Show 1 liTHE E COMMON COMMON LAWI iI BY Y ROBERT W W. CH CHAMBERS AM B ER S u I v INSTALMENT 2 2 I The r room Om was not n charming not t like the studio but modern and fr fresh sh and dainty With chintz chint and nd flower flowered d wallpaper waIl waIl- paper l' l and the graceful l' l white furniture furni furni- tur ture o of a. a bedroom There w was s a flowered flow ered screen there too too BehInd It Jt sto stood d da a ch chai chair h and onto this she sank lank laid her hands for tor an Instant against her burning burning- face tace then stooped and sc scarcely scarce scarce- ly knowing wing what she was about began to untie her patent leather shoes He remained stan standing ing at at his easel easi l. l very busy with his string and lump of ot charcoal but after atter a while It Jt occurred d to him hlin that she was taking an an an- an long time about a simple mattel matter mat mat- I i ter tel What on earth is the trouble he called Do you r realize youve you've been in there a quarter ot of an hour She made no answer A second later he thought h b he heard an an indistinct sound and and it disquieted him Miss West Vest There wa was no reply I Impatient a little disturbed he le walked across across to to the t folding doors aid ald the same low suppressed essed sound ca caught his ear ear What In the name of Of of- he began walking into the room and anu halted amazed She sat all hud huddled together behind the screen creen partly undressed her fa face hidden Bidden In her hands and between the slender fingers tears ran down brightly Are you ou m ill he asked anxiously After Aller a moment she slowly shook her head what Then Then what in the te name of Mike l please P ase forgive me Inc I I-I I I will wm be bere re ready dy In a moment m moment rn-moment-if if you yoi wouldn't ncI out out on tho the paI painted ted canvas beside b him Youre a model and arid its it's not necessary necessary sar sary to Inform you that this is only A preliminary sketch Your experience ce tells teIts you that But it is necessary to tell teil YOU ou that Its It's the final composition for tor forthe forthe Ive I've decided on this arrangement the ceiling You see f for r yourself that perfectly fitted to stand or sit for lor all these floating drifting cloud- cloud cradled goddesses Youre You're an Inspiration Inspire Inspire- tion fion in yourself yourself for for th the perfections of Olympus Olymp s he Jie added laughing and that's hats no idle compliment But of ot course other artists have often otten told YOU jou this before betor before before-as aa as though you didn't have ave eyes of ot your own And beautiful on ones one s sat at that lIe He laughed again turned and ed a two-storied two mod moda el stand across across s the the floor floor tossed up one or twp silk cushions and nodded to o her Dont be afraid its it's rickety but safe sate I It will hold us us both Are you 0 ready 1 As In B a dream she set iet on one little bare barefoot barefoot barefoot foot on the steps mounted b balancing lancing with arms the Ups tips of ot her outstretched fingers ringers resting on onY his hand Standing on the steps he arranged the cushions told her er where were to be seated how to recline placed the wedges and blocks to support her feet chalked the bases marked positions with arrows and and blocked up her elbow Then he threw over her ner a soft white wool robe swathing her ner from throat to feet teet descended the the- steps touched an electric electr bell and picking up a a huge clean dear pal palette tte began to squeeze out cons coils of ot color from a dozen plump tubes Presently a short short squarely rely built builtman man entered He lie wore a blue jumper there were traces of ot paint on it Iton itoi on his I Iother I opposite her lugging hi his sketch etch in the theother theother other hand i He lIe fastened the little sketch to an upright and sto stood d ort the ladder halfway halfway half halt way up one leg than the other Now Miss 1 West Vest est 1 he said decisively decisively deci deci- At the sound o of t his voice fear again leaped through her like a flame burnIng burning burn burn- ing her face as she let slip the white wool robe All All AllrIght right he said Dont move while Im I'm drawing unless you have to She could see him working He seemed to be drawing with a brush rapIdly and with a kind of at assurance t that at appeared almost careless At first she could make out ut little of ot the lines line T They ey were ere all dark in tint thin tinged ed with plum color Th There re seemed to be no curves in them them and and at first she could not comprehend that he was drawing her figure But Bt after atter a little while curves appeared long delicate outlines began to emerge as rounded surfaces s in monochrome casting casting casting cast cast- ing definite shadows on other s surfaces She could recognize the shape of at a human head saw it gradually become a colorless drawing saw shoulders arms a body em emerging into shadowy shape saw the long fine limbs limb appear the he slender indication of feet teet I Then flat on the cheek lay Jay a patch of t brilliant color another on th the mouth A great swirl of cloud forms sprang Into view high piled plied in a corner of ot the canvas And now he seemed to be be eternally running up and down his l ladder shifting shift shift- ing irig it here and there across across th the vast bac background ground of canvas drawing great meaningless lines in distant expanses ses of th the texture then always consulting her er with his keen impersonal gaze h he pushed back his ladder mounted wiped |