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Show !$ MiSS AUSTIN, THE MODEL Tho blondo girl turned to mo with a smllo, but, nt tho anmo tlmo hor ovps wero swimming. "You aro vp-. .ool-j Ish," snld sho. I drew nearer to hor and said softly: "You aro mistaken. In your prcseuco cvon a fool Is wise," I went on moro rnpldly nnd loudly. "To mo you tiro divine, perfect. ' You aro u woman, n witch." 1 1 breathed deeply: she had turnod away j her oyes. "Oh, you must bollovo mo," I finished lnmcly. Miss Austin stood still and In tho , mellow light of tho moon I Baw hor breast rlso and fall, and hor voluptu- J ous figure stood llko n beautiful living statue. Shadow encircled tho gold of J hor hair and hor hat hid hor forchoad, but what 1 saw filled mo with a great deslro and I could do no moro than wish for It. The streets lay silent before be-fore us, behind us. toward tho lake, somo blocks away, a cable car rumbled occasionally; sparsu pnsscrs-by looked at us closoly. Why did sho not speak? Ah, moon, torment and spirit dlvlno, do not look upon mo as you did that night. Your madness, which lulls nnd wins tho tides, wns In my blood nnd under tho large, fragrant California trees with your rnys flltorlng through t stood In utter agony nnd waited. It seemed a long tlmo beforo tho blondo turned to mo and I looked Into hor deep, sortous oyes. Just now thoy seemed so large and compelling that I did not seo tho beautiful coutour of her face In which tho Orbs wero set. Ah, heaven and hell for mo lay with her now and sho knew It not. "Well." I said, with tho llttlo composure com-posure I had left. "You're n very foolish boy," was all she said. "You'vo said that boforo," I told her, "and you don't bollovo It." "No, I know it." Theru was no hopo for mo now. 1 moved closer to hor until our arms touched. "Listen, Floroncc," I Raid, "to mo you aro dlvlno. You nro my queen. For yon I could commit murder mur-der and every othor crime. For " "Could you go homo?" "Ah, you don't want mo to go do you, do you?" I pleaded. I hnd culled her Florenco and sho had said nothing. I felt ns big ns a staga lover. "Come," I said soberly, sober-ly, "If you want mo to go, of course, I'll go." Sho nnswercd nothing. "I'll tnke It I may stay,"-1 said. A breeze rustled In the leaves of tho magnolia trco nbovo us. "Do you remember tho first tlmo wo saw each other?" sho said. "How can I forgot It? You wore dl vlno In your pose of Venus," I answered. an-swered. "You should not hnvo seen me," sho supplemented. "That makes all tho difference." "Why Larrlng told mo ho had a model direct from tho gods. I could not stay away." "Mr. Larrlng Is no gentlcmnn." "Why, Miss Austin, what an edict. Larrlng would never breatho a word against you. Ho's an artist and ho saw the Ideal perfection of your faco and form. That Is all. Ho know what a vain sonrch I had mndo for Just such a being ns you and ho askod mo Into his studio." "And when you saw mo?" sho nsked, nnd I saw tho color rlso and flood hor face. "When I saw you I went wild. You. wero tho divinity of my search." "You aro wild yet," bIio snld,. "I am sane," I nnswercd. "And havo been since tho tlmo wo called on your mother. Only thoro aro times when I loso my control nnd then I say things that hurt you." "You'vo nover said anything to hurt me," sho said. "I'm so glad," I answored, conventionally. conven-tionally. "Hut listen to mo. I can never bo anything to you becnuso of that afternoon after-noon in tho studio. You camo to seo me, a model, becnuso your nrtlat friend told you It would bo 'worth your whllo to como nnd seo mo. Ho did not sny thnt I was a stunning girl you could add to your list of acquaintances, acquaint-ances, thnt Is to your logltlmato acquaintances." ac-quaintances." I tried to say somothlng. "Don't Interrupt mo, ploaso." Our arms did not touch any moro. "You enmo nnd you saw mo. I pleased you. Thoro wns something nbout you that wns different from othor mon. Hut to-night I am nfrnld of you." I took heart ngnln. "I nm not through yot. Whon you camo Into tho studio I was not expecting ex-pecting you. Thoro was no tlmo to throw nny clothing over mo. I thought Mr. Larrlng took It for grnnted that I was posing for him alono nnd not for you. My chaperon told mo that such -an arrangemont hnd boon understood. Oh, 1 hato Mr. Larrlng!" sho oxclnlmcd. ox-clnlmcd. There was sllenco for a space ' "If I had mot you In a Iegltlmnto way It would havo been dlfferont." "Why do you uso tho word Iegltlmnto? Iegltl-mnto? Wore wo not Introduced in tho propor wny? Answer mo, Florence" My courngo had como back to mo. What n foolish fight sho was making. "You must not, no, you must not call mo that. It is hotter that you go homo." "But listen, dear," I nnswored. I wns by her sldo again. "Why didn't you hnve all thoso Bcruples at first? You lot mo call, why lot mo tako you out? What has my conduct been?" "Perfect," nnd sho smiled. "Ah, then why do you say all thoso things now and didn't say thorn then? Why?" "Becauso I couldn't," sho snld. I folt strongor thnn over now, "And now you would drlvo me wav?" I askod, tenderly. "Now I'm going to," sho snld, look Ing away. "Why?" I naked. I put my arm around her but sho resolutely put m away, "llecatiio you do not respect mo," sho mild. I was silent. "Do you?" sho asked. She was looking stialght nt mo. "Why, my dear girl," I nnsworod, "of course I do. This Is foolish." "It Is not foolish," sho said. "Do yon respect nio very much?" "Vory much," I humored hor. "Knoitgh enough," and her volco broke n.id I held her In my nrms. ".My bird, my dovo," 1, cooed, "I'vo put you in verso u hundred times. You aro my Inspiration." "It's nil words with you," she murmured, mur-mured, "but, no, you, mustn't do that." "Lot mo kiss you once." "No, 1 can't," I kissed hor. "Oh, you musn't do thnt." "Lot mo kiss you again." I held her tightly to me. "Oh, you are cruel," sho snld. "You aro divine," I assured hor. "Words again. You had bettor let me go, Mr. Eason. After you havo an-wercd an-wercd a certain question." "Any question, sweotheart. Flro away." "Oh, It may sound foolish, but It monns everything to mo. Would you would you " Instinctively I know what was coming. com-ing. My hands dropped from her. "No, you couldn't," sho snld. "What a wonderful brnln you hnve. I am afraid I don't understand." But I did. "Would you no I can't tell you. You must go." "Toll mo now," I said. I would not let her off easily "You must know nnd yot" "Tell mo" I said. Her broath camo short and foil on my cheek. "Would you mnrry mo?" Hor volco wns a whlspor. So that was It. "Am 1 to consider this In tho light of n proposeal?" I asked, smiling, but sho hud removed tho last prop. "You must forglvo mo," sho said, "but aftor the sceno of tho studio I had to." "I am sorry," I said. "So am I," sho answored, "Goodnight, "Good-night, Mr. Knson." "Goodnight, Miss Austin." I rnlsod my hat nnd watched hor as sho went to tho door of her houso which stood back of tho fnli magnolia. A dull moon was shining down. I had a cynical smllo for It. No, I could not marry Miss Austin, tho model. Sho was a 1 good girl, however, und I was too 1 much of a gentleman to lie to hor. (Copyright, 1W0. by Dally Story Pub. Co.) |