UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN OIEGO 3 1822 02686 8927 ■■■ (STRATED 3 ! in ■ I C LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO 3 1822 02686 8927 Social Sciences & Humanities Library University of California, San Diego Please Note: This item is subject to recall. u^ c. s '6^f '^^ JUL 8 ?nn^ There was an instant of silence that threatened to become painfully embarrass- ing. Olga was about to speak when Millar unexpectedly stepped forward, briskly and politely. "My dear ISIonsieur Hofmann, it was my fault," he explained. "I came a moment The Devil 63 after you left. I had not seen Karl in two years. We chatted and tKe time flew past. It was an extremely interesting conversation and madam was so kind as to invite me to the ball this evening." "You will accept, I trust," Herman said with ready hospitality. "Yes, thank you," Millar said. "I have come direct from Odessa, where I have had a talk with the Russian wheat magnate." "Ah, I know; I shall lose money; the wheat crop is bad," Herman said impatient- ly- "Oh, isn't that good for us?" Olga asked. "No, dear, it is not; I am short on wheat." "What does short on wheat mean?" Olga asked. "It means digging a pit for others and falling into it yourself," Millar remarked cynically. "However," he went on, "things are not so bad. I have reliable information that the later crop will be abundant." "Good; I am delighted to learn this," Herman said, very much pleased with Mil- lar, who now spoke pleasantly and ingrati- atingly. 64 The Devil Karl had paid little attention to the col- loquy between Herman and Millar. He tried to speak to Olga, but could not catch her eye. She seemed to vnsh. to avoid him. She watched her opportunity, however, and managed to whisper to IMillar : "I want to speak with you alone." Millar brought his subtlety into instant play. Turning to Herman he asked : "By the way, have you seen the sketch of madam Karl made yesterday? It is atrociously bad." "No; where is it? I would like to see it," Herman cried eagerly. "It is in the studio," Millar said. "You must show it to me, Karl," Herman said, walking toward the studio door with the young artist. "I am sorry you didn't start on the picture to-day, but I suppose it can't be helped. What in the world were you talking about all that time?" As they went out talking, Olga followed slowly. As she passed Millar he said : "I will await you here." Olga went with Karl and her husband. She had hardly left the room w^hen the door The Devil QH from the hall opened and Mimi entered. As Millar turned toward her with his ironical bow she drew back, affrighted. "Oh, excuse me," she murmured. "You wish to see the artist?" Millar said. "Yes, please." He walked over, took her by the shoulders and coolly pushed her through the door into the hall. "Wait there, my dear," he said. "He is engaged just now." Then he turned to meet Olga, who en- tered suddenly, looking suspiciously around the room. "I thought I heard a woman's voice," she exclaimed. "The scrubwoman; I sent her away," Millar explained. "I wanted to speak with you alone," Olga began, turning toward him and speaking very earnestly, "in order to tell you " "That is not true," Millar interrupted her, cynically. "What is not true?" "What you wanted to tell me," he said with exasperating suavity. "You really 66 The Devil want to talk with me because you regret that my sermon was interrupted by Mr. Money- bags." "No, no, I simply want to tell you the truth," she protested. "You may want to tell the truth — but you never do. I might believe you, if you told me you were not telling the truth." "Must I think and speak as j'^ou wish?" she cried desperately. "Xo, not yet. What may I do for you, madam?" "Please do not come to-night," she im- plored. Millar smiled deprecatingly. She went on rapidly, speaking in a low tone that she might not be overheard by Herman and Karl. "I am myself again — a happy, dutiful wife. Your frivolous morals hurt me. Your words, your thoughts, your sinister influence that seems to force me against my will, frighten me. I must confess that I had be- come interested in j^^our horrible sermon when, thank God, my good husband rang The Devil 67 the bell and put an end to it. He came in at the proper moment." "Yes, as an object-lesson," Millar sneered. "I observed you closely. We three were be- ginning to understand one another when he came in." "Won't you drop the subject?" Olga asked. "Are you afraid of it?" "No," she