The Devil: A Tragedy of the Heart and Conscience

pear and turned on Millar as if to attack him. There was such menace in his manner, the frenzie

m the ballroom. She was in her cloak, ready to

d to say

rd impulsively as if he would take her in his arms and kiss her, but Millar interposed himse

e you to you

waited her. She took Karl's arm, and Mil

lippery," he said. "Tak

ce alone with Karl. In the young artist's present excit

nt, Olga came in excitedly. She looked aro

worked sp

d Millar anxiously, as Olga sat at a

o him," she answered,

t will y

r forehead, "never to speak to me again. I never want to see him. H

wh

ed, ignoring him. "I never wan

e you l

what has happen

, madam," Millar

are clever and you have done me a great service. When I know that this letter is in hi

; let me render you one mo

that be?"

ctate this letter. You are excited. You cannot

E FINISH IT. LET ME DICTA

on of Henry

o larg

strong," Olg

r went on. "Let me t

spell. She seemed under hypn

l write whatever y

ing over her like an evil spirit. Hi

xpress your thoughts,"

ust be so,

inished

rev

ite," he

illar suggested a sinister hypnotist bending a helpl

pretation 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

e she could do anything, Millar had taken the sheet of paper, blotted it, f

itten?" Olga cr

d, with a smile of triumph. "I w

rigue, insinuation and suggestion which Millar had woven there. She thought she was rid of his sinister influence unt

ing the letter in his pocket, and h

ed, speaking with difficulty. "I tried to resist-yes, I did-but m

letter to Karl," Mil

it; you know I did not wa

she wants," Millar said lightly, "bu

for him; it was fo

ve to her, when Herman entered. The house had grown still. The music was hushed, th

behind and entertain the hos

that I quite forgot the time," Millar said, looking at

c before you go out? The n

morning, and it is now too late. Madam, I must bid you g

Olga uttered a half-suppressed

the table; did you, perhaps, pi

hysterical tone. Millar, without changing c

d, holding it up. "If it is

it to Herman. Fear clutched at Ol

s not that; it

eness and left the room. Herman bowed the strange guest out, an

he said tenderly. "It

tired," she

gainst the table Herman thought her prettier than he had ever seen

"It makes you prettier, and I like

so obviously that Herman was

she said. "I am

urning, dear," he

one for a few minutes; to rest

you wish," Herman replied,

e better if you

semi-darkness, the room being partially lighted by the reflected light from the garden lamps. As she

went to sleep," Olga re

t the white wall of the room, and she could hear distinctly his cynical chuckle. With a cry of horr

no!

floor. For a moment the shadow

ot return. He was deeply ashamed of the suspicion he had entertained, and humiliated at the trick

one to bed when he reached the studio. There remained but a few hours of the night, but Karl could not bring himself to s

shook the snow from his great fur coat and laid it aside. Then he walked over to the grate where th

p and down the room. Millar watch

us this morning

; I'm crazy,"

very happy," Mi

but it is all through your evil machinations. You hav

woman yo

ve; to the woman whose honor I have held sacred f

r again," Millar

on wildly. "I did not know myself; I d

ou of her own free will here, in this very studio, to-day, and

ruined my happiness; you shall not ruin hers. I want you to ke

what you are saying. I shall n

y that evil tric

ared not two straws for that little slip of a girl to whom you were trying to play devote

r l

and has loved you for six years, an

not be so. She is a true,

loyal to that big boor of a

e Olga again. I shall close my studio and return to Paris. And I wish not to see you again. Do you

lar said, smiling and bowing. He seemed genuinely a

are the devil

ge to look upon, except when he is decked out by

e door. He threw himself upon the bed and tried to sleep, but for h

he red glow of the flames seemed to absorb him. He was merged in the shadows-light and s

her moaning on the floor, where she had fallen in a swoon after Mil

out at what time he will arise. Let no one else know that you go

, ma

nto writing. She meant to tell him to go away; to end everything between them. B

o presence. There were no conflicting passions in his old heart. He pottered about, humming an old so

en before. When he returned to the reception-room to ruminate on the sit

; I did not know you

ar responded chee

ady,

eal

yes,

. What does

see my master,

erself. She was stricken with the terrible malady. She was in love; she acknowledged it to herself, and she knew that the man she

d into the reception-room and saw Millar ther

exclaimed. "What are you doing

wine-colored waistcoat. He was again the polished, suave, affable gentleman of

; only his friend," he said.

e was any one in here or I should have waited

lace, and she took a seat, turning her back to

very late t

d; it was very late

o know that you are here. Will you permit me to

m here. This is an interesting roo

hat," Mil

it?" Elsa deman

ecretly every day, but when she comes the fir

ot come alone,"

o," said the imp

you kn

d me there was a

such," Elsa declared indignantly. "He is the only

he other kind," Millar said cyni

h is the better

ht you here. You know only two men have the right to open the door of a bachelor apartment to a yo

with eyes that fl

h a man who kissed me, and

who insulted me and I kissed h

rrible!" El

and rang the bell. When

eather pocketbook o

r; I shall not cry th

laughing," Millar said. "When girls laugh I fea

t painted, and I shall com

and therefore you will have to have

pert word jugg

r lady comes here to hav

lsa declared boldly. "I want to s

, my little girl; you wer

day I have made up my mind to f

to give you to-day; we di

t is

t fight. You were

I am cou

ht, because you will batter yourself against an impenetrabl

N

has no room in his heart for any other image. Do not make sorrow for y

when she came to the studio to see Karl-to fight for him. Now she resolved

hat you tell me, I

table, shrinking from the sinister figure before her. Millar inspired her w

he said, sitting down in front of he

ent on me this way," she protested. "Y

ere a prisoner. Now, little Elsa, stand up and

it is the only

should giv

t give

must

whom shal

I have here the very

r and opened

e and wait; it is