur, I am going to ask you to make yourself agreeable to some of my +guests."</p> + +<p>"Madam, I can only make myself disagreeable to them," he replied +cynically. "It is not they whom I came to see and entertain."</p> + +<p>"But you must be entertained now," Olga said. "Soon I hope we may +talk."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>"We shall talk," Millar assured her, bowing.</p> + +<p>He passed on to greet Herman, and was presented to others in the rapidly +growing throng. Wherever he went Olga heard exclamations usually of +surprise or dismay from her women guests, and the number that invariably +gathered around him at first rapidly diminished. He seemed bent on +making himself disagreeable, as he had promised.</p> + +<p>One elderly spinster to whom he was presented greeted him with an +affected lisp, drooping eyes and an inane remark about the terrible +cold.</p> + +<p>"Yes, mademoiselle, your teeth will chatter to-night—on the dresser."</p> + +<p>To another—a portly lady who affected the airs of a girl—he said in +his most silken tones:</p> + +<p>"My dear madam, I must tell you of a splendid remedy for getting thin."</p> + +<p>"I don't want to get thin," the portly one replied indignantly as she +flounced away from him.</p> + +<p>Olga waited impatiently for an opportunity to withdraw with Millar into +a se<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>cluded place, where she might listen to him while he told her the +things that she did not dare tell herself. The evening had grown late, +however, and Karl had arrived before she could get away from her guests.</p> + +<p>Karl had tried to avoid a tête-à-tête with Olga, and she took the first +opportunity of introducing him to Elsa. She rebelled in her soul now at +the thought of their marriage, but her will drove her to the fulfilment +of her purpose, to that extent at least. But it was with a heart torn +with jealousy that she watched Karl and Elsa move off together, and +turned to meet Millar, standing beside her with his cynical, sinister +smile.</p> + +<p>Elsa Berg was a brilliant, vivacious girl, rarely beautiful, with lively +blue eyes, chestnut hair and a tall, slender, willowy figure. The +romance and excitement of her meeting with Karl made her seem doubly +beautiful, and she gladdened the artist in him, but he helplessly +confessed to himself that she made no impression on his heart. His +thoughts were with Olga, and he was abstracted, almost to the point of +rudeness, while Elsa tried to talk with him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span>"Who is that terribly rude person who seems to be frightening every +one?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"He? Oh, that is Dr. Millar, a friend of mine," Karl replied.</p> + +<p>"Pooh! I don't see why every one seems so afraid of him," Elsa said with +a note of challenge in her tone. "I think I shall meet him just to see +if he will make me run."</p> + +<p>"No, no; don't go near him," Karl begged.</p> + +<p>"And why not? Has he such a sharp tongue or an evil mind? I can take +care of myself."</p> + +<p>"I don't really think you ought to meet him," Karl said, but he spoke +without conviction. He suddenly yielded to a curiosity to see what might +come of a meeting between Elsa and Millar.</p> + +<p>"I don't care; I'm going to hunt him up," she cried, jumping up and +scampering off.</p> + +<p>Millar had gone into an anteroom leading out into the beautiful gardens. +A number of the company had assembled there as he entered, and it was +obvious from the instant silence which ensued that he had been the +subject of their discussion. This seemed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> to gratify his cynical humor, +and he looked the assembled men and women—society puppets—over with a +cynical grin. Elsa was among them, and toward her Millar bowed as he +said:</p> + +<p>"I never knew this number of ladies could be so silent. I presume during +my absence you have been discussing me kindly."</p> + +<p>The others did not speak, but Elsa turned boldly to Millar.</p> + +<p>"Don't flatter yourself that I am afraid of you," she said. "I would say +to your face what these people only dare think. Indeed, I was just going +to look for you."</p> + +<p>"It is just as well you are here; they might discuss you and your +approaching betrothal with Karl," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"You—you know!" Elsa cried in astonishment.</p> + +<p>The others seemed tremendously interested at the information Millar had +imparted, and Elsa was embarrassed. She knew the design of her friend +Olga in bringing her and Karl together, but she was not aware that it +was known to any one else. Millar smiled as he replied:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span>"Of course; they would throw you into his arms."</p> + +<p>While the others who overheard laughed at this sally and Elsa blushed +furiously, Millar went close to her and said:</p> + +<p>"I must speak to you alone. I will send these people away. Leave it to +me."</p> + +<p>Elsa drew away and there was a silence in the room. The others began to +feel uncomfortable as Millar looked slowly from one to the other of +them. One or two essayed conversation, and his cutting, insolent replies +sent them scurrying from the room. In a few moments only he and Elsa +remained in the apartment. From the adjoining ballroom came the strains +of music and the sound of dancing and bright laughter. Millar looked at +Elsa.</p> + +<p>"Now they are gone," he said.</p> + +<p>"Are you not surprised that I did not go also?" she asked. "You offended +me, you know, but I stayed because I want to talk with you."</p> + +<p>"How charming," Millar said with gentle sarcasm.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span>"Perhaps you know my nickname—Saucy Elsa?" said the girl warningly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes."</p> + +<p>"Then you should know that your Chesterfieldian manners embarrass me," +Elsa said impatiently as Millar bowed again before her. "I have selected +you to deliver a most impudent message to that crowd in there, because +you are so perfectly impolite."</p> + +<p>"I am entirely at your disposal, mademoiselle."</p> + +<p>"How can I be impudent, though, when you are so polite to me?" she cried +petulantly.</p> + +<p>"Shall we end the conversation, then?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, not yet," Elsa cried, embarrassed. Then she went on with +determination: "When you came in here you said I was the girl they were +going to throw into Karl's arms."</p> + +<p>"I did."</p> + +<p>"But you did not say that I am the girl who permits herself to be thrown +into Karl's arms. Am I right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span>"Please sit down," Elsa went on, recovering her self-poise, which the +baffling politeness of Millar had disturbed.</p> + +<p>He declined the chair with a gesture, but she insisted.</p> + +<p>"I feel much more commanding when I stand, and I want every advantage," +she said. "I want to set you right, and it will be much easier when you +sit down and I stand."</p> + +<p>Smiling, Millar sat down and looked up at her expectantly. Slightly +confused, she went on:</p> + +<p>"I don't want people making fun of me before my face. I know everything. +Do I make myself clear? You were kind enough to mention the subject, and +I shall delegate to you the mission of explaining the true facts to +those dummies."</p> + +<p>She grew quite vehement, and her cheeks flushed. Millar looked at her +admiringly as he said:</p> + +<p>"Your confidence does me great honor."</p> + +<p>"As a rule I don't take these people seriously," the girl hurried on. "I +have no more interest in them or their opinions than I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> have in last +week's newspapers. But I want them all to know that they have not fooled +me into marrying Karl. And you all want me to marry him—you all want to +throw me into his arms."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me——" Millar interrupted, but she went on, unheeding.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think I can see through your transparent schemes? But I'll +marry him just the same, if he'll have me. Do you understand? I'll marry +him."</p> + +<p>"I do not think you will," Millar said quietly.</p> + +<p>"I tell you I am going to be Karl's wife," Elsa cried with emphasis.</p> + +<p>"Now that you have graced me with your confidence," Millar said, rising, +"I feel that I may be quite frank with you. This marriage cannot take +place."</p> + +<p>He pointed to the chair he had vacated and smiled.</p> + +<p>"Now, you sit down, because I am going to set you right," he said.</p> + +<p>Wonderingly, Elsa obeyed. Millar called a servant who was passing, and +said:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span>"You will find a small red leather case in my overcoat pocket. Bring it +here."</p> + +<p>The servant went out and he continued to Elsa:</p> + +<p>"I know the reason of this marriage, but you—you don't know the reason, +or——"</p> + +<p>"Or what?"</p> + +<p>"Or you don't want to know. Hence you are about to consent."</p> + +<p>"Consent to what?" Elsa cried. "Don't beat around the bush. This is what +I am trying to avoid. I am about to consent to become the wife of a man +who loves another woman. And, what is more, I intend to go on my +honeymoon with a man who has another woman in his heart—who leaves with +this other woman everything he should bring to his wife—love, sympathy, +enthusiasm, everything. You see, you did not know me."</p> + +<p>Millar was unmoved by her vehement declaration. As the servant +re-entered the room and handed him a small, red leather case, he said:</p> + +<p>"I did not think this subject could excite you to such a degree."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>"I don't want any one laughing at me," Elsa protested. "I want them all +to understand that I know quite well the way I am going, and that I go +that way proudly, fully conscious of it—that I know everything and yet +I consent to be his wife."</p> + +<p>"Why?" Millar asked, opening his little satchel.</p> + +<p>"Because—because—I—I love him," the girl answered, and began to sob.</p> + +<p>Millar smiled wickedly as he took from the case a dainty lace +handkerchief and held it toward Elsa.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, I always carry this with me," he said. "It is my weeping +bag. In it is everything a woman needs for weeping."</p> + +<p>Elsa sobbed and dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief, not noticing +that the man was amused.</p> + +<p>"I—I love him," she declared.</p> + +<p>"And take this also," Millar said, handing her a little mirror, then a +powder puff and a tiny stick of rouge. Elsa could not help smiling +through her tears at the absurdity of it, as she dabbed and dusted her +tear-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>stained face, looking at herself in the little mirror, until all +traces of her weeping were removed.</p> + +<p>"So this is the far-famed Saucy Elsa," Millar said as he watched her.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't," she said rebelliously. "When I came here to-night I was +a young, saucy girl. Now I am a nervous old woman. What shall I do?"</p> + +<p>"Whatever you do, you must not be discouraged. You must fight—attack +the enemy. But first of all you must be pretty."</p> + +<p>"I shall try," Elsa said dolefully.</p> + +<p>"You must show that woman your teeth. Of course it is hard for a young +girl to fight a woman," Millar went on. "You don't possess so many +weapons as a married woman who knows love already—who—may I say +something improper?"</p> + +<p>"Please do," she said, her sauciness returning as she held her hands +before her eyes and looked at him through her fingers.</p> + +<p>"A woman who knows all about love that you have yet to learn."</p> + +<p>"I understand," she said.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>"But don't mind that; listen. There is not much sentiment in me, but I +am a man, and I tell you, little girl, you possess the weapon that will +deal the death blow to the most attractive, the most experienced woman +in the world. That weapon is purity."</p> + +<p>"Should I listen to all this?" Elsa asked.</p> + +<p>"You should not," Millar replied promptly; "but listen just the same. It +may help you. And now, go dance with Karl. You must conquer. But don't +try to be a woman; be a girl. Don't try to be saucy."</p> + +<p>"I don't care to be saucy, but it is so original," Elsa said contritely.</p> + +<p>"Don't try to be original," Millar said earnestly. "Be yourself. Be +modest. Be ashamed of your pure white shoulders. Look at Karl as if you +feared he is trying to steal you away from girlhood land and show you +the way to woman's land. And if any one ever dares to call you saucy +again, tell him you once met a gentleman to whom you wanted to give a +piece of your mind and that you left him with a piece of his mind, +feeling very small indeed yourself,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> and making him feel as if he were +the biggest rascal in the world."</p> + +<p>Elsa turned and went toward the other room, meeting Karl at the door as +Millar withdrew behind a curtain of palms.