answered coldly; "but please don't come to-night." Millar bowed deeply, as if granting her request, but he replied coolly: "I shall come." "And if my husband asks you not to come?" "He will ask me to come." "And if I should ask you in the presence of my husband not to come?" "I will agree to this, madam," Millar said, looking at her with amusement. "If you do not ask me, in the presence of your hus- band, to come to-night I will not come. Is that fair?" "Yes, that is more than nice. It is the 68 The Devil first really nice thing j^ou have said," Olga said, greatly relieved. She wanted to be rid of this terribly sin- ister influence; to be out of reach of the be- ing who seemed to compel her thoughts to link her present ^^dth the past. She wished to feel again the sweet, wholesome purpose that had inspired her yesterday ; to go ahead with her unselfish plans for Karl's future. Now that he had given his promise, she was eager to be away, and as Karl and Herman entered she suggested to her husband that it was time to go. "Yes, put on your coat," Herman said, turning to talk to INIillar, whom he found interesting. Karl helped Olga on with her coat, and the touch of it brought back the feeling that had surged over him when he had leaned dowTi to kiss her a few minutes before. "Now I see how unworthy is my sketch," he said softly. "Do not look at me like that," Olga pro- tested. "Why not?" Karl asked hopelessly. TJie Devil 69 "Even when I don't look at you I see you just the same." Olga covered her face and turned away from him. "Karl, you shall not do my portrait," she said. "Come, Herman, let us go home," she called to her husband. Herman and Millar were deep in the dis- cussion of a subject on which the stranger seemed to be amazingly well informed. The business instincts of Olga's husband were uppermost, and he did not like to be drawn away, but he said: "We shall continue this talk this evening, then." "No, I regret to say that I can't come; I have made my apologies to Madam Hof- mann. I had forgotten an engagement with the Russian Consul for this evening." "Ah, the Russian Consul will be at our house. Olga, dear, add your entreaties to mine. Persuade Monsieur Millar to come." In dreadful embarrassment Olga turned to the smiling, cjTiical mask of a face that looked at her trium^Dhantly. She could not refuse. 70 Tlie Devil "I hope we may have the pleasure of see- ing you this evening," she said, and turned wearily toward the door. "Thank you, madam," the fiend replied. "I shall be more than delighted." Karl interrupted to say that he would not reach the house that evening before 11 o'clock. He explained that he expected an art dealer. In reality he had just recalled his promise to stop at the house of ]\Iimi. Herman, suspecting his design, made some jesting allusion to it, which caused Olga to ask what he meant. He evaded her question, and Millar, seeing another excellent oppor- tunity to point a moral, declared that he heard a knock. He walked over to the door, opened it, and to the amazement of the others, ushered the embarrassed little model into the room. "The art dealer," he said sarcastically. Olga felt instantly consumed with jeal- ousy. As she and her husband walked out Millar said to her: "I mil repay you for your invitation, mad- am. I shall manage to forget my overcoat, and in five minutes I shall return for it and to P4 The Devil 71 break up the chat which you anticipate with such displeasure." Olga could not deny the insinuation. She did feel jealous of the pretty model; she did wish that the girl and Karl might not be left, alone, and she felt almost grateful to Millarj for his promise. Karl had ushered Mimi into the studio, and then he bade his guests good-by. Left alone, he threw himself face downward on the sofa, where Mimi found him a few minutes later. 