The Coming of Bill

timatum in thelibrary two drought-stricken men met on

rst man. "Several.""My tongue is black c

Winfield's," proposed t

e other briefly. "Haven

ss she inherits her father'scharacter. She's what I call a determined girl. She seems to have madeup her mind that the old crowd th

e can bear up if you don't. It'ssomething in her manner. I guess it's a trick these society girlslearn. You've seen a bouncer handling a souse. He doesn't rough-househim. He ju

t theNewly-weds licked to a whisper.""It's always the best fellows that get it the worse," said the otherphilosophically, "and it's always the fellows you think are safe too. Icould have bet on Kirk. Six months ago I'd have given you any odds youwanted that he would n

s almost literally his whole world. Hisfriends, the old brigade of the studio, had dropped away from him in abody. They had visited the studio once or twice at first

ts had not b

t liked them; and he himself wasastonished to find what bull dogs they really were. It was odd how outof sy

tween him and them. Wha

ecteddiscoveries with regard to herself. Before she had always looked onherself as a rather unusually reasonable, and certainly not a

r a hermitage of two. She tried to analyse her objectionto these men, and came to the

s crazy desire to keepherself and him alone together in a world of their own should have lefther, they would begin to

days in a state of almost painful happiness. It nevercrossed his mind that he had ceased to be master of his fate andcaptain of his soul. The reins

e hadtaken them on their surface value, as amusing fellows who were goodcompany of an evening. There was not one of them whom he had ever

cross hishappiness. He could let these others go, but Hank was

lled his life toocompletely to allow him leisu

er blindly, trusting toinstinct. Since then he had been getting to know her. It wasastonishing how much there

e whenever he dared think ofit. How he had d

ght. He could hardly believethat he was the same person who had scoffed at the idea of a man givingup his life

e studio, to touch her, to look ather across the dinner-table, to wake in the night and hear herbreathi

balance against wealth and comfort and her place among thegreat ones of the world, and had chosen him. There were times when thethought filled him with

love, and for the first timein his life was

the samenight, and he had not been there five minutes before a leaden weig

upply ofconventional small talk was practically non-existent. To get the bestout of Hank, as has been said, you had to let him take hi

nought class coylyunderneath his chair, and drew suspiciously at Turkish cigarettes fromKirk's case. An air of constraint

oldest friend. Confronted with Ruth, he lost a nerve whichhad never before failed him. This gorgeous creature, he felt, wouldnever put up with those racy descriptions of wild adventures which hadendeared him to Kirk.

ept one, which hung above her head, shining on her white arms asthey move

he behind it. He had hoped so much that Hankwould pass, and he knew that he had not. Why was

stuffed way? Why could not Ruth have unbent? Why had not he himselfdone something to save the situation? Of the three, he blamed himself

hat it said and not being able to deny it. He had markedthe end of their old relat

hich they had fallen out, from the timewhen they had fought as boys at the prep. school and cemented theirfriendship the next day. After that there had been periods when

the roving life whichsuited his temperament.

again, but it would not be thesame. The ang

t in a bestof all possible worlds, a feeling of regret, not that he had married--themere thought would have been a blasphemy--but th

to his employingmodels. He had classed it with the mother-in-law joke, respecting itfor its antiquity, but not imagining tha

s days going round thestores with Ruth, buying her things, or looking in at the windows ofFifth Avenue shops and choosing

sa poor weapon, and he had always shirked hard work. He had an instinctfor colour, but his drawing was uncertain. He hated linework, wh

him afew days before Hank's visit. An idea for a picture had come

nd was engaged to be married to a younggentleman who travelled for a hat firm. But she was of a chattydisposition and no respecter of persons. She had posed frequen