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + + +<p>Millar had played with devilish ingenuity on the tender susceptibilities +of Elsa. He encouraged her in her love for Karl and her determination to +win him, evidently with the deliberate purpose that she should repel the +boy whose will he had determined to subordinate to his own. He watched +as a cat watches its prey the meeting between Karl and Elsa after he +withdrew quietly into the sheltering recess behind the palms.</p> + +<p>Karl had been searching for her and stopped, barring her way into the +ballroom.</p> + +<p>"So here you are at last, Miss Elsa," he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Elsa replied, dropping her eyes demurely.</p> + +<p>"Why are you not in the ballroom?"</p> + +<p>"I wanted to be alone. If any one really wanted me he could find me."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>Her dejection surprised Karl.</p> + +<p>"You seem sad. Are you worried?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then what has happened?" Karl asked.</p> + +<p>He walked toward her, and as he did so Millar emerged from his place of +concealment. Karl looked at him.</p> + +<p>"Ah, now I understand," he said.</p> + +<p>"Surely you do not mean to suspect that I am the cause of Miss Elsa's +unhappiness," he said blandly.</p> + +<p>Karl ignored him and turned to Elsa, looking at her in frank admiration.</p> + +<p>"You are very pretty to-night," he said, going close to her. "It is +because you are yourself—a sweet, pure, natural girl. I like you better +this way, Elsa. I could take you in my arms and hug you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Karl!" Elsa exclaimed, blushing and hiding her face.</p> + +<p>Millar's cynical smile overspread his face, and he turned away, well +satisfied with the progress he was making.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," he murmured. "I must say good-evening to our hostess," and +he stole quietly out.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>The two young people did not notice him. They sat down very close to +each other, Karl leaning forward and looking into the big blue eyes of +the girl. Elsa gave a glance at the disappearing figure of Millar.</p> + +<p>"I am awfully glad to be alone with you, Elsa," Karl said. "You are the +one natural thing in this fetid, artificial atmosphere. Don't you feel +warm?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, as if some hot breeze were blowing through this room. It stifles +me."</p> + +<p>"You never spoke like that before," Karl said.</p> + +<p>His back was toward the ballroom door and he did not see Millar usher +Olga into the room. The man had brought Olga that she might witness the +fulfilment of her plan, and that he might triumph in her jealousy and +further thwart them. Elsa saw them come in and seat themselves across +the room.</p> + +<p>"There is Olga," she said, "and she, too, is jealous. Don't you want to +speak to her?"</p> + +<p>"I have seen her," Karl replied without turning around. "I would rather +talk with you. It's far more interesting."</p> + +<p>"They are talking about us," Elsa said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> warningly, as she saw Olga and +Millar look toward them.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what of it?" Karl exclaimed impatiently. "Let us be glad we are +together. I am just beginning to know you, Elsa."</p> + +<p>"Why do you look around, then?" Elsa said.</p> + +<p>"Am I looking around?" Karl asked. "I wasn't aware of it."</p> + +<p>But even as he spoke he could not help furtively glancing around to see +what Millar and Olga were doing. He remembered the man's declaration in +the studio that afternoon and he distrusted and feared him. He was +beginning to hate him.</p> + +<p>By a sheer effort of will he forced himself to turn to Elsa. He resolved +that he would talk to her; that he would make love to her; that he would +marry her and banish from his heart those hateful emotions which Millar +had aroused. He leaned forward and spoke of love to the girl in low +tones, while Elsa, with color coming and going in her face, listened and +watched the woman she knew for her rival.</p> + +<p>"Our first love usually is our last love<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span>—our last love always is the +first," Karl said.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," Elsa cried demurely. "I have never been in love, +although I was disappointed twice," she added gayly.</p> + +<p>Karl was beginning to find his task difficult. His attention wandered to +Olga.</p> + +<p>"Disappointments; well, yes, who has not been disappointed?"</p> + +<p>Elsa observed his growing inattention, his efforts to concentrate his +thoughts on their talk, his futile love-making, and she turned from him +coldly. Meanwhile Millar and Olga were having a conversation in which +Olga was being torn on the rack of her jealous emotions.</p> + +<p>Millar had brought her into the anteroom to show her Karl making love to +Elsa. Every circumstance favored his design. Olga at first was disposed +to withdraw when she saw them.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think we should leave the young people together?" she said.</p> + +<p>"You are too considerate," Millar replied cynically.</p> + +<p>"They seem to be growing fond of each other," Olga said jealously.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"><a name="IMAGE_5" id="IMAGE_5"></a> +<img src="images/img005.jpg" width="500" height="307" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"THEY SEEM TO BE GROWING FOND OF EACH OTHER," OLGA SAID JEALOUSLY.—Page +108.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img005-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>"Yes; do you dislike it?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Shall we leave now?"</p> + +<p>"No; I rather enjoy watching my seed bear fruit."</p> + +<p>Olga tried to speak lightly and smile. Millar, watching her closely, saw +her lips twitch, and it was with difficulty that she controlled herself.</p> + +<p>"They are an interesting couple," he said.</p> + +<p>"Can't we discuss something besides these two?" Olga asked impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Yes, certainly," Millar acquiesced. "I came here to-night to decide a +wager," he went on.</p> + +<p>"What was it?" Olga asked absently, looking with jealous eyes at Elsa +and Karl.</p> + +<p>"I made a wager that you would fall in love with me to-night."</p> + +<p>Olga was startled by the declaration, but she treated it lightly as one +of Millar's strange sayings.</p> + +<p>"With whom did you make such a wager?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"With Karl," Millar answered quickly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>"Karl—and what did he say?" Olga cried, almost rising from her seat.</p> + +<p>"I must not tell you now; it might hurt you."</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, it won't; please tell me now," Olga pleaded, leaning over the +table toward him.</p> + +<p>Millar, too, leaned forward, his face almost touching her white +shoulder, his hand touching hers as it rested on the table. It was thus +Karl saw them with one of those furtive glances, and the glist froze the +pretty speech he was trying to make to Elsa. The girl, seeing his look, +jumped to her feet, exclaiming angrily, and so that all three heard her:</p> + +<p>"Take me to the ballroom immediately. I have promised the next dance."</p> + +<p>Karl also, his face white with passion, had jumped to his feet. Elsa, +almost in tears, stamped her foot at him.</p> + +<p>"Why do you stand there? Take me away. Aren't you coming?"</p> + +<p>She turned and started to the door, Karl following. They passed Millar +and Olga, still seated at the table.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span>"I thought you were in the ballroom," Olga said sweetly to the girl.</p> + +<p>"Oh, did you?"</p> + +<p>"I hope you are enjoying the dancing."</p> + +<p>"I hate dancing, but I shall dance every dance to-night," Elsa cried +passionately.</p> + +<p>She looked angrily at Olga, who arose and moved toward her. Karl stepped +between them, giving his arm to Elsa. The two walked together, leaving +Olga looking helplessly into the smiling face of Millar.</p> + +<p>Olga looked angrily at the stormy little Elsa as she floundered from the +room into the ballroom, followed by the enraged Karl. Millar smiled more +cynically than ever as he saw the play of emotion on Olga's face. His +ruse had worked admirably. He had at least beaten down Olga's will, but +he had yet to make certain of Karl.</p> + +<p>"How dared she speak like that?" Olga demanded, turning to her cynic +Millar. "Karl must love her."</p> + +<p>"Let us not reach conclusions so hastily," Millar said. "First let me +tell you how Karl answered me this afternoon."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span>"When you made the wager?" Olga asked quickly.</p> + +<p>"Yes; when I promised to make you fall in love with me."</p> + +<p>"What did he say?"</p> + +<p>"He tried to kill me," Millar answered slowly.</p> + +<p>The color rushed to Olga's cheeks. Her eyes sparkled as she turned them +toward her tempter. It was delight she felt; mad, unreasoning joy that +Karl's love for her had prompted him to kill another who threatened to +win her from him. Still smiling, Millar went on, taking the shining +revolver from his pocket and showing it to her:</p> + +<p>"With his own hands, dear lady, Karl tried to kill me with this little +pistol. I took it away from him."</p> + +<p>"He tried to shoot you?" Olga exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and he would have done so. This is nicely loaded for six."</p> + +<p>Almost to herself Olga whispered her next words:</p> + +<p>"This afternoon he wanted to kill you when you only spoke of making love +to me, and now—he saw you whisper in my ear,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> hold my hand, touch my +shoulders. Why, he must have fallen in love with——"</p> + +<p>"Don't you think it silly to shoot a friend on account of a woman?" +Millar interrupted, before she could pronounce Elsa's name.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's fond of me—perhaps you said something about me," Olga +stumbled on hurriedly. "Karl holds me in high regard, but, there is no +doubt of it, these young people are in love."</p> + +<p>"I fear you regret the success of your matrimonial scheme for Karl and +Elsa," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"Do you think it will be successful?" she asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, but we may find out easily enough."</p> + +<p>"How?"</p> + +<p>Millar took a turn up and down the room, his up-slanting eyebrows drawn +together in deep thought.</p> + +<p>"This afternoon he tried to shoot me when I told him I would make you +fall in love with me," he said, stopping in front of Olga. "That means +love. Don't speak to me of respect or regard, my dear lady. They fire +off<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> cannons in salute out of respect, but when they draw pistols, that +means love. Now, you think Karl loves this little girl. Suppose we find +out who is right. We will make Karl tell us himself."</p> + +<p>Olga turned away with a gesture of dissent, but Millar went on +insinuatingly:</p> + +<p>"Of course, I understand it interests you only because you planned this +marriage, and after all it is only right that you should feel a certain +amount of pride in the success of your plans. Is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, that is true."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then; Karl shall tell us which was real—his attempt to +murder me or this little affair with Elsa."</p> + +<p>"But how—you don't mean to ask Karl?" Olga asked in bewilderment. "You +are not going to listen at key-holes?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, madam, no."</p> + +<p>"Then how can we make him tell us?"</p> + +<p>"It is simple; I have a plan. But you must follow my instructions to the +letter. Don't ask for any reasons; simply do as I say."</p> + +<p>Olga looked at him reflectively. She knew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> instinctively that he had +some new bit of devilish ingenuity, some sinister twist of that +marvelous brain, and she was afraid. But she wanted more than anything +else to be assured that Karl did not love Elsa; that her scheme for +their marriage had failed, and she replied:</p> + +<p>"Very well, it is agreed."</p> + +<p>"I saw you once at the opera with a very beautiful cloak that covered +you completely from your neck to your shoe tips. Have you such a cloak +now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Good. Put this cloak on. Let only your bare neck show above it and the +tips of your shoes beneath. Button it from top to bottom, as if you felt +cold. Then we shall need but the presence of yourself and Karl, here in +this room, to solve the problem."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 302px;"><a name="IMAGE_6" id="IMAGE_6"></a> +<img src="images/img006.jpg" width="302" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"LET ONLY YOUR BARE NECK SHOW ABOVE YOUR CLOAK, AND THE +TIPS OF YOUR SHOES BENEATH IT."—Page 115.