72 The Devil CHAPTER VI Kael paid no attention to IMimi until she walked over to him and touched him on the shoulder. Then he sat up impatiently. "Did I not promise to call at your house?" he asked. "Why did you come here?" "Are you ashamed because I came while all those people were here?" Mimi asked, hurt and drawing away from him. "Oh, no, not at all. I promised to call, and I can't understand why you did not wait," Karl answered. INIimi timidly leaned down and put her arms around his neck. Then she said plead- ingly : "Oh, Karl, dear, please don't get mar- * ried." "Don't! you'll spoil my collar," Karl ex- claimed, trj^ing to avoid her embrace. JNIimi began to cry softly. The Devil 73 "Before I saw these people I hardly ever thought of your marriage," she said. "But now — Karl, dear, my heart aches. Please don't get married." Karl was touched by her grief, in spite of himself. He reached over and patted her cheek. "There, don't cry, dearie; please don't cry," he said. "It makes you homely." Mimi brightened instantly, and her tears vanished, leaving her face smiling. "I am a silly little girl," she said. "Yes, you are, but I like you very much," Karl said, taking her in his arms. "Now, Mimi, suppose we talk over our marriage quietly and sensibly. You may as well stay, now that you are here. Take off your hat and your jacket." He arose and was helping her off with her red woolen jacket. Then he hugged her and said as he kissed her lips : "I am your best friend, after all, Mimi, and you are my " The door opened suddenly and Millar en- tered, taking up Karl's speech with: 74 The Devil *'My overcoat; it is here somewhere. Your servant gave me yours." Karl and Mimi drew away from each other, and Millar looked at them, smiling. "It's very singular," he said, "but each time I enter your studio I find a lady dis- robing. You might think this was a ladies' tailoring establishment." IMimi looked at Karl jealously as he glared at JMillar. Then she burst into tears and ran out of the room. Karl watched her, and as she slammed the door, he turned to Millar and quietly said : "Thank you very much." "Oh, don't mention it." "I will get your overcoat, and don't let me detain you," said Karl with significant emphasis. "I broke the hanger; your man is mend- ing it and will bring it here," Millar said coolly, ignoring the marked impoliteness. Karl said nothing more, and after a few minutes of silence Millar resumed: "I just saw something that touched me deeply. Madam Hofmann clinging to her The Devil 75 husband's arm as if she were begging him to protect her " "Protect her?" Karl exclaimed angrily. "You don't mean to protect her frcm me?" "Look here, Karl, do you think you are wise to be a fool?" "I prefer not to discuss this subject," Karl answered coldly. "You don't seem to un- derstand my position. Why, it is absurd; I have seen this woman every day for years ; met her and her husband ; we have been good friends. That's all, absolutely, and had I thought of anything else I should laugh at myself. In wealth, position, everything, she is above me." "No woman is above her own heart," Mil- lar replied cynically. "Look at her. She is yours if you want her. Just stretch out your hand, my boy, and you have your warmth, your happiness, your joy, unspeakable joy, the most supreme joy possible to a human being, and you are too lazy to reach out your hand. Why, another man would toil night and day, risk life and limb for such a wom- an ; yet she drops into your arms unsought — a found treasure. 76 The Devil Karl laughed bitterlj'-. "A found treasure," he repeated. "Per- haps that is why I am indifferent." IVIillar moved over to where the young artist was seated on the couch and sat beside him. He leaned toward Karl and spoke low and earnestly, keeping his big, black, glittering eyes fixed on him. "Last fall, on the 6th of September — I shall never forget the date — I had a singu- lar experience," he said. "I put on an old suit of clothes — one I had not worn for some time — and as I i)icked up the waistcoat a sovereign dropped out from one of the pock- ets. It had been there no one knew how long. I picked it up, saying to myself, as I turned the gold piece over in my hand, 'I wonder when you got there?' It slipped through my fingers and rolled into some dark corner. "I searched the room trying to find it, but my sovereign had gone. I became nei^ous. Again I searched, with no result. I became angry, took up the rugs, moved the furni- ture about, and I called my man to help me. I grew feverish with the one thought that I The Devil 77 must have that sovereign. Suddenly a sus- picion seized me. I sprang to my feet and cried to my servant, 'You thief, you have found the sovereign and put it back in your pocket.' He answered disrespectfully. I rushed at him. I saw a knife blade glimmer in his pocket and I drew a pistol — this pistol — from mine." He drew a shining revolver from his hip pocket and laid it on the table at Karl's elbow. "And with this pistol I nearly killed a man for a found sovereign which I did not need," he finished quietly. Karl was profoundly stirred by the story, although