'Is _he_ doin' a bitof work for a change? Well, it's about time.' 'Aw, Kirk don't need towork,' I says. 'He's a plut

inquired Miss Vince. "

s that way."That night Ruth spoke her mind about Miss Vince. It was in vain thatKirk touched on the work-shy father, d

ian name.""After about five minutes they all do," said Kirk. "It's a way they'vegot. They mean no harm."Ruth then

spirit, "I won't have that Vincecreature in the place again."It was the first time she had jerked at the reins or given any signthat she was holding them, and undoubtedly this was the moment at whichKirk should have said: "My dearest, th

her not tocome."He knew he was being abominably weak, but he did not care. He even felta certain pleasure in his surrender. Big, m

be upand at it had grown with inaction. When a lazy man does make

sic had stopped.

g about Kirk?"Kirk came

that picture ofmine.""What about it?""Well, when I

n."Ruth came over to him and sat down on a low chair at his side. She put

ve never met one who didn't.""What horrible creatures you artists are!""My dear kid, you don't understand the thing at all. When you'repainting a model she ceases to be a girl at

ame inhere last night and switched on the light, and there it was

but, while itlasted--ugh!""How ghastly! Why didn't you tell me before? You must be run down. Lookhere, let's shut up this place and get out to Florida or somewhere forthe winter!""Let's don't do anything of the kind. Florida indeed! For the love ofMike, as Steve w

o you call it?--support you in the style to which you havebeen accustomed. Which brings us back to the picture. I don't suppose Ishall get ten dollars for it, but I feel I shall curl up and die if Idon't get it finished. Are you _absolutely_ determined about theVince girl?""I'm adamant. I'm granite. I'm chilled s

you, I said to myself:

would have loved me! And then, when it came to the real thing, I foundI just could not stand it. I know it's silly of me. I know just as w

plain cat, and that's allthere is to it. Look

know you had noticed it? I knew how unhappy you were when Mr. Jardine

silent fo

know what a real white manold Hank is. You didn

't tell me!" cried Ruth. "Don't you see that that's just the reasonwhy I can't like him? Don't tell m

life into which I can't. I want you all to myself. Iwant to be your whole life. I know it's idiotic and impossible, but Ido.""You are my whole life," said

omise!""Very well.""You dear! I'll be the best model you ever had. I won't move a muscle,and I'll stand there till I drop.""You'll do nothing of the kind. You'll come right down off thatmodel-throne the instant you feel the least bit tired."* * * * *The picture which Kirk was painting was one of those pictures whichthousands of young artists are working on unceasingly every day. Kirk'sideas about it were in a delightfully vague state. He had a notion thatit might turn out in the end as "Carmen." On the other hand, ifanything wen

tes would be Ruth's limit. Heknew someth

sked at the end

k her head

r. Go on with your work.""Well, shout out the moment you feel you've had eno

t of time. Ruthceased to be Ruth, ceased even to be f

ness of the cry brought h

. Her eyes were staring straightbefore

head foremost, as hehad seen men fall in the rin

ung for an instantin doubt whether to go for water or

h. She stirred and gave alittle moan. He flew

e. She smiled at him, a faint, curiously happy smile. He flunghimself on his kn

tiring herself to death. She must never do it again. Hewas a devil. He ought to hav

uffled h

thing in a mistthrough the wrong end of a telescope. Oh, Kirk!""Yes, honey?""It came again, that awful feeling as if something dreadful was goingto happen. And then I felt myself going." She paused. "Kirk, I think Iknow now. I understand; and oh,

Winfield?" he said, as

us.""She fainted," cried Kirk. "It was all through me. I-----"T

the block. Youaren't on in this scene."* * * * *Kirk w

he said

aid the lit

nothing wrong, is there?"The

urrence, though I suppose it will seemlike a miracle to you. But, believe me, it has happened before. If itha

understood, and his hea

mean-----" he

doctor. "Good-bye, my bo

rk went back to the studio, his mind in a whirl. Ruth was lying onth

!" he m

wonderful light of joy. She d

ppy. I've wanted this so."He could not speak. H

him before. She was a thou