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img006-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p>Olga looked at Millar a moment in silence. There flashed instantly +through her mind the full meaning of his daring suggestion, and at first +she was on the point of indignant refusal. Then she as quickly resolved +to carry out the scheme; to beat the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> man at his own cunning game; to +find out for herself what Karl really felt.</p> + +<p>"Unconditionally obey me and we shall know everything," Millar assured +her, observing her hesitation.</p> + +<p>"This is very mysterious," Olga said slowly. "What strange influence do +you possess that compels me to obey your will? Your eyes seem to have +all the wisdom of the world behind them."</p> + +<p>"You do my eyes poor, scant justice," Millar replied. "Now go, dear +madam. If any one expresses astonishment that you wear a cloak indoors, +simply say that you felt cold."</p> + +<p>"It really is cold," Olga said with a little shiver as they turned away.</p> + +<p>"Out this way," Millar said quickly, pointing to the palms and a door +beyond them. "Karl is coming."</p> + +<p>Olga gathered her skirts up and hurried from the room just as Karl +entered. The young artist caught a glimpse of her dress as she +disappeared behind the palms. He looked at Millar with jealous rage +making his eyes glow.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>"Who was that?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"Who?" Millar asked, blandly.</p> + +<p>"Did Olga run away from me?"</p> + +<p>"No one ran from you that I know of, Karl. That is a pretty girl, my +young friend, that little Elsa."</p> + +<p>"Yes, she is pretty," Karl replied absently, sitting down at a table.</p> + +<p>He was still tortured by the sight of Millar leaning over Olga, touching +her hands, whispering in her ear. He was tormented by the insinuating +words the man had uttered in the afternoon when he swore that Olga +should love him; should be his. He would have liked to take Millar's +throat in his two hands and throttle him.</p> + +<p>Keenly aware of the inferno he had raised in Karl, Millar continued to +chat affably, Karl not deigning to answer. Finally Millar said:</p> + +<p>"You seem annoyed."</p> + +<p>Karl lost control of himself and leaped to his feet. He went close to +Millar, staring into his eyes.</p> + +<p>"I am annoyed. Do you want to know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> why?" he demanded, putting all the +insolence he could command into his tone.</p> + +<p>"No," Millar replied with a smile.</p> + +<p>"I want to tell you why," Karl declared.</p> + +<p>"Please don't," Millar said deprecatingly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I will," Karl went on belligerently. "I am amazed at the change +which has come over you since this afternoon. Don't imagine that it is +on account of Olga—we won't discuss her at all."</p> + +<p>"Certainly not; she is out of the question," Millar assented warmly.</p> + +<p>"Absolutely," Karl went on. "I came here this evening determined to ask +Elsa to marry me."</p> + +<p>"Fine! I am very glad to hear it. I wish you good luck, my boy!" Millar +cried with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"You are glad?"</p> + +<p>"Delighted," Millar assured him.</p> + +<p>"It does not take you long to change your mind," Karl continued, still +with a truculent air. "This afternoon you insisted I should not marry +Elsa. To-night you are delighted at the prospect."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span>"Oh, yes; I see the matter now in a different light."</p> + +<p>"Then it was Olga who ran away as I entered!" Karl almost shouted, +glaring at him menacingly.</p> + +<p>"Ran away? Why should she run away?" Millar asked, pretending +embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"Don't act like a cad!" Karl cried threateningly.</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, Karl?"</p> + +<p>"I mean exactly what I say. Don't act like a cad. If you were a +gentleman you would hide your pleasure."</p> + +<p>Millar pretended to be shocked at the indignation of the young artist, +which secretly delighted him.</p> + +<p>"Don't talk that way, Karl," he urged. "As you seem to have penetrated +my secret, I suppose I might as well—but have you made up your mind to +marry Elsa?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely."</p> + +<p>"And you will not change your mind—you promise?"</p> + +<p>"I will not change my mind."</p> + +<p>"Well, of course, if that is the case, I can tell you. I——"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>He hesitated as if embarrassed at his own question. Karl cried roughly:</p> + +<p>"And did you succeed?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I——"</p> + +<p>"What of her husband?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, Karl, he is deaf, dumb and blind," Millar cried gleefully.</p> + +<p>Stifled with the pain at his heart, Karl turned away.</p> + +<p>"This afternoon, at my house, you met her for the first time," he said.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Karl, she is a clever woman; cleverer than I thought," Millar said, +affecting tremendous enthusiasm. "She deceived me this afternoon about +her true character; she has been deceiving all of you. I am sure of it. +Oh, she is grand, fantastic, passionate, daring. Think of it, Karl," he +went on, going close to the boy and leaning over him, bringing out his +words so that every one seemed to penetrate his heart; "think of it, +to-night a kiss behind a door in front of which her husband was +standing. Danger fascinates her. And just now, a moment before you came, +we agreed——"</p> + +<p>"So it was she?" Karl interrupted.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span>"Oh, yes, it was she," Millar admitted. "I suggested a wild plan, Karl; +almost too daring for the first day of our acquaintance. Her honor, +position, everything depend upon its success. Of course I did not dream +she would carry it out. I suggested it merely to sound the depths of her +passion. But she loved the idea and insisted upon doing it this very +night. If it fails we are lost."</p> + +<p>Karl trembled with apprehension for Olga, whom he believed in the +devilish power of this man.</p> + +<p>"What is it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"She will be here in one minute, dressed in an opera cloak—and nothing +else. Think of it, Karl; the daring of it. She will walk through the +ballroom on my arm, among all those people, her friends, her husband, +with no one in the secret but we two—and you. Ah, Karl, I told you she +would be mine," Millar concluded with rapturous accents.</p> + +<p>With a wild cry Karl sprang at Millar, hurling one word at him:</p> + +<p>"Liar!"</p> + +<p>"Karl, be careful," Millar protested, avoiding him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>"It's a lie; a damnable, dirty lie!" Karl cried, trying blindly to reach +him, to grasp his throat to throttle him.</p> + +<p>Millar deftly avoided him and laughed triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"I have trapped you who tried to trap me," he cried. "You love Olga +Hofmann."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I love her," Karl cried loudly. "I love her, and yet I will marry +Elsa. Now, I have listened to your infernal lies; I have watched you +gloat over them. Men like you steal a woman's reputation and boast of it +and call it a success. But you shall pay for it, now, this minute, when +I kick you out of the house. Out with you, like a sneak-thief that you +are!"</p> + +<p>He advanced determinedly on Millar, who quietly faced him.</p> + +<p>"Remember, Karl, that I have the pistol now," he said coolly.</p> + +<p>"Out with you, you sneak-thief; I am not afraid of you," Karl cried +again.</p> + +<p>He was about to seize Millar by the throat, when he started back in +amazement at what seemed to be the fulfilment of the other's sinister +promise. Olga stepped through the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> door into the room. She was clothed +from head to foot in a beautiful, shimmering, fur-trimmed cloak.</p> + +<p>Above the top button gleamed her bare throat. Her white arms projected +from the short sleeves. The hem of the skirt fell to the tips of her +white satin shoes.</p> + +<p>As Olga entered she gave one glance at Karl and then moved away from +him, and stood beside the table at which she and Millar had been seated. +She saw the wild rage stamped on his face, and her woman's intuition +made her know that Millar had told him what she had divined he meant. +The situation frightened her, and she felt on the point of fleeing from +the room or casting aside the cloak; but she resolved to see the game +through.</p> + +<p>Karl stared at her, rage giving place to amazement, then to despair. For +full a minute no one spoke. The music floated in softly from the +ballroom, mingled with the hum of voices and laughter. Olga was the +first to break the stillness, but she did not look at him as she spoke.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>"Karl, this is the first time I have had a chance to talk with you +to-night," she said.</p> + +<p>"What is that?" Karl absently asked.</p> + +<p>He had not heard; his mind was confused, bewildered. Millar, cynically +misunderstanding his question, said quickly:</p> + +<p>"Why, that is an opera cloak."</p> + +<p>Olga turned quickly, fearful that the remark might cause an eruption +which she could not control. She cried impulsively, seeking to divert +the threatening train of conversation:</p> + +<p>"The ball is a great success. Every one is merry; every one dances as if +it were the first affair of the season. The girls are all as happy as +young widows who have just taken off mourning."</p> + +<p>"I have observed it," Millar agreed with enthusiasm. "It is splendid. +But why is Karl so sad amid all this merry-making?" he added.</p> + +<p>"Why are you sad, Karl?" Olga asked, turning to him.</p> + +<p>"I sad? You are silly," Karl cried with forced gayety. "I never felt +happier in all my life."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>There was a touch of hysteria in his voice that made Olga's heart go out +to him.</p> + +<p>"I am glad you are having such a good time," she said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; I feel like a schoolboy," Karl cried wildly; "like a young +tiger. I'm mad with joy. I will get drunk to-night. I will drink, drink +drink until the angels in heaven sing to me—as you said this +afternoon," he added, turning to Millar.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Karl," Olga pleaded, thoroughly frightened. "Why, you never +drank. Why should you drink to-night?"</p> + +<p>"Because I am doing things to-night I never did before," Karl replied +bitterly. "I have never been engaged before; to-night I shall be +engaged."</p> + +<p>"Good! fine, Karl," Millar exclaimed. "She is a splendid girl."</p> + +<p>"Splendid girl! What do I care what sort of a girl she is? It's not the +girl; it's marriage—something new. I want to see what it is like."</p> + +<p>"For a bridegroom you are not very gay," Millar said tauntingly.</p> + +<p>"Gay! Why should I be gay? I am<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> drinking the last bitter drops of my +bachelor days—but I'll swallow them, and then—purity."</p> + +<p>"Bravo, Karl!" Olga said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't care what any one else thinks about it," Karl sneered at +her. "I am doing this to please myself."</p> + +<p>Olga was hurt and surprised at his tone. She had never seen him so +completely beside himself before; she had never heard him speak so +bitterly, so vindictively. As she watched him he looked at her, and a +spasm of pain contorted his face. He pointed his finger at her +accusingly, and cried:</p> + +<p>"Why are you wearing that cloak in the house?"</p> + +<p>"Madam Hofmann may be cold," Millar suggested quietly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes; I am cold," Olga said hurriedly, drawing the cloak around her +more closely.</p> + +<p>"You are fortunate to have such a beautiful cloak," Millar said, +determined now to keep them at the main point of his game.</p> + +<p>"Suppose we do not talk about the cloak,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> Olga said. "You and Elsa +seemed to get on nicely to-night, Karl."</p> + +<p>"Yes," he replied absently.</p> + +<p>"Really, it was charming to watch such devoted young people," Millar +said.</p> + +<p>Karl flashed a look of hatred at him and turned again to Olga.</p> + +<p>"That cloak is lined with fur, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>Before she could reply Millar had interrupted in his silken, insinuating +voice:</p> + +<p>"Yes, soft, smooth fur."</p> + +<p>"I did not speak to you," Karl cried at him savagely. "Well?" he +demanded of Olga.</p> + +<p>"Soft, smooth fur," Olga replied. "It is cold in here."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense; it is hot. I feel stifling," Karl declared.</p> + +<p>"I feel chilly," Olga insisted.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps madam is not dressed warmly enough," Millar insinuated. "You +should wear plenty of clothes in the winter time, or you may run the +chance of taking cold."</p> + +<p>Olga caught her breath and then she answered:</p> + +<p>"I love to take chances."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>"You do, eh?" Karl cried.</p> + +<p>"Yes; what is it to you?" she asked tauntingly.