Show 1 l1fSS AUSTIN THE MODEL DY ALEX R SCHIIIIDT The blonde girl turned to mo with a smile but at the same time her eves i were swimming You are ve tool lab laid she I drew nearer to her and said softly You are mistaken In your presence even a fool Is wise I went on more rapidly and loudly To me you are divine perfect You are a woman a witch I breathed deeply she had turned 0 away her eyes Oh you must believe me 1 finished lamely Miss Austin stood still and In the mellow light of tho moon I saw her breast rise and fall and her voluptuous voluptu-ous figure stood like a beautiful living statue Shadovy encircled tho gold of I her hair and her hnt hid her forehead but what I saw filled me with a great deslie and I could do no more than wish for It The streets lay silent before be-fore us behind us toward tho lake some blocks away a cable car rumbled occasionally sparse passersby looked at us closely Why did she not speak Ah moon torment and spirit dlvlno do not look upon mo as you did that night Your madness which lulls and wins the tides was In my blood and under tho largo fragrant California trees with your rays filtering through I stood in utter agony and waited It seemed a long time before tho blondo turned to mo nnd I looked Into her deep serious eyes Just now thoy seemed so large and compelling that I did not see the beautiful contour of her face In which tho orbs woro set Ah heaven and hell for mo lay with her now and she knew It not Woll I said with the little com posure I had left Youre a very foolish boy was all she said Youve said that before I told her and you dont believe It No I know it There was no hope for mo now I moved closer to her until our arms touched Listen Florence I said to me you aro divine You are my queen For you I could commit murder mur-der and every other crime For Could you go home Ah you dont want me to godo you do you 1 pleaded I had called her Florence and she had said nothing I felt as big as a stage lover Come I said soberly sober-ly If you want mo to go of course I Ill go Sho answered nothing Ill take ItS It-S may stay I said A breeze rustled In tho leaves of the magnolia tree above us Do you remember the first time we saw each other she said How can I forget It You wore dl vlno In your pose of Venus I answered an-swered You should not have seen mo she supplemented That makes all the difference Why Larrlng told mo he had a model direct from the gods I could not stay away Mr Larrlng Is no gentleman Why Miss Austin what an edict Larrlng would never breathe a word against you Hos an artist and ho saw tho Ideal perfection of your face and form That Is all He know what a vain search I had mado for just such a bolng as you and ho asked mo into his studio And when you saw mo she asked and I saw the color rise and flood her face When I saw you I went wild You were the divinity of my search You are wild yet she said I am sane I answered And have been since tho time we called on your mother Only there aro times when I lose my control and then I say I things that hurt you Youve never said anything to hurt me she said Im so glad I answered conventionally conven-tionally But listen to me I can never bo anything to you because of that afternoon after-noon In the studio You camo to see mp a model because your artist friend told you It would bo worth your while to como and sec me Ho did not say that I was a stunning girl you could add to your list of acquaintances acquaint-ances that Is to your legitimate acquaintances ac-quaintances I tried to say something Dont Interrupt mo please Our arms did not touch any more You came and you saw mo I pleased you There was something about you that was different from other men But tonight I am afraid of you I took heart again I am not through yet When you came Into the studio I was not expecting ex-pecting you There was no time to throw any clothing over me I thought Mr Larrlng took It for granted that I was posing for him alone nnd not for you My chaperon told mo that such an arrangement had been understood Oh I hato Mr Larrlng sho exclaimed ex-claimed There was silence for a space If I had met you In a legitimate way It would havo been different Why do you use tho word legltl mate Were wo not Introduced In tho proper way Answer me Florence My courage had como back to mo What a foolish fight she was making You must not no you must not call me that It Is better that you go homo But listen dear 1 answered I was by her side again Why didnt you have all theso scruples at first You lot me call why let mo take you out What has my conduct been Perfect and she smiled Ah then why do you say all thoso things now and didnt say them then WhyBecause Because I couldnt sho said I felt stronger than over now And now you would drive mo invav I asked tenderly I Now Im going to she Bald looking look-ing away Why I asked I put my arm around her but she resolutely put me away awayBecause Because you do not respect moshe mo-she said 1 was silent I Do you sho nsUod Sho was I looking straight at me Why my dear ghl I answered of course I do This Is foolish It Is not foolish she said Do you respect mo very much Very much I humored her Enough enough anti her voice broke and I hold her In my arms My bird my dovo I cooed Ive put you In verso a hundred times You are my Inspiration Its all words with you sho murmured mur-mured but no you mustnt do that Lot mo kiss you once I No I cant I kissed her Oh you musnt do that Let mo kiss you again I hold her tightly to mo Oh you are cruel sho said You aro divine I assured her Words again You had better lot me go Mr Hasan After you havo an wcrod a certain question Any question sweetheart Fire awny Oh It may sound foolish but It moans everything to mo Would you would you Instinctively I know what was coming com-ing My hands dropped from her I No you couldnt she said What a wonderful brain you have I am afraid I dont understand But I did didWould youno I cant toll you 1 You must go Toll me now I said I would not let her off easily You must know and yet Tell me I said Her breath camo short and fell on my cheek I Would you marry mo Her voice I wan a whisper So that was It I Am I to consider this In the light of a proposoal I asked smiling but she had removed the last prop You must forgive mo sho said but after the scene of the studio I had to I am sorry I said So am I she answered Goodnight Good-night Mr Eason Goodnight Miss Austin I raised my hat and watched her as she went to tho door of her house which stood back of the tall magnolia A dull moon was shining down I had a cynical smile for It No I could not marry Miss Austin tho model Sho was a good girl however and I was too much of a gentleman to Ho to bar Copyright 1900 by Dally Story Pub Co |