Show by ell the h daw DARK C LOUIS JOSEPH author of VANCE I 1 the falge fahe faces the lone MIRROR R R wolf etc 81 AL AIRL illustrated by IRWIN MYERS MRS 0 copyright 1330 2920 by the author V THE PORTRAIT AGAIN 13 that week saw infatuated spring abandoning every show of diffidence hastening with footsteps dally daily more fleet to fling herself into th arms of summer sirs mrs trowbridge trow Trot bridge had arranged to take over the southampton cottage of it friend who aho was going abroad priscilla preoccupied with personal interests te rests her unhappiness and the work that seemed its only antidote was careless whither they went tor for the summer or when or how so long R as 9 the change were not permitted to hinder her paint painting ing and asked only to be let alone alone till fill she finished her two latest canvases twice she begged for postpone ments which were grudgingly conc conceded ed and ultimately badgered beyond endurance by her aunts insistence that she name a definite day when she would be willing to go flatly declared she budge a foot out of town before had at least completed the portrait of ada moyer ba sirs rs trowbridge heard the accent of finality and gave in ID at discretion but with pursed lips fosdick observing priscilla n a threefold capacity conceded the conquest of his admiration as a sportsman the girl was putting up the gam gain est fight conceivable against crushing odds the physician in him saw with satisfaction is the seemingly successful working out of his prescribed regime even the sedative which by his order priscilla took every night on going to ed cd was doing its work without any ip parent ill effect to the contrary indeed since her dreams no longer li stressed the girl still it would be over sanguine to consider the case already closed with a cure and the lover remained in suspense hoping against hope with an uneasy heart andrews turned up no trace of L leonora after her departure from the walpole in company with mario it if those two had married they had bad managed the business with uie the utmost circumspection and secrecy ile he reported no progress in ills his search for traces of mother assuming that such a person had ever existed there came at length a day of relaxing heat when everything went wrong ada moyer showed up in the morn ng only to announce that much as ie adored her portrait she le ie slightest intention of going on ith ill the sittings or for that matter C stopping on la in town another day in such weather if priscilla wanted to finish the portrait she would have to bring it down to the moyer country home and work on it there this being manifestly unreasonable ada knew quite well niell it would be impossible to duplicate the lighting of the stud studio lo 10 priscilla felt constrained to point out candidly how selfish ada was and they bickered until they parted each huffed buffed to the erge of tears priscilla consoled herself she had shopping to do the shops were crowded the salespeople irritable and irritating she found nothing that suited her between three and tour four she gave up trying and thoroughly out of 0 humor started to walk home up the avenue in front of the Hark harkness iless gallery a little knot of people had collected creating an eddy in the tides of foot traffic priscilla hesitated then with quickening pulses added herself to the group before the show window working her way into its heart where she obtained an unobstructed view of her work for it was true what she had bad surmised harkness had already put the portrait of leonora on exhibition and already it was attracting a conspicuous amount of 0 attention enchanted priscilla stood before her painting with eyes that shone and d cheeks aglow an exquisite emotion welling in her bosom N near nr by a man spoke in the language of the studios praising the portrait to a companion and arwilla heard and was exalted when she dared trust herself to do go BO she looked around cautiously seek geek ing to identity identify that kindly critic whose appreciation was so much the more acceptable because lie he spoke with the tongue of understanding A small chuckle was struggling in her throat 8 ie could not help wondering what the man would think could he be kno know willow dangerously near he was to being publicly kissed by a toge woman buc the chuckle expired in a strangled rasp gasp the dancing ayes steadied to a fixed stare glare the color in her cheeks ebbed more swiftly than it had come she began to wonder 1 if her heart would ever vent teat again if she would ever fand strength streng th to move from that biot p 0 where terror had trang transfixed fixed her ile her r veering e ang glance hall had been arrest pd d almost as soon as detached from the portrait by the sardonic and in j rp apfl of nt one who mho stood at a KII though in the tha same bame group a man whose face she had never seen yet knew the man whom she knew only by the style under which he passed among his criminal kind harry the nut and he knew her as his bis meaning sneer witnessed nor was this the worst beyond his shoulder a second face showed colorless and drawn with passionate malice ice the face ace of 0 tile the woman inez CHAPTER SEVEN rendezvous with death 1 I forebodings only with the four walls of her own room shutting out tile the world was