</p> + +<p>Karl threw his self-control to the winds. With flaming face and a voice +that shook with anger, he cried:</p> + +<p>"Aren't you two afraid of me?"</p> + +<p>Olga was afraid and she looked at him apprehensively. Millar smiled his +cynical, sinister smile and answered:</p> + +<p>"Afraid? I'm not afraid of the husband. Why should I be afraid of a +moralizing, joyless bridegroom?"</p> + +<p>Karl took a step toward him, when Herman entered the room. All three +were silent and Herman looked at them in surprise.</p> + +<p>"What is this—a conspiracy?" he asked gayly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no, merely a conversation," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"Well, Karl, how are you getting along with Elsa?" Herman asked, taking +the boy by the arm and walking off with him.</p> + +<p>Olga watched them as they disappeared, going into the ballroom, Karl +evidently re<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>luctant to be taken away. Then she turned to Millar.</p> + +<p>"What did you tell him about my cloak?"</p> + +<p>"About the cloak? Nothing."</p> + +<p>"You did not tell him——"</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"He stared at me as if he thought—thought I had on only this cloak."</p> + +<p>"That is exactly what I told him," Millar assured her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, how could you?"</p> + +<p>"Now don't be shocked," Millar said cynically. "You knew it. The moment +you entered the room you realized that I had told him. And what is more +you liked it."</p> + +<p>"How dare you!" Olga gasped, "If I had understood——"</p> + +<p>"If you had understood, would you have taken off the cloak?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, now you understand, why do you not take it off?"</p> + +<p>Olga raised her head and looked straight into Millar's eyes. She said +not a word, but drew her cloak more closely about her with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> a movement +that sent a thrill of suspicion and surprise through him.</p> + +<p>"Madam, you didn't really?" he cried in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Do you think I am a child?" she asked. "Do you imagine that I did not +understand your suggestion from the very first? You wanted me to fool +Karl. Perhaps I have fooled you. How do you know I am not nude beneath +this cloak?"</p> + +<p>"Madam!" Millar cried in wide-eyed amazement.</p> + +<p>"Now let us see if you will take a chance," Olga said. "Give me your +arm, my dear doctor, and we will walk together through the ballroom."</p> + +<p>Millar was at a loss for a moment. His imperturbable calm was broken. +Olga had matched her woman's intuition against his cunning and had won. +But his bewilderment gave way to undisguised admiration, and, bowing as +gallantly as a youthful sweetheart, he gave her his arm.</p> + +<p>As they were about to leave, however, Karl suddenly barred their way, +coming hurriedly in from the ballroom.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span>"Are you coming in with us, Karl?" Olga asked, as they paused.</p> + +<p>"No," Karl almost shouted; "and you are not going—you stay here."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean what I said. You stay here. And you, too," he added to Millar.</p> + +<p>He turned and closed the ballroom door. Then he faced them again.</p> + +<p>"We will settle this thing right here. Take off that cloak."</p> + +<p>"I will not."</p> + +<p>"By heavens, I'll tear it off," he cried furiously, rushing at her.</p> + +<p>Olga stood unmoved. Millar caught Karl by the arm and stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Why did you stop him?" Olga asked, smiling.</p> + +<p>She was perfectly self-possessed now and in command of the situation. +Millar was frankly afraid that she had taken his meaning literally. Karl +was mad with rage and jealousy. Olga was unruffled.</p> + +<p>"Madam, I was afraid," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"You will take it off," Karl cried, still held back by Millar. "If you +do not, I'll<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> find your husband and he shall have the pleasure."</p> + +<p>Olga turned to him sweetly.</p> + +<p>"Karl, will you help me off with my cloak?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Karl almost leaped toward her, but when his hands nearly touched her +cloak he drew back, afraid. Slowly he backed away from her, while she +smiled.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Millar, will you help me remove my cloak?" she asked sweetly.</p> + +<p>Millar put out his hands as if to do so, but quickly folded them over +his breast, bowed very low and smiled, cynically shaking his head.</p> + +<p>Olga looked first at one and then the other with her tantalizing smile. +The three might have been carved of stone, so still were they when +Herman entered.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Karl; I lost you when I went to find Elsa," he said. "What are +you talking about?"</p> + +<p>"I think we have been discussing cloaks," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see Olga is wearing one. Isn't it rather warm for that, dear?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>"Yes, it is, but I felt chilly a while ago," Olga answered. "Will you +help me off with it, Herman?"</p> + +<p>Herman stepped to her side as she loosened the clasps, and lifted the +beautiful fur-lined garment from her shoulders. She stood before them +again in the beauty of her shimmering evening gown, her white arms and +shoulders gleaming, her lips parted in a dazzling smile.</p> + +<p>Karl did not speak. He half involuntarily made a step toward Olga, and +she, fearing what he might say, cried lightly:</p> + +<p>"Now, I have devoted too much time to you two. My guests are departing. +I must go. Come, Herman."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + + +<p>Herman took his wife's arm, and together they returned to the ballroom. +Karl watched them disappear and turned on Millar as if to attack him. +There was such menace in his manner, the frenzied appearance of his +face, that Millar put his hand behind him quickly and half drew his +revolver.</p> + +<p>Before either spoke, however, Elsa entered from the ballroom. She was in +her cloak, ready to leave, and said, holding out her hand to Karl:</p> + +<p>"I wanted to say good-by."</p> + +<p>Her voice seemed to awaken Karl as from a bad dream. He took her hand +eagerly, stepped forward impulsively as if he would take her in his arms +and kiss her, but Millar interposed himself between them, and a servant +entered at the same moment. Checked in his advance, Karl said:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>"I shall take you to your carriage."</p> + +<p>The servant announced that Elsa's aunt awaited her. She took Karl's arm, +and Millar directed the servant to follow them.</p> + +<p>"The sidewalk is very slippery," he said. "Take Miss Elsa's other arm."</p> + +<p>He was determined not to give the beautiful girl a chance alone with +Karl. In the young artist's present excited state almost anything might +occur to wreck his plans.</p> + +<p>As the two went out, followed by the servant, Olga came in excitedly. +She looked around to see that Millar was alone and said:</p> + +<p>"Your plan worked splendidly."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do now?" asked Millar anxiously, as Olga sat at a +table and took out writing materials.</p> + +<p>"I am going to write to him," she answered, addressing an envelope.</p> + +<p>"But what will you say?"</p> + +<p>"I shall tell him," Olga said wearily, with her hands clasped to her +forehead, "never to speak to me again. I never want to see him. He must +leave town immediately. To think he believed me capable of——"</p> + +<p>"Of what?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>"Ah, it is all over," Olga cried, ignoring him. "I never want to see him +again, because——"</p> + +<p>"Because you love him?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, no. After what has happened I hate him."</p> + +<p>"I am very sorry, madam," Millar said contritely.</p> + +<p>"You need not be," Olga assured him. "I am glad it happened. With all +your cynicism you are clever and you have done me a great service. When +I know that this letter is in his hands again I shall be perfectly +happy," she went on, dipping her pen in the ink-well.</p> + +<p>"You say I have helped you; let me render you one more service," Millar +urged.</p> + +<p>"What can that be?" Olga asked.</p> + +<p>"I have begun this; let me finish it. Let me dictate this letter. You +are excited. You cannot think of things to say. It must be firm, +strong."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 302px;"><a name="IMAGE_7" id="IMAGE_7"></a> +<img src="images/img007.jpg" width="302" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"I HAVE BEGUN THIS, LET ME FINISH IT. LET ME DICTATE THIS +LETTER."—Page 136.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img007-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p>"Yes, firm, strong," Olga acquiesced.</p> + +<p>"Undoubtedly," Millar went on. "Let me tell you what to say."</p> + +<p>Wearily Olga yielded to his spell. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> seemed under hypnotic +influence as she replied:</p> + +<p>"Very well, I shall write whatever you tell me to say."</p> + +<p>Millar stood behind her chair, hovering over her like an evil spirit. +His singular, expressive hands twitched.</p> + +<p>"Good. I shall try to express your thoughts," he said. "Cold, formal?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it must be so," Olga said.</p> + +<p>"It is finished forever?"</p> + +<p>"Forever."</p> + +<p>"Then write," he ordered.</p> + +<p>She settled herself to her task. Leaning over her, Millar suggested a +sinister hypnotist bending a helpless victim to his will. He dictated, +while Olga wrote:</p> + +<p>"I have found out what I dreaded to learn—that you love me. Your +behavior to-night convinced me. I could not place any other +interpretation on it, and my own heart answered, I cannot, dare not, see +you again. God knows I want to; I long for the happiness that I might +find with you, but I must not. Only the certainty that I am not to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span> see +you impels me to this confession. Good-by forever."</p> + +<p>When this was finished Olga dropped her pen and stared at the letter. +Before she could do anything, Millar had taken the sheet of paper, +blotted it, folded it and placed it within the envelope, which he +deposited in his pocket.</p> + +<p>"What have I written?" Olga cried, bewildered.</p> + +<p>"The last letter," Millar replied, with a smile of triumph. "I will +deliver it to Karl," he said.</p> + +<p>Olga passed her hands wearily over her eyes, and struggled to clear her +mind of the strange, intricate network of intrigue, insinuation and +suggestion which Millar had woven there. She thought she was rid of his +sinister influence until her fingers wrote, in obedience to his will, +the letter which she would have given anything to have left unwritten.</p> + +<p>When she looked up, Millar was putting the letter in his pocket, and his +face wore the evil, cynical smile.</p> + +<p>"I wrote it, yet I am ashamed of what I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> have written," she faltered, +speaking with difficulty. "I tried to resist—yes, I did—but my hands, +my pen, followed your words. You are a very strange man."</p> + +<p>"I will deliver the letter to Karl," Millar repeated slowly.</p> + +<p>"You know I did not mean it; you know I did not want to write it," Olga +said.</p> + +<p>"A woman does not always write what she wants," Millar said lightly, +"but she always wants what she writes."</p> + +<p>"The letter was not for him; it was for me," Olga insisted.</p> + +<p>She arose and her hand was extended imploringly, begging Millar to +return the missive to her, when Herman entered. The house had grown +still. The music was hushed, the guests were gone. Only Millar, spirit +of evil, incarnation of the devil, remained.</p> + +<p>"This is good of you, to stay behind and entertain the hostess," Herman +said cordially.</p> + +<p>"Madam Hofmann's conversation has been so entertaining that I quite +forgot the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> time," Millar said, looking at his watch. "By Jove! it is +late; I must go immediately."</p> + +<p>"Won't you have some cognac before you go out? The night is cold," +Herman urged.</p> + +<p>"No, I thank you; I have an important engagement in the morning, and it +is now too late. Madam, I must bid you good-night. I have really spent a +very pleasant evening."</p> + +<p>Millar started toward the door. Olga uttered a half-suppressed cry, and +he turned inquiringly.</p> + +<p>"I left a letter lying here on the table; did you, perhaps, pick it up?" +she asked nervously.</p> + +<p>She was almost weeping and spoke in a half-hysterical tone. Millar, +without changing countenance, drew the letter from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps this is it," he said, holding it up. "If it is of interest to +your husband——"</p> + +<p>He made a movement as if to hand it to Herman. Fear clutched at Olga's +heart and she cried quickly:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>"No, no, it was not that; it was nothing."