Madcap

y as Hermia was. There were times when even Hermia could not entirely approve of her, but she forgave her much because she was herself and because, no matter what depended upon it, she

w with the simple fortitude of one who is well out of a bad bargain. But she had paid her toll to disillusion and the age of thirty found her a little more careless, a little more worldly-wise than was nec

the known facts of his character and career including his struggle for recognition in Europe, his revolutionary attitude toward the Art of the Academies as well as toward modern society, and th

had painted her portrait, and Teddy Vincent, a New Yorker socially prominent (who was unspeakable), her acquaintance with the cult had been limited and unfavorable. When, therefore, her car dre

voiding both the wall and the dusty baluster, contact with either of which promised to defile their whit

und of heavy footsteps and the door was flung open wide and a big man with rumpled hair, a well-smeared painting-s

on't need any model

banging the door in their face

hospit

ham paused, the huge palette a

in some confusion.

se I ought to be used to this kind of welcome but I'm not, somehow. Beside

white teeth

him. It was a stiff bow, rather awkward and impatient and revealed quite plainly his disappointment at her presence, but Hermia followed Olga into the room with a slight inclination of

of the studio, fell into its easiest chair and l

ou've got the fog of it

a mess here, that's a

willing

further wish for me

"You're not going to

ing to stay long-only

r could see t

most resentfully, and f

an do-isn't it? The portrait isn't

efully on a piece of cheese-cloth, put a canvas in a fram

etty women had ever condescended to call, and stood uncomfortably, realizing that he has not even offered he

pound of flesh and called it pleasure. The Olga Tcherny which looked at Hermia from the canvas was the one that Hermia had glimpsed in th

his brush so unerring. She stole another-a more curious-glance at him. The hideous goggles and the rumpled hair could not disguise the strong lines of his face which she saw in profile-the heavy brows, the straight nose, the

rather frivolous comment which had been on her lips stilled for the moment by the dignity of his mental attitude, into which it seemed Olga Tcherny had also unconsciously fallen. But the silence irritated Hermia-t

rse," she said flippantly,

stine who stood with her head cocked on one side, her arms a-kimbo. Markham

'pretty' port

at he doesn't believe in artis

unted, "that it's an artistic lie no

m doesn't think me

though to absolve himsel

he explained slowly. "Had you been merely p

on of Art to beautif

ercilessl

h he had suddenly discovered the presence

ll the truth," he growled. "When I find it impos

herself immensely. "I didn

hink that you hav

d from her chair in

deflect the orbit of genius. Poor Mr. Markham! I shudder to th

onably rude, he now simply ignored her. His manner enraged her. "Perhaps my opinion doesn't matter to Mr. Markham," she probed with icy distinctness. "Nevertheless, I represent the public which judges pictures and buys them. Which orders portraits an

xpression as he caught the meaning of her remarks, more personal and arr

on the money of the people whose judgment you consider so important to an artistic success. I have no interest in the people who compose f

ers and laughed toward

ent I shall be t

er," sai

hink of New York society-and of the people

lga wearily. "Don't, I

pretty faded butt

s shoulders an

arrels with an enemy or with a friend. To me society is neither." He smiled at Hermia amu

a tartly. "I merely question your point of view

is not t

mes, gray, yellow and at times red-oh, so red! The soul is the chameleon which absorbs and reflects it. Today," s

and I'll not stay here another minute." She reached for her trinkets on the table and rattled them viciously. "It's too bad. With the best intentions in the world I bring two of my

y preceded the Counte

follow

charmed," s

ility?" asked

even le

ght that humor of yours was my special prerogative of friendship. But now alas! When I see how uncivil you can be to others I have a sense of lost caste. And you-inst

hed. They couldn't help

won't do that,"

those who incur my displeasure. I may ev

ting, followed

onsieur," sai

n the hallway into which Miss Challoner had vanished a