priscilla able to take up tip the task of rebuilding equanimity out of a chaos of 0 shattered nerves and scattered wits by sheer force of will she made herself reconstruct and review that adventure which had loosed panic upon her in the crowded street and driven her a hunted thing to seek refuge in flight from the hostility of those who had walked bodily out of the phantasmagoria of her dreams like ghosts by some black magic materialized in and blood nevertheless they had been curiously metamorphosed in process of materialization there could be no question as to their identity but they sin were and at the same time were not the inez and harry the nut whom priscilla had known in dreams but the look and attitude of harry and inez had bad been etched indelibly upon the tablets of her memory by acid fear I 1 she could see now as clearly as she had then the blazing hatred in the black eyes of inez the supercilious and derisive malevolence in harrys As definitely she retained the details of their appearance which was something vastly different in the case of both from the time of leondras Leo noras knowledge of them the nut for one had won his nickname as much for ills his weakness for flashy it if expensive clothing as tor for the silly ass manner which he commonly affected finding it useful in his business but today he was vlas well it if perhaps too much dressed A black morning coat with ith striped gray grous rous ers white linen waistcoat and spats spate radiant topper and varnished shoes makes a perfectly correct costume for afternoon on the avenue for all that on a day of summer heat it Is undeniably conspicuous in the case of in ina the transformation had bad proved even more startling the inez whom priscilla Pr lacilla had seen with the eyes of leonora was prone to shoddy finery and strident color schemes and displayed lofty contempt tor for trifles such as buttons missing or hanging by a thread grease stains shoes down at the heels ss skirts kIrIss that cleared the ground at the same elevation fore and aft whereas today she was trimly turned out in the smartest of tall leurs eurs with a hat bat the lash last cry la in popular impudence and gloved and shod as v m ell in a way that none could criticise criticism critic ise I 1 clearly the nut had prospered since that night at As clearly the inconstant inez following the arrest ot of leo the blood had bad been swift to forsake a sinking ship for passage on a more seaworthy craft with every promise of a prosperous voyage but priscilla argued firmly with herself what of that what was it to her whether inez and harry fared well or 1117 after all why in the name of reason need she have been so easy a prey to consternation on unexpectedly coming face to face with the pair what though inez and harry had mistaken her tor for leonora she was not she was merely one who resembled leonora strangely and still more strangely was sib to her in spiritual affinity A woman ot of another world entirely occupying an established position in an ordered and solid state of society she was secure against any offense which wrongheaded wrong headed malice might offer her she had nothing positively nothing to fear from them and yet she was afraid fear crawled in the back of her mind outside tile bright arena e c common sense like et a sanke in a shado T thicket she wondered oon tion dered the kidle tor for a long time afore it was ree regaled aled to her that her tear fear wag waa not for or herself but for leonora imagination called up again those faces aces that had glared at her in the crowd two masks of evil lighted from within by a hatred deadly aid implacable As long as those two remained at large priscilla knew so long would the happiness if not the life of leonora be in jeopardy she tried tred to think of something bhe he could du do to confound conto und them frustrate them reduce them to impotence but she knew so little her life had been too well sheltered she could not imagine now to deal with creatures of their ort fort recourse to the police being out of tile the question since it must necessarily involve leonora I 1 A chiming clock reminded her that it was half after four while tit at five she was to take tea with some friends who were leaving town ton tile the next day with every wish and reason to disappoint them she be stirred herself and made ready to go it would never do to let herself be cowed and overcome by minor alarms there was in her mind foreboding ot of greater trials to come 11 1 I MR CHILVERS with what she later chose to think unpardonable stupidity sho she perceived utterly without misgivings that a maid was answering a ring at the front door and she paused on the lower e r landing in some surprise she saw the maid approach the foot of the stairs with a silver tray on which lay a card discovering her on the landing the maid paused looking up A gentleman to see you miss bliss wondering still unsuspecting priscilia went on down A roan man standing near the front door contentedly inspecting his image in a mirror straightened up with a well feigned start and came quickly toward her miss maine 1 he exclaimed in a rather high voice clipping his words after a fashion which he believed to be english and carrying it off fairly well 1 I say what rippin lucki luck I 1 fancy findig you anil