</p> + +<p>She forced herself to laugh. Millar bowed with impressive politeness and +left the room. Herman bowed the strange guest out, and then noticed for +the first time Olga's weariness and distress.</p> + +<p>"You look tired, dear," he said tenderly. "It has been a long evening."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am tired," she said sadly.</p> + +<p>Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. As she stood leaning +against the table Herman thought her prettier than he had ever seen her +before. He went up to her, took her hands in his and kissed her.</p> + +<p>"You seem excited, too," he said. "It makes you prettier, and I like it, +my dear, sweet, darling wife."</p> + +<p>Olga shrank from his caress so obviously that Herman was hurt. She +withdrew her hands.</p> + +<p>"Please don't," she said. "I am awfully nervous."</p> + +<p>"Your cheeks are burning, dear," he said, touching them.</p> + +<p>"Don't, Herman; I wish to be alone for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> a few minutes; to rest all +alone. Please leave me here."</p> + +<p>"Very well, it shall be as you wish," Herman replied, adding as he left +the room:</p> + +<p>"But it would be better if you went to sleep."</p> + +<p>A servant entered, and Olga signed to him to extinguish the lights. In a +few moments she was alone, in semi-darkness, the room being partially +lighted by the reflected light from the garden lamps. As she sat there, +the tall, sinister figure of Millar, in his fur overcoat and his top +hat, passed the window.</p> + +<p>"It would be better if I went to sleep," Olga repeated to herself +slowly.</p> + +<p>Just then the shadow of Millar, as he passed in front of one of the +garden lamps, was thrown against the white wall of the room, and she +could hear distinctly his cynical chuckle. With a cry of horror she +raised herself to her full height, put out her hands to ward off the +evil spell, and shrieked:</p> + +<p>"No! no! no!"</p> + +<p>Then she sank fainting on the floor. For a moment the shadow lingered +above her, and faded.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>When Karl left the home of Herman and Olga to conduct Elsa and her aunt +to their carriage he did not return. He was deeply ashamed of the +suspicion he had entertained, and humiliated at the trick played upon +his overheated imagination by Millar. He could not bear to face Olga or +his tormentor.</p> + +<p>Sending the servant back for his overcoat and hat, he plunged along +through the snow, walking briskly. Old Heinrich had gone to bed when he +reached the studio. There remained but a few hours of the night, but +Karl could not bring himself to sleep. He paced restlessly up and down +the studio, his mind tortured by the thoughts so skilfully implanted +there by Millar.</p> + +<p>He was not surprised when the door bell rang and it was Millar whom he +admitted. His strange visitor shook the snow from his great fur coat and +laid it aside. Then he walked over to the grate where the fire burned +cheerfully and stood in front of it, rubbing his hands as he held them +out to the blaze.</p> + +<p>Karl resumed his restless march up and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span> down the room. Millar watched +him cynically for a few moments.</p> + +<p>"You seem nervous this morning, Karl," he said.</p> + +<p>"I am nervous; I'm crazy," Karl answered.</p> + +<p>"You ought to be very happy," Millar insinuated.</p> + +<p>"Ought to be happy! I ought to be miserable—as I am, but it is all +through your evil machinations. You have made me reveal all that is evil +in me to the woman——"</p> + +<p>"To the woman you love?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, to the woman I love and have no right to love; to the woman whose +honor I have held sacred for six years; to the woman I must never see +again."</p> + +<p>"You will see her again," Millar asserted quietly.</p> + +<p>"How base she must think me," Karl went on wildly. "I did not know +myself; I did not dream that I could be so rotten."</p> + +<p>"You will see her again," Millar repeated. "She will come to you of her +own free will here, in this very studio, to-day, and she will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> tell you +with her lips on yours that she loves you."</p> + +<p>"Stop! I won't listen to your infernal insinuations. You have ruined my +happiness; you shall not ruin hers. I want you to keep out of her way. +Do you understand? I give you fair warning."</p> + +<p>"My dear Karl, you don't know what you are saying. I shall not mar her +happiness or yours."</p> + +<p>"Why did you play that evil trick on me to-night?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you dull, young artist? Because I wanted to show her that you +loved her; that you cared not two straws for that little slip of a girl +to whom you were trying to play devoted. Because I wanted to show her +that her great love is not wasted on an empty-pated ass."</p> + +<p>"Her love!"</p> + +<p>"Of course. Her love. She loves you, and has loved you for six years, +and you were blind and did not know it."</p> + +<p>"It is not true. It must not be so. She is a true, loyal wife to my +friend."</p> + +<p>"Bah! Do you want her to be loyal to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> that big boor of a husband when +she loves you?"</p> + +<p>"I refuse to listen to you any further. Now, let me tell you this. I am +going away. I shall not see Olga again. I shall close my studio and +return to Paris. And I wish not to see you again. Do you understand? I +am going to bed now. When I awake I want you to be gone. Don't let me +find you here."</p> + +<p>"You are not hospitable, my dear young friend," Millar said, smiling and +bowing. He seemed genuinely amused at the passionate outburst of the +young artist.</p> + +<p>"I believe you are the devil!" Karl cried.</p> + +<p>"And you don't find the devil a pleasing personage to look upon, except +when he is decked out by poets in the disguise of Cupid," Millar +sneered.</p> + +<p>Karl abruptly left the room, going into his own room and locking the +door. He threw himself upon the bed and tried to sleep, but for hours he +lay awake, haunted by the sinister shadow of his temptation.</p> + +<p>Left alone, Millar sank comfortably back in the big, Gothic arm-chair +before the fire.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> The red glow of the flames seemed to absorb him. He +was merged in the shadows—light and shadow, as they played around the +big chair, from whence there came his devilish chuckle.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Olga's maid, alarmed at the prolonged absence of her mistress, found her +moaning on the floor, where she had fallen in a swoon after Millar's +departure. The maid helped her mistress to her room and to bed.</p> + +<p>"As soon as it is daylight go to Monsieur Karl's studio and find out at +what time he will arise. Let no one else know that you go there. And +awaken me as soon as it is possible for me to see him."</p> + +<p>"Yes, madam."</p> + +<p>Olga meant to get to Karl to intercept the letter which Millar had +tricked her into writing. She meant to tell him to go away; to end +everything between them. But, although she did not know it, she was +blindly obeying the evil will of Millar.</p> + +<p>Broad, glaring daylight had come when Heinrich entered the +reception-room of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> studio. He divined no presence. There were no +conflicting passions in his old heart. He pottered about, humming an old +song to himself, dusting the vases and paintings, stirring the +slumbering fire, until the door bell rang.</p> + +<p>He admitted to the anteroom a beautiful young woman whom he had never +seen before. When he returned to the reception-room to ruminate on the +situation he was confronted by the figure of Millar—the figure of the +devil.</p> + +<p>"I—I beg your pardon; I did not know you were here," he said.</p> + +<p>"I am here," Millar responded cheerfully. "Who rang?"</p> + +<p>"A lady, sir."</p> + +<p>"A real lady?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"That's odd. What does she want?"</p> + +<p>"She wants to see my master, sir, Mr. Karl."</p> + +<p>Heinrich hurried out and ushered in Elsa. The poor little girl had lost +her bravado of the night before. She was ready to humble herself. She +was stricken with the ter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>rible malady. She was in love; she +acknowledged it to herself, and she knew that the man she loved had his +heart elsewhere. But she had resolved to make a fight—to win him if she +could, and she had taken this desperate move.</p> + +<p>She was startled, though, when she was ushered into the reception-room +and saw Millar there, his hands on his breast, bowing profoundly.</p> + +<p>"You seem to be everywhere," she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? +Are you Karl's secretary?"</p> + +<p>Millar was transformed back into his frock coat, his immaculate +trousers, his wine-colored waistcoat. He was again the polished, suave, +affable gentleman of the afternoon, with ingratiating manner, cynical +smile and insinuating words.</p> + +<p>"No, I am not Karl's servant; only his friend," he said. "How are you +feeling to-day?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, very well, thank you. I did not know there was any one in here or I +should have waited outside. But as it is only you I do not mind."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>She resented the presence of this man in the place, and she took a seat, +turning her back to him. Millar, not in the least disturbed, said:</p> + +<p>"Karl got in very late this morning."</p> + +<p>"I assume that he did; it was very late when the ball ended."</p> + +<p>"Still, I think he would be very much pleased to know that you are here. +Will you permit me to acquaint him of the pleasure that awaits him?"</p> + +<p>"Thank you, no; I will wait for him here. This is an interesting room. I +have never been here before."</p> + +<p>"I know that," Millar said.</p> + +<p>"How do you know it?" Elsa demanded with spirit.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Heinrich told me. A lady may come here secretly every day, but when +she comes the first time it cannot be secret, even to Heinrich."</p> + +<p>"I wish I had not come alone," Elsa declared.</p> + +<p>"I know that also," said the imperturbable Millar.</p> + +<p>"How do you know that?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>"Oh, Heinrich told me there was a real lady waiting."</p> + +<p>"I am glad at least that Heinrich recognized me as such," Elsa declared +indignantly. "He is the only one who has spoken to me as if he realized +that."</p> + +<p>"Then he must have thought you the other kind," Millar said cynically. +"Heinrich made a mistake."</p> + +<p>"I think Heinrich is the better judge," Elsa said.</p> + +<p>"An excellent judge, I grant you," Millar said, laughing. "He is the one +man who should have brought you here. You know only two men have the +right to open the door of a bachelor apartment to a young lady. They are +his valet and the clergyman. You may choose which of the two you would +prefer."</p> + +<p>Elsa turned on him with eyes that flashed indignation.</p> + +<p>"I was once left alone with a man who kissed me, and I insulted him," +she said.</p> + +<p>"I was once alone with a lady who insulted me and I kissed her," the +cynical person replied.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>"You are horrible!" Elsa exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Millar saw her distress and rang the bell. When Heinrich entered he +said:</p> + +<p>"Get a little red leather pocketbook out of my overcoat."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you need not fear; I shall not cry this morning," Elsa said.</p> + +<p>"I am not apprehensive, but I thought you were laughing," Millar said. +"When girls laugh I fear they are going to cry. Why did you come here?"</p> + +<p>"I want to have my portrait painted, and I shall come every day," Elsa +replied.</p> + +<p>"You mean you want to come every day, and therefore you will have to +have your portrait painted," said the cynic.</p> + +<p>"You are an expert word juggler," said Elsa.</p> + +<p>"Do you know that another lady comes here to have her portrait painted?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; that is why I am coming," Elsa declared boldly. "I want to see +whose portrait will be better."</p> + +<p>"That is a bold challenge, my little girl; you were not so brave +yesterday."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>"Yesterday I was undecided. To-day I have made up my mind to fight. You +gave me good advice."</p> + +<p>"I have some more advice to give you to-day; we did not finish last +night."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"It is this. Do not fight. You were not made to fight."</p> + +<p>"Why not? I am courageous."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you are courageous, but you are not strong. Don't fight, because +you will batter yourself against an impenetrable wall and suffer defeat. +Do you know where Karl's heart is?"</p> + +<p>"No."</p> + +<p>"Then let me tell you. He loves Olga. He cannot love any one else. He +has no room in his heart for any other image. Do not make sorrow for +yourself, my child. Forget. Go away. Karl is the man for another woman."