The Common Law

erie did not arrive on time at the st

sauntered in, a skull pipe in

id, "can't you come up and look at her

. Who's

like a bum chimney-no wonder my work's rotten! Besides, she's in a tub of water, wearing that suit of fish-scales I h

ou down. Rita is a goo

oise-tinted pool among wet rocks; ebb tide; a corking little mermaid caught in a pool

the air with your thumb

r Rita is

nd supped somewhere until the coy and rosy dawn chased her hom

id Neville

omewhere east of Coney-where the best is like the würst-and ultimately became full of green

owning, and follow

nselled fish's tail, sat disconsolately on a chair, knitting a red-

ter. If anybody thinks it's a comfortable pose, let them try it! I wish-I wish I could have the happiness of seeing Sam

lanket wrap, and resumed her knitting with a fierce g

t was really beautiful-the combined result of several outdoor studies now

lle stood stock-stil

of his-and though it was a lonely cove with a cunningly secluded little crescent beac

ed that excursion!" excla

rmous vanity of yours, Sam. I

ave last evening?" inquired Ne

-I don't remember his name. She went out in a canoe with him and th

e he indicated to Ogilvy where matters might be differently treated,

. "Have you any reason to think that she m

"She stayed with me last night. I left her aslee

d Neville, short

arty wire, yet a curious uneasiness set him pacing the studio, s

her distant voice: "He

Nevi

ler

hoped you would call me u

the deuce is the m

dear,

t, t

first tried to ring he

had such a late party-and it was daylight befor

inutes ago your wire was b

talking to J

'm

I went canoeing with him. He just

un

ha

thi

annoyed

N

here? Oh, Rita, I suppose. Poor child, she was more faithful than I. The alarm clock woke her and she was pluc

cour

say it ve

ed. He could hear her sigh: "I

sh for any breakfast, and I'll co

r breakfa

lly don't

ht. Come

ood-bye, K

the telephone again,

breakfast sent to hi

n awaiting her with chilled grapefruit, African melon, fragran

erfectly dear of you-and I am hungry!… Good-morning," she added, shyly ex

the scarcely perceptible violet tint under her thick lashes. Her skin was clear and white and dewy

d him in delicious pantomime, and smiled encouragingly as he relu

me?" he asked, trying n

as a silly so

il

sentimental-

nothin

ight, Louis. Why c

ing out; I

chilled grapefr

bout five o'clock; and I called you up at seven because I couldn't stand it…. But you wouldn't see me;

N

ecame serious, a

big enough for the iron bed and one chair-and I get so tired trying

king excuse

e to go except to my room; and when a girl sits ther

melon with much content, and

es-and it did not agree with everybody-or perhaps it was because we weren't middle-aged-or perhaps it was just the beer.

ing conversationalist, and a really

tic … when he laughs and shows those beautiful, even teeth…. H

the Lati

were born i

d a pigeon egg, inquired wh

ly!" she said, looking up in the engagingly fe

you?" he said with a shru

ghed. "Not in your way, Kelly. In the

a?" he said,

f-sacrificing opportunists men are! After all, Kelly," she added,

s

w perfectly well that I

around me. But-ther

tain

ou say 'c

there w

itated, continued her breakfast in le

ou

es

o frank

hy

t have you to tell-have somebody-" She considered, with brows slightly knitted-"if

id, drily; "and I'm the closest

k her as humorous

enge he offers his ungrateful tormentor delicious breakfasts. What shall his reward be?-or m

le gr

e martyrs smile pleasantly while enduring torment…. What are you going to do with me to-day?" she ad

" he repli

sed. He had never befo

e glanced around at the canvas, interested in the new i

how you're ever going to find a purc

k for a living every minute, do I? For H

ems like w

s waste

self-consciousness. "In the big canvases for the Byzantine Theatre you always made my features too radian

ression passed

f gold; no gemmed girdles, no jewels. Nothing of the old glamour, the old glory; no sunburst laced with mist; no 'light that never was

back her cup, remained gazing at him, bewildered by the

colours, and brushes, watched him for a few moments, then she went away into the farther room

our-table; and she walked up and laid her hand on h

surprised, turning his head to meet a

ar, are yo

y-n

be a little d

'Kelly, dear, ar

m. It's a h

alt

t anywhere…. That Byzanite busines

gone to see it, and have praised it. You

he impatient movement of his sh

now that it's finished

oiled with a tiny shock. She remained silent, motionless, awaiting his plea

e waiting for me, please tell me what you e

vaguely; "just walk about and stop a

tly turned to look back at him with a

e!" he said

remain li

act

t over to her, knelt down, and traced

rbly cool assurance, began to draw wi

nimation, the cool self-confidence, the half indolent relapse into careless certainty-all familiar phases of the man as she had so often seen him painting-were now not perceptible. There seemed to be, too, a curious lack of auth

he had never thought of him as having any capacity for the ordinary and less

said, full

demanded, u

ne bit like yo

mment. She ve

the pose

s," he said

I t

didn't, Valerie,

ly; but her pretty eyes watched him

ose, reluctant to interrupt him. When at last she could endure it no longer she moved; but her right leg had lost not only all sense of feeling but

ing! Don't you know enough

of white chalk … and traced on th

so utterly gone," s

a where she sat, demure, a little surprised at her collap

ression-not at all like you-that I tried harder t

he said, contritely

pression intimidated me. I didn't recognise you; I could not form any opinion of what was going on ins

seem in

an, with whom I have learned how to deal. You know," she added, teasingly, "tha

with you," he said; "I'll pi

Kelly. I haven't ha

alk any more of that god-like business," he

u punish

re wo

ispleas

u b

uppose-suppose-" but she stopped suddenly, with a light lit

seem to have known him all my life-the happy part of my life. Louis I have just seen for the first time-ther

re you chatterin

dear, sweet, kind, clever, brilliant, impersonal, god-like

now-waiting for you-wondering if you could be ill-all alone. Then that a

consciously on one side in an attitud

ou

ha

tractive when y

ittle

ively dangerous w

rie!

earsome, erring Louis! Which is it to be? I

I will call you a

back, nursing one knee, distractingly pretty and

d, half in earnest; "I've played gran

d Olympian! Be a god an

e of 'em in another moment i

one, gr

y. He was the boss p

landerer, my O

ities who always began the day b

e brea

tain

r breakfas

nd dinner s

lonely to-day…. I'm afr

mean L

't you sa

too god-li

ifference! Kelly isn

practically kissless…. I haven't t

he matter t

her head, smiling. Then, looki

uis is at home and Kelly is out-you and I might spend an evening toge

r the dark lashes, charming mo

ely to-night?" he asked, surprised at

evening. Besides that I'm going to dinner with Querida, and afterw

e sat there, looking interestedly at a familiar door-

es

lo

on dieu!"

he man she had known as a friend was now entirely gone, vanished! Here stood an utter stranger, very human, very determined, very deeply perplexed, very much in earnest. Everything a

m him nor her thoughts. Was it that she was going to miss in him the other charm, lose the delight in his speech, his impersonal and kind

ss to her, now? Man enough to be more than other men? For a moment she had a little shrinking, a miniature panic lest this man turn too much like other men. But she let her eyes rest on him, and knew he w

; if I want Louis to torment and provoke and flirt with-a little-a very little-I'm quite sure he'll come, too. Whatever e

e asked if she might rest, and c

ome time, he asked her, a little

I don't

pinion unf

like that,

way. It will

s-inter

so," h

ng to make m

this canvas

ke of breath; "would you have the hear

breathing you-with all of you there on the canvas-all of you, soul, mind, and body-all of your beauty, your y

ntly she resumed the po

y still in th