in completely nonplussed nonplus sed she stared blankly into his eyes ignoring the chamois gloved hand he proffered you dont remember me he uttered a little giggle why of course you do harry chilvers met you at the Li Lat thoms boms a few weeks ago now you remember dont you saw you on the avenue this afternoon and thought id call on the off cliance chance of findan you in merely passin through town got in yesterday off to newport tomorrow you know artly jolly to see you really she was able to say coolly how do you do and with a nod aside dismissing the maid turned toward the door of the drawing room wont you come in charmed ill 1 priscilla halted in the middle of the room a table at her back she com ye I 1 V S where you catch him nora handed a view of the entrance hall the maid had disappeared she devoutly hoped was out ot of earshot what can I 1 11 for you slie she asked quietly looking dixan dv wn at the card to refresh her memory mr chilvers tall slender carry cairn car rn inz the art of his tailor admirably the an pau paused ed before her ber in an attitude ki raffish ease with an ironic smirk 1 ie e jerked his head toward the dohrwa door wa safe to talk here 1 I cannot imagine priscilla uttered slowly why it should not dot be she 8 he bethig stare steadily calmly unfortunately I 1 do not remember you mr chilvers nor am I 1 acquainted with ith the fathoms La thoms I 1 have an engagement tor for five really mr chilvers drawled put it olt off I 1 presume now could you she lifted a wrist to consult her watch it if you have anything to say to mr I 1 aan an give you two minutes with unblushing eff effrontery mr Cli livers closed in caught hold of her wrist urist and bent his head over the watch an exceedingly handsome affair in platinum and small diamonds pretty thing he approved with a nod letting ner wrist fall where you catch him nora slie she showed him a face like marble cold hard express expressionless oil I 1 ess rut but inwardly resentment burned so hotly that fear of any sort was utterly consumed my bly name Is not norn i so I 1 understand mr hilvers carefully deposited his hat bat crown flown down upon the table clipped lis his stick under his cirill ar stud od with a floar ls it whipped out a hat flat gold cigarette case he repeated slowly in a voce of 0 deep amusement so I 1 under tinder stand mind blind me suf id rather you I 1 time oh but I 1 have ive got all the time there Is ile he tu tucked C ked a cigarette garetta cl between his lips and lighted it glancing appreciatively round the room jolly little nest youve feathered tor for yourself nora pardon miss priscilla maine any anything thin you like I 1 dont mind what name you call yourself by so long as you humor my whim for chilvers rather fond of chilvers you know dont remember ever an alias I 1 took such a fancy to 1 I dont understand you wont you be kind enough to go presently me dear all ail in good time the xu kut t unceremoniously whisked away a dust cloth and sat down in the chair it had bad hidden ive got to hand it to you nora priscilla I 1 mean he be observed with a look of admiration for the moment forgetting to be british you sure do get away with the grande dame stuff to the queens taste not to mention this house and that limousine at the door I 1 take it yours too mind blind tellin me how you do it and how long youve been doin it just between ourselves both members of this club evidently wild said priscilla you are ara mistaken about me mr chilvers I 1 dont know you and have no wish to she ile moved a step toward the door good afternoon mr chilvers did not budge but wagged a reproachful head 1 I say nora dont be so upstage up stage the use I 1 understand perfectly how annoying anno yin it Is and every thin but you know the games up un it Is as far as inez and I 1 are concerned at any rate sa so you might as aa well accept the situation gracefully come down to earth and be sweetly reasonable 1 I tell you priscilla began 1 I am not the person you but mr chilvers talking steadily cheerfully and with persistence talked her down theres no sense your bein afraid of my blowin on you or inez either you know nora that be pally would it be bustness business either we admire your work we admire it no end so much so that were all in a sweat to know how you do it and get in on tile the graft oui ourselves with all the coin that this layout stands for surely 5 10 0 i can spare a little for old friends ilice ho are just makin a fresh start in life please I 1 priscilla insisted 1 1 I dont understand you in the least I 1 must ask you to excuse me 11 ali ah cut it an ugly light glimmered in the rat like eye chuck it nora dont tempt me to pull any rough frough stuff it aint the little thing I 1 do best somehow I 1 got the polish you might expect but ive got you where I 1 want you ilia and d youre coln to come through like a dear girl or ril ill 11 lie he paused his cruel smile playing round thin hard lips now how would you like me to tip off red carnahan Carn ehan where to look for you you cant the girl protested wildly lies iles dead I really leally mr Cli chilvers puffed contentedly tent edly on his cigarette I 1 so sure re about that A baffling twinkle in his look coupled with the innuendo annoyed and confused her what do you mean she demanded instinctively lowering her |