</p> + +<p>Elsa was courageous. She had set aside her conventional training and +ideas when she came to the studio to see Karl—to fight for him. Now she +resolved that Millar should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> not defeat her again. She looked at him +squarely and said:</p> + +<p>"In spite of all that you tell me, I shall not give up."</p> + +<p>In spite of her resolve to fight she was on the verge of tears. She sat +at a table, shrinking from the sinister figure before her. Millar +inspired her with a nameless terror, and it was almost against her will +that she listened.</p> + +<p>"Let me tell you what you must do," he said, sitting down in front of +her. "Do you know what you should do?"</p> + +<p>"I don't like to have you sit in judgment on me this way," she +protested. "You question me as if you were a judge."</p> + +<p>"No, it is not that, but you answer as if you were a prisoner. Now, +little Elsa, stand up and listen. You know that Karl is in love with +Olga."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I know it; it is the only thing I do know."</p> + +<p>"Then you should give Karl up."</p> + +<p>"I can't give him up."</p> + +<p>"You must learn."</p> + +<p>"How? From whom shall I learn?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>"Let me see; I think I have here the very person," Millar said.</p> + +<p>He walked over and opened the hall door.</p> + +<p>"Mimi, come in here and wait; it is warmer," he called.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + + +<p>To the amazement of Elsa, the shrinking little model came in, hesitating +on the threshold. She wore a red woolen jersey over her bodice that +fitted her tightly and made her look very slight and shivering. She +looked with wide-open eyes at the beautiful girl and dropped a courtesy +as she sat in the seat Millar drew out for her. Elsa nodded at her in +silence, and Millar, after watching them a few seconds with a smile of +amusement, walked out of the room, whistling softly. Mimi was the first +to break the silence, squirming under Elsa's direct scrutiny.</p> + +<p>"Madam is waiting for the artist?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," Elsa replied shortly.</p> + +<p>"So am I," Mimi said, adding, with engaging frankness:</p> + +<p>"He went on a spree last night. When he does that he always sleeps +late."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>Elsa was embarrassed, and there was another interval of silence. Then +Mimi said:</p> + +<p>"Is madam to have her portrait painted?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"I know all those who come here to be painted," Mimi went on. "This is +quite like home to me. I am his model. I don't have to pay for my +portraits. Madam has a splendid profile."</p> + +<p>"Please do not call me madam," Elsa said impatiently. "I am miss, like +yourself."</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon," Mimi said. "I am not madam, either. My name is +Mimi."</p> + +<p>"My name is Elsa."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know; I have heard of you. You are very rich as well as very +beautiful. I know what it means to be rich. Once our family was well +off, and I did not have to work as a model."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry you have been unfortunate," Elsa said.</p> + +<p>"But I have heard much of you," the girl went on. She was now +tremendously interested in this beautiful woman whose coming, she +believed, meant that she would no longer be Karl's model. "You see, I +know<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> all the things that go on here; I look out for the artist's +laundry and sew his buttons on; and I almost know his thoughts."</p> + +<p>"And do they interest you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes; but it will not be so any more."</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Because he is to be married; because you have come and he will not need +me."</p> + +<p>"Why not? He will still paint. He must have models."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but it will not be the same, and I will not come any more."</p> + +<p>"Do you like Monsieur Karl?"</p> + +<p>"Very much."</p> + +<p>"Does he paint you now?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, no; nothing but landscapes."</p> + +<p>"Then you did not come as a model to-day?" Elsa asked.</p> + +<p>"I come always as a model. If the artist does not treat me as such it is +not my fault."</p> + +<p>She noticed that Elsa looked offended, and went on hurriedly, +apologetically:</p> + +<p>"Please, if I offend you I will be quiet. But you seem to be so nice. If +I were you and you were the model I should not be angry with you."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>Elsa was touched by the pathos in Mimi's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me; I am very, very sorry if I have hurt you," she cried +impulsively. "Let us be friends."</p> + +<p>"Yes, let's," Mimi cried. "You can talk to me about everything. I am not +a bad sort, but I have known him for a long while. I was crying when I +went away yesterday and he felt sorry for me. He came to the house on +his way to the ball last night in his evening clothes, but I would not +see him. It must be finished."</p> + +<p>"Was he fond of you?"</p> + +<p>"I liked him very much," Mimi replied simply.</p> + +<p>"And now?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, now it is different. If a man wants to have another sweetheart, +what can we do? It is like the railway. The train comes in and goes and +the little station must wait until another train comes."</p> + +<p>"And you are going to wait for another train? You were fond of him and +can speak like that?"</p> + +<p>"I was fond of him," Mimi said. "But I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> am not silly enough to believe +it will last just because I wanted it to last. I knew when it started +that I should have to give him up some day. I have learned that. I shall +forget him—and hope that he and you will be happy."</p> + +<p>Mimi's tears came unrestrainedly now, and as she looked for her +handkerchief Elsa picked up Millar's weeping satchel, where he had left +it on the table, and gave it to the model. Mimi dabbed vigorously at her +streaming eyes.</p> + +<p>"I am glad that I met you here," she said when she could control her +voice. "I shall be clever to-day and not see him at all. I will go away +now and never come back. What time is it?"</p> + +<p>"It is 3 o'clock," Elsa said, looking at her watch.</p> + +<p>"Then I must go. Another artist in the next block expects me to pose for +him, and his laundress comes at 3. He is very clever."</p> + +<p>She stood up and looked around the room at the things on the walls—her +own pictures—the place that seemed like home to her. She sobbed as she +started toward the door.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span>"Good-by, miss," she said.</p> + +<p>Elsa looked after her as she went out. Then she looked around the room +and was seized with panic.</p> + +<p>"Mimi! Mimi!" she called out.</p> + +<p>The model did not return. Elsa seized her hat and fled, just as Millar +entered from the adjoining room. His chuckle of Satanic amusement +reached her as she hurried from the house.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + + +<p>Millar's sardonic face was wreathed in smiles as he looked after the two +young girls, each of whom carried from his hateful presence a bruised +heart.</p> + +<p>With Mimi it was the fate of a child of the underworld—something to +which she was pathetically resigned. With her there was no struggle. She +knew that when she ceased to charm she must go her way and find another +man; a master rather than a sweetheart.</p> + +<p>Elsa could not have told herself what fear made her fly from the studio +after Mimi, but she feared that she was also doomed to give up the hope +of her heart. It was her first cruel disappointment, but Mimi had made +her see that she was beaten, and, in spite of her earlier resolution to +fight, she saw that fighting would bring only unhappiness. She<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> hurried +to her waiting carriage and was driven home, where she locked herself in +her room to weep alone.</p> + +<p>And Millar, the sinister being, ever at hand with his insidiously evil +suggestions, chuckled as he watched them go. He threw himself into a +chair and rang the bell for Heinrich. The old servant entered +rebelliously, but, trained to habits of obedience, he could not give +expression to his feeling of hatred and distrust of his master's strange +visitor. As for Millar, he even seemed to find something amusing in the +old man's obvious aversion.</p> + +<p>"Bring me tea and brandy," he ordered peremptorily.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Is your master up?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Has any one seen him this morning?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir. Madam Hofmann's maid was here three times."</p> + +<p>"What for?" Millar demanded quickly.</p> + +<p>"She wished to know when Madam Hofmann might see Mr. Karl. I told her I +had strict orders not to call him before 3 o'clock."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span>Millar looked at his watch and saw that it was a few minutes after 3 +o'clock.</p> + +<p>"Humph! We shall have another visitor shortly," he muttered. "I think I +begin to see the completion of my work. It shall be this afternoon. Get +my tea," he added to Heinrich, "and serve it in the studio."</p> + +<p>The old man went out. Millar paced slowly up and down the floor, looking +at his watch, until he heard the door bell ring.</p> + +<p>"The beautiful Olga," he said, stepping softly from the reception-room +into the studio and leaving the way clear for Olga.</p> + +<p>She was admitted by Heinrich. She hurried into the room, looked wildly +about her and sank into a seat. For a moment she could not speak.</p> + +<p>All night and all day, since Millar's shadow hovered above her fainting +form in her own home, she had been torn by the emotions raised by the +letter. It was a confession she had never meant to make. She dreaded the +thought of Karl ever seeing it. Heinrich waited respectfully.</p> + +<p>"Is Mr. Karl at home?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, madam."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>"My maid told me he could not be seen until 3 o'clock. It is now after +3. May I see him?"</p> + +<p>"If you will wait a few minutes longer, madam, I will tell him that you +are here."</p> + +<p>Heinrich started toward the studio.</p> + +<p>"One moment," Olga called after him. "Has any one seen Mr. Karl to-day?"</p> + +<p>"No, madam."</p> + +<p>"Has he received no letter?"</p> + +<p>"No, madam."</p> + +<p>"Thank God!" she exclaimed fervently. "Go, Heinrich; tell him I am in a +great hurry and must see him at once."</p> + +<p>"I am afraid, madam, you will have to wait a few minutes for Mr. Karl to +dress," Heinrich said. "Shall I tell Dr. Millar you are here?"</p> + +<p>"Who?" Olga cried, springing up in dread.</p> + +<p>"Dr. Millar; the gentleman who was here yesterday," Heinrich said.</p> + +<p>"Is he with your master?" Olga cried in fright.</p> + +<p>"Yes, madam."</p> + +<p>"Oh, God! am I too late? Tell me, did<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> you see Dr. Millar give a letter +to your master?"</p> + +<p>"He may have done so, madam. I cannot remember."</p> + +<p>Olga walked nervously up and down the room, while Heinrich waited, +sympathizing at her distress. The old man was mystified, but he felt +that Millar was to blame for the grief which his young master's +beautiful visitor showed.</p> + +<p>"It may not be too late," Olga cried to herself. Then she said to +Heinrich:</p> + +<p>"Please tell Dr. Millar to come down. Do not tell him who is here; +simply say a lady wishes to see him at once."</p> + +<p>"Yes, madam."</p> + +<p>Heinrich withdrew, leaving Olga, with clenched hands and twitching +features, walking up and down the room. It was thus Millar saw her as he +entered, with his cynical smile, at which she shuddered.</p> + +<p>"You are the lady who wished to see me at once?" he asked, with his most +polite bow. "I am honored, madam."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I sent for you," Olga said, not knowing how to begin.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span>"And what may I do for you?"</p> + +<p>"Please tell me quickly—I am trembling—did you——"</p> + +<p>"Yes, dear lady, I delivered your letter."</p> + +<p>Olga sank into her chair and covered her face with her hands, while dry, +tearless sobs shook her body. Millar looked at her unmoved, and as +Heinrich entered with the tea tray he turned coolly to the old servant.</p> + +<p>"Put that tea here," he said, indicating a table near Olga. "And the +brandy. Thank you. You may go."</p> + +<p>He poured himself a cup of tea and began to sip it, looking the while at +the terrified woman before him.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + + +<p>It was the moment of Millar's complete triumph, and he gloated over Olga +as she sat there, her trembling hands covering her face, much as a large +cat gloats over a mouse, helpless beneath his paws. He lied deliberately +about the letter, which even then reposed in the inside pocket of his +immaculate frock coat. But he reserved it for a final coup. He knew that +Olga, believing Karl was in possession of the letter, would yield to the +inevitable; that she would again confess her love, even to Karl himself, +and that only a miracle of resolution and faith and strength could save +the two young people from the abyss of dishonor and unhappiness into +which he was about to plunge them.