he could hardly tell why. "I give found money away," he said, laughing uncertainly, and adding, "for luck." "So do I," said Millar quickly, "but it slipped through my fingers, and what slips through our fingers is what we want — we seek it breathlessly — that is human nature. You, too, will seek your found treasure once it slips through your fingers. And then you will find that worthless thing worth 78 The Devil everything. You will find it sweet, dear, precious." Karl turned awaj^ from him, trying not to listen to him. "Kill a man for a found sovereign," he repeated. "That woman will become sweeter, dearer, more precious to you every day," the malig- nant one went on, his words searing Karl's soul. "You will realize that she could have given you wings, that she is the warmth, the color — her glowing passion the inspiration of your work. All this you will realize when she has slipped through your fingers. You might have become a master — a giant. Not by loving your art, but by loving her. Oh, to be kissed by her, to look into her burn- ing eyes and to kiss her warm, passionate mouth." Karl covered his face with his hands. Mil- lar picked up the delicately scented shawl which had covered Olga's bare shoulders. "This has touched her bosom," he cried, twining it around Karl's head and shoulders, so that its fragrance reached his nostrils. Tlie Devil 79 The boy lost control of himself and caught the drapery, pressing it to his lips. "Both so beautiful," Millar persisted in his soft, even, melodious voice. "Oh, what you could be to each other. What divine pleasure you would find." Dropping the shawl, Karl started to his feet. "Be quiet! You are trying to drive me mad," he cried. "Do you want to ruin me? For God's sake, man, be still!" "Afraid again, O Puritan," Millar sneered. "Why, boy, life is only worth liv- ing when it is thrown away." "Why do you tell me that?" Karl de- manded. "Why do you hover over me? What do you want? Who sent you?" "No one; I am here." He again touched his forehead significant- ly and Karl shuddered. "I won't do it; no, no, no! Do you hear? I won't," the boy cried hysterically. "I have been her good friend for years — we have been good friends ; we will remain good friends. I don't want the found sovereign." "But if it slips through your fingers," Mil- 80 The Devil lar cried. "Suppose another man runs away with her." "Who?" Karl demanded. "Mj^self," Millar replied coolly. "You I" "To-night! This very night!" Millar cried, laughing satanically and triumphant- ly. "To-night I shall play with her as I please. Oh, what j oy ! What exquisite j oy ! For ten thousand years no lovelier mistress." "What's that?" Karl cried, taking a step toward him. "Mistress, I said — mistress! She will do whatever I wish — to-night, at her home. You will see, when the lights are bright, when the air is filled with perfume — before day dawns, you will see." "Stop, stop!" Karl cried warningly. "Be there and you will run after your lost sovereign," Millar went on tauntingly. "Every minute you don't know where she is she is spending with me. A carriage pass- es you with drawn blinds, and your heart stands still. Who is in it? She and I. You see a couple turn the corner with arms lov- ingly interlocked. Who was that? She and The Devil 81 I — always she and I. We sit in every car- riage. We go around every corner. Al- ways she and I — always clinging to each other, always lovingly. The thought mad- dens you. You run through the streets. A light is extinguished in some room, high up in a house. W^ho is there? She and I. We stand at the window, arm in arm, looking down into your maddened eyes, and we hold each other closer, and we laugli at you." "Stop, damn you, stop!" Karl cried, be- side himself and trying to shut out the ter- rible monotony of Millar's voice. "We laugh at you, you fool," the fiend cried again hoarsely. "And her laughter grows warmer and warmer until she laughs as only a woman can laugh in the midst of delirious joy." With a maddened scream of rage Karl reached the table with a bound and snatched up the revolver. But Millar, with a spring as lithe and agile as a cat, was there beside him, holding the arm with which he would have shot down the man who was pouring insidious poison into his ears — into his soul. Millar smiled as he looked at the helpless 82 The Devil boy before him. Karl released the revolver, and as he replaced it in his pocket, Millar said quietly: "You see, Karl, a man may kill a man for