</p> + +<p>He sipped his tea in silence. Several moments elapsed before Olga was +able to control herself. Then she asked, without look<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span>ing at Millar, and +her voice was dry with pain:</p> + +<p>"Did—did Karl read the letter?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes," Millar said, with another sip of tea.</p> + +<p>"Oh, God! too late!" she cried.</p> + +<p>Millar arose and stood behind Olga's chair, leaning over her and +speaking in a soft, low voice.</p> + +<p>"After he read the letter he buried his face in his pillow and wept," he +said.</p> + +<p>"He wept?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; he wept with joy. I do not like men who weep."</p> + +<p>Olga did not heed his flippancy. She looked up at him imploringly.</p> + +<p>"I did not want him to get that letter," she said. "I came to ask him to +give it back to me unopened. I am too late."</p> + +<p>"It is not you who are too late; it was I who was too early," Millar +said deprecatingly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, is this life really a serious matter?" Olga exclaimed; "when +everything can depend upon one's getting here a few moments before or a +few minutes after 3 o'clock?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>"That is it exactly," Millar said. "We should not take it so seriously."</p> + +<p>Olga looked thoughtfully away from him and said to herself softly:</p> + +<p>"He wept."</p> + +<p>"From joy," Millar repeated after her, in the same soft voice.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid to speak to him, and yet I must," Olga cried, starting up. +"I would like to go far, far away, but I cannot. Something seems to hold +me here. I cannot, cannot go. What will become of me?"</p> + +<p>"You will be very happy and will make Karl very happy," Millar said.</p> + +<p>Heinrich entered and took the tea-things.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Karl will be down in a moment," he said.</p> + +<p>Olga clasped her hands tragically and turned an imploring face on +Millar, who started for the studio door.</p> + +<p>"Good-by," he said. "I will leave you to speak to Karl alone."</p> + +<p>"Please don't go," Olga implored.</p> + +<p>"I can hardly remain under the circumstances," he said.</p> + +<p>He knew that to further his design Karl<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span> and Olga should meet quite +alone. He would see to it that even old Heinrich did not interrupt them +until Olga had repeated her confession of love, and the hoax of the +letter had been revealed. Then he would reappear, with the letter, and +they might read it together.</p> + +<p>Olga knew that her own frail, feminine heart would give way if she were +left alone to meet Karl. Evil as she believed Millar to be, yet she +dreaded his going now.</p> + +<p>"I am afraid to be alone with him," she said. "Won't you please stay?"</p> + +<p>"But if I stay, how could you speak to Karl about the letter?" Millar +asked. "And you must say something about it, you know. I would only be +in the way."</p> + +<p>Olga weakened and began to pace the floor again.</p> + +<p>"Well, I shall be quite frank with him," she said. "I shall be honest. I +shall ask him for the last time——"</p> + +<p>Karl's voice was heard in his own room, calling to Heinrich.</p> + +<p>"He is coming," Millar said. "I will leave you."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>"Please don't go very far away," Olga implored.</p> + +<p>"I shall be here," Millar said, going to a small anteroom adjoining the +studio. "If you need me, call."</p> + +<p>He stepped within the other room and closed the door softly. Olga stood, +her hands gripping the back of her chair, waiting.</p> + +<p>Karl entered the reception-room and stood for an instant looking at +Olga. He showed that he, too, had suffered during the night. His face +was white and drawn. When he saw Olga standing there, a mute statue of +despair, he was filled with pity for her and self-abasement. He stepped +quickly to her side, caught her hands and kissed them passionately.</p> + +<p>"I ought to go down on my knees and beg your pardon for my conduct last +night, Olga," he said.</p> + +<p>She turned to him quickly, yielding her hands to him, leaning toward +him, speaking eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Speak very low; he is in there," she said, pointing to the anteroom +where Millar was hiding. "Let us be brief, Karl. I have been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> very +foolish, but I could not control myself. After what happened I wanted to +know. I wanted to feel that you loved me as I thought you did, as I +hoped you did, day and night, every minute."</p> + +<p>"Olga!" he exclaimed rapturously.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 336px;"><a name="IMAGE_8" id="IMAGE_8"></a> +<img src="images/img008.jpg" width="336" height="500" alt="" title="" /> +</div> +<p class="caption">"I WANTED TO FEEL THAT YOU LOVED ME AS I HOPED YOU +DID."—Page 173.</p> + +<p class="caption">By Permission of Henry W. Savage.</p> + +<p class="link"><a href="images/img008-big.jpg">Link to larger image</a></p> + +<p>He was not prepared for this. He feared that he had offended her, and +her impulsive declaration swept him from his feet. He watched her face +eagerly, hungrily, as she went on, talking very rapidly, and making no +effort to disengage her hands, which he held clasped to his breast.</p> + +<p>"Everything has changed since yesterday, Karl. But let us try to repeat +what we said then. Let us shake hands honorably. Let us try to be strong +and keep our promises, as we have kept them so long, Karl. If I have +been bold and frivolous it was only because I wanted to know what you +thought of me; nothing else. But I am afraid I have been punished too +much."</p> + +<p>Her passion swept her along, as she was swayed alternately by love for +Karl and the saner impulse to flee from him. But the sweetness of +knowing that she was loved, of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> feeling her hands clasped in his, after +all her years of self-depression, broke down her resolution.</p> + +<p>"I fear it is too late, Karl. My strength is gone. My will is lost. We +have gone back six years. Karl, I love you."</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + + +<p>The last words she whispered with infinite tenderness, and her head fell +on his breast. Hysterically they clasped each other in their arms and, +half laughing, half sobbing, looked into each other's eyes. Karl leaned +over her, murmuring his love and kissing her eyes and hair.</p> + +<p>"Be careful; he is in there," Olga warned him finally, again pointing at +the door behind which their evil spirit lurked. Then she whispered +shyly:</p> + +<p>"Did my letter surprise you?"</p> + +<p>"Letter?" Karl asked, astonished. "What letter, dear heart?"</p> + +<p>"Karl, I understand you wish to be discreet," Olga said reproachfully, +"but it is my first letter and I am not ashamed. Let us be honest; I am +not afraid. I love you. When I wrote that letter I hardly knew<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> what I +was doing, and I must confess I felt ashamed at first. But I am no +longer ashamed now; I am proud. Sometimes women do not write what they +want, Karl, but they always want what they write. Karl, I would like to +read that letter over again in your arms."</p> + +<p>That letter meant much to Olga; it was her only love letter. She had +never written to Karl before, except in the conventional boy and girl +fashion, when she did not know how to express love. Her correspondence +with Herman had always been of the most perfunctory sort. Never before +had she poured out her soul as she did in this letter. Now she wanted to +see what she had written; to read it over with the man for whom it was +intended.</p> + +<p>It was with a shock of pain that she beheld Karl's indifference, and she +was amazed when he added:</p> + +<p>"I received no letter from you, Olga."</p> + +<p>"What! how can you say so? Was not a letter delivered to you this +morning?"</p> + +<p>"I assure you that I did not receive any letter from you," Karl said +earnestly.</p> + +<p>The realization of Millar's trick was like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> a blow in the face to Olga. +She saw now how he had deliberately lied to her, in order that she would +certainly repeat her confession of love to Karl. In what a bold, +forward, disloyal attitude she had been placed! Her first impulse was of +anger, and she ran toward the anteroom.</p> + +<p>"Doctor! Dr. Millar!" she called wildly.</p> + +<p>The door opened noiselessly and Millar stood bowing on the threshold.</p> + +<p>"My—my letter!" Olga stammered.</p> + +<p>"Madam, I beg a thousand pardons," Millar said suavely. "My only excuse +is that some letters are better undelivered."</p> + +<p>He drew from the inner pocket of his coat a letter, and with a smile and +a sweeping bow handed it to Karl.</p> + +<p>"However, I can now make reparation," he said.</p> + +<p>Karl took the letter, looking wonderingly from Olga to Millar. He held +it an instant in his hand and was about to open it, when Olga cried:</p> + +<p>"Karl, tear the letter up."</p> + +<p>Karl instantly obeyed her, tearing the envelope into small pieces.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span>"Now burn it," Olga said.</p> + +<p>He stepped over to the fireplace and threw the bits of paper on the +glowing coals. They started up in a little flame and were quickly +reduced to ashes.</p> + +<p>Olga was terrified at the trick Millar had played upon her and at its +results. She looked in fear from him to Karl.</p> + +<p>"Who is this man?" she asked.</p> + +<p>Karl could not answer her. The same question was echoing in his heart.</p> + +<p>Who was this man, this personification of evil? Ever there were his +insidious wiles to compromise, cajole, trick and betray them. He could +not tell. He only knew that he loathed him and that he would drive him +out.</p> + +<p>"Are you going now?" he demanded, as Millar stood looking at them with +his evil smile.</p> + +<p>Millar took the question in the most natural way, disregarding the +purposely offensive tone in which Karl spoke.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am; I must," he said, half regretfully. "My train leaves in half +an hour. Again permit me to beg a thousand pardons.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> Could I have +foreseen the anguish that was to follow my failure to deliver madam's +letter, nothing in the world could have——"</p> + +<p>Karl interrupted him rudely, determined that he should not beguile them +again and that he should not speak of Olga or the letter as a thing of +importance.</p> + +<p>"You should know that the letter contained only a conventional message," +he said.</p> + +<p>Millar looked at Olga, and his smile grew broad as she hung her head and +blushed. Who should know better than he the confession which she had +written and which was now destroyed?</p> + +<p>"It was quite conventional, I am sure," he said cynically.</p> + +<p>"You will miss your train," Karl said with studied insolence. "Heinrich, +help the doctor on with his coat."</p> + +<p>"A thousand thanks," the imperturbable Millar said. "Madam, good-by. And +once more I beg a thousand pardons."</p> + +<p>Neither Olga nor Karl spoke to him as he walked to the door, looked back +at them, bowed low again and chuckled as the door closed after him.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span>Olga turned quickly to Karl and held out her hands.</p> + +<p>"He is gone. I am glad. But, Karl, I would have given a year of my life +if he had delivered my letter to you."</p> + +<p>"Why? Tell me what you wrote," he asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>"I wrote all the things I told you a few moments ago, Karl. You know it +all now."</p> + +<p>She went over to the grate and looked sadly into the ashes.</p> + +<p>"My first love letter," she said softly. "Oh, Karl, it was my confession +of my love for you. I would like to read it over again with you, and +then we might forget. I don't want to be afraid. I want to be strong, to +be happy. If I only had that letter now."</p> + +<p>Karl took her hands in his, and comforted her.</p> + +<p>"Never mind it, Olga; it has served its purpose. It has taught us +ourselves, our hearts."</p> + +<p>"It has taught us that we must be strong, brave and loyal," Olga +declared warmly.</p> + +<p>They stood thus, looking into each other's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> eyes, sanely, clearly, each +ready to renounce. The door of the studio opened and Millar stood before +them again, holding in his extended hand a letter.</p> + +<p>"I beg a thousand pardons again," he said. "I find I gave Karl an old +tailor's bill instead of madam's letter."</p> + +<p>Olga eagerly took the letter, opened it and recognized her own +handwriting.</p> + +<p>"My letter, Karl!" she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Both bent close over the letter, reading it eagerly, while Millar +slipped quietly out of the studio—out of their lives. Olga looked up +from their reading.</p> + +<p>"I am glad that I wrote it, Karl," she said. "Now we will burn it."</p> + +<p>Together they watched it glow brightly into flame and fall into gray +ashes.</p> + +<p>"That is our love begun and ended, Karl," Olga said quietly. "It was +wrong, and now we realize it, don't we? And now, dear boy, you are +coming with me."</p> + +<p>"Where?" Karl asked.</p> + +<p>"I am going to take you to Elsa," Olga answered.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>With a feeling of elation, Karl called Heinrich, and was helped into his +overcoat. He bent respectfully and kissed Olga's hand as they walked out +of the studio together.</p> + + +<p class="center" style="margin-top: 2em; font-size: 120%;">THE END</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="THE_MORAL_OF_THE_DEVIL" id="THE_MORAL_OF_THE_DEVIL"></a>THE MORAL OF "THE DEVIL"</h2> + +<h3>BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX</h3> + +<p class="center" style="font-size: 90%; margin-bottom: 1.25em;">Copyright, 1908, by American Journal-Examiner.</p> + + +<p>In every human organization dwell the <i>Twins</i>—the Angel and the Demon.</p> + +<p>The Angel is the real self; the enduring, immortal self, which goes on +from life to life, from planet to planet, until it has made the circuit +and ended where it began—at the <i>Source</i>.</p> + +<p>The Demon is man made; it belongs to the changing, perishable bodies +which are created anew with each incarnation; and it goes down, and out, +into nothingness, with the disintegration of the animal body.</p> + +<p>But with each new body, the mortal being usually invents, or adopts, a +new Devil.</p> + +<p>A few great souls have passed along through earth without such +demoniacal association; Christ, the latest and greatest of the Masters, +held converse with the Devil<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> once, on the mountain top, when He was +tempted; but that was His only acquaintance with him, because He had +finished His circuit, and was ready to become <i>one with God</i>.</p> + +<p>A weak man or woman, with good intentions and desirous of leading a +moral life, but lacking <i>will power</i>, and inclined to be timid, and +fearful, and negative in thought, often adopts a Devil formed by some +selfish and licentious person, who fashions Devils by the wholesale and +sends them out to roam over the earth, seeking an open door in a weak +mind.</p> + +<p>When such occurrences are analyzed they are usually called hypnotism.</p> + +<p>In every liquor saloon, in every gambling den, in every boldly vicious +and immoral place, about every race track and pool room, Devils swarm. +And the weak, the dissipated, the thoughtless and the irresponsible +minds are the open doors for them to mass through, into dominion of the +human citadel.</p> + +<p>In many drawing-rooms of fashion, in brilliant restaurants and hotels, +where the élite congregate; in sensuously decorated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> studios, Devils +also wait day and night, knowing that they will be entertained, if not +welcomed, by some of the self-indulgent frequenters of these places.</p> + +<p>Many are the devices employed by the Devils of earth to bring about the +desired results.</p> + +<p>Drinks, drugs, avarice, money mania, jealousy, love of power, desire to +outshine neighbors, lust, sensuality, gross appetites, gourmandism, love +of praise, personal conceit and egotism, selfishness in every form—all +these are webs which the Devils spin about humanity.</p> + +<p>Even beautiful, romantic sentiment, memory and imagination, become aids +of the Devil, at times, when coarser and more common methods fail in the +snaring of a refined soul.</p> + +<p>Many a good wife, who shrinks with horror at the thought of a vulgar +amour, or of any act which could pain or anger her husband, has been led +into the Devil's net by indulging in retrospective dreams of a vanished +romance and through the stirring of old ashes to see if one little spark +remained.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>Letter writing is a favorite pastime of almost all Devils. Once they get +a romantic man or woman, with a pen in hand and an unoccupied chamber in +the heart, and the breed of Devils who hang about the domestic hearth, +hoping to find rooms to let, chuckle in glee.</p> + +<p>Wives who have believed themselves happy and satisfied, husbands who +have been unconscious of any lack in their lives, have fallen by the +wayside through an interesting correspondence with some sympathetic +"affinity," who was Devil-instructed to lead them into trouble.</p> + +<p>After a man or woman falls into the Devil's snare they both call it +Fate, and proclaim their inability to combat the powerful influence of +"destiny."</p> + +<p>But destiny is <i>man himself</i>.</p> + +<p>The Angel dwells always within him, ready to say, "Get thee behind me, +Satan," if the man really wants it said.</p> + +<p>The Angel and the Devil both are completely under man's control; the +work of man, here in this sphere and in every other,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span> is to develop the +<i>character which will enable him to get back to the Source</i>.</p> + +<p>Unless the man directs the Angel to take the ascendancy, there would be +no growth in wisdom for him were the Angel to interpose. So he remains +silent and lets the Devil do his work, in order that man may find out +for himself the pain and folly of such dominion; and in order that when +he again encounters the Devil, either in this plane of existence or some +other, he may be able to say as Christ said, "Get thee behind me."</p> + +<p>Always have there been Devils; always will there be Devils, while +humanity is evolving from the lower to the higher states.</p> + +<p>But always is there the Angel, ready to lead the soul to conquest and +victory if the soul will call.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2>FAMOUS COPYRIGHT BOOKS<br />IN POPULAR PRICED EDITIONS</h2> + + +<p>Re-issues of the great literary successes of the time. Library size. +Printed on excellent paper—most of them with illustrations of marked +beauty—and handsomely bound in cloth. Price, 75 cents a volume, +postpaid.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK. By George Barr McCutcheon. With Color Frontispiece +and other illustrations by Harrison Fisher. Beautiful inlay picture in +colors of Beverly on the cover.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The most fascinating, engrossing and picturesque of +the season's novels."—<i>Boston Herald</i>. "'Beverly' is +altogether charming—almost living flesh and +blood."—<i>Louisville Times</i>. "Better than +'Graustark'."—<i>Mail and Express</i>. "A sequel quite as +impossible as 'Graustark' and quite as +entertaining."—<i>Bookman</i>. "A charming love story +well told."—<i>Boston Transcript</i>.</p></div> + +<p>HALF A ROGUE. By Harold MacGrath. With illustrations and inlay cover +picture by Harrison Fisher.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Here are dexterity of plot, glancing play at witty +talk, characters really human and humanly real, +spirit and gladness, freshness and quick movement. +'Half a Rogue' is as brisk as a horseback ride on a +glorious morning. It is as varied as an April day. It +is as charming as two most charming girls can make +it. Love and honor and success and all the great +things worth fighting for and living for the involved +in 'Half a Rogue.'"—<i>Phila. Press</i>.</p></div> + +<p>THE GIRL FROM TIM'S PLACE. By Charles Clark Munn. With illustrations by +Frank T. Merrill.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Figuring in the pages of this story there are +several strong characters. Typical New England folk +and an especially sturdy one, old Cy Walker, through +whose instrumentality Chip comes to happiness and +fortune. There is a chain of comedy, tragedy, pathos +and love, which makes a dramatic story."—<i>Boston +Herald</i>.</p></div> + +<p>THE LION AND THE MOUSE. A story of American Life. By Charles Klein, and +Arthur Hornblow. With illustrations by Stuart Travis, and Scenes from +the Play.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The novel duplicated the success of the play; in fact +the book is greater than the play. A portentous clash +of dominant personalities that form the essence of +the play are necessarily touched upon but briefly in +the short space of four acts. All this is narrated in +the novel with a wealth of fascinating and absorbing +detail, making it one of the most powerfully written +and exciting works of fiction given to the world in +years.</p></div> + +<p>BARBARA WINSLOW, REBEL. By Elizabeth Ellis. With illustrations by John +Rae, and colored inlay cover.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The following, taken from story, will best describe +the heroine: A TOAST: "To the bravest comrade in +misfortune, the sweetest companion in peace and at +all times the most courageous of women."—<i>Barbara +Winslow</i>. "A romantic story, buoyant, eventful, and +in matters of love exactly what the heart could +desire."—<i>New York Sun</i>.</p></div> + +<p>SUSAN. By Ernest Oldmeadow. With a color frontispiece by Frank Haviland. +Medallion in color on front cover.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Lord Ruddington falls helplessly in love with Miss +Langley, whom he sees in one of her walks accompanied +by her maid, Susan. Through a misapprehension of +personalities his lordship addresses a love missive +to the maid. Susan accepts in perfect good faith, and +an epistolary love-making goes on till they are +disillusioned. It naturally makes a droll and +delightful little comedy; and is a story that is +particularly clever in the telling.</p></div> + +<p>WHEN PATTY WENT TO COLLEGE. By Jean Webster. With illustrations by C. D. +Williams.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The book is a treasure."—<i>Chicago Daily News</i>. +"Bright, whimsical, and thoroughly +entertaining."—<i>Buffalo Express</i>. "One of the best +stories of life in a girl's college that has ever +been written."—<i>N. Y. Press</i>. "To any woman who has +enjoyed the pleasures of a college life this book +cannot fail to bring back many sweet recollections; +and to those who have not been to college the wit, +lightness, and charm of Patty are sure to be no less +delightful."—<i>Public Opinion</i>.</p></div> + +<p>THE MASQUERADER. By Katherine Cecil Thurston. With illustrations by +Clarence F. Underwood.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"You can't drop it till you have turned the last +page."—<i>Cleveland Leader</i>. "Its very audacity of +motive, of execution, of solution, almost takes one's +breath away. The boldness of its denouement is +sublime."—<i>Boston Transcript</i>. "The literary hit of +a generation. The best of it is the story deserves +all its success. A masterly story."—<i>St. Louis +Dispatch</i>. "The story is ingeniously told, and +cleverly constructed."—<i>The Dial</i>.</p></div> + +<p>THE GAMBLER. By Katherine Cecil Thurston. With illustrations by John +Campbell.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Tells of a high strung young Irish woman who has a +passion for gambling, inherited from a long line of +sporting ancestors. She has a high sense of honor, +too, and that causes complications. She is a very +human, lovable character, and love saves +her."—<i>N. Y. Times</i>.</p></div> + +<hr style='width: 80%; margin-top: 0.75em; margin-bottom: 0.1em;' /> + +<p class="center" style="margin-top: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0.1em;">GROSSET & DUNLAP, — NEW YORK</p> + +<hr style='width: 80%; margin-top: 0.1em; margin-bottom: 0.75em;' /> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>[Transcriber's Note: A table of contents has +been created for this electronic book. In addition, the following typographical errors from the +original edition have been corrected.</p> + +<p>In Chapter III, a triple quotation mark following "You were not here +when I entered" and a single quotation mark preceding "Your future wife +will swear" were changed to double quotation marks, and "sip the sweeest +wine" was changed to "sip the sweetest wine".</p> + +<p>In Chapter VI, a quotation mark was added following "a found treasure".</p> + +<p>In Chapter VIII, "the fulfilment of her puropse" was changed to "the +fulfilment of her purpose", and "every detal of his dress" was changed +to "every detail of his dress".</p> + +<p>In Chapter IX, quotation marks were removed in front of "Don't you want +to speak to her?" and ""With a wild cry", "the indignation of the yiung +artist" was changed to "the indignation of the young artist", and "He +advanced determedly" was changed to "He advanced determinedly".</p> + +<p>In the advertisements, a comma following "Boston Transcript" was changed +to a period, "dominant personalties" was changed to "dominant +personalties", and "Medalion in color" was changed to "Medallion in +color".</p> + +<p>No other corrections were made to the text.]</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Devil, by Joseph O'Brien + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEVIL *** + +***** This file should be named 25947-h.htm or 25947-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/5/9/4/25947/ + +Produced by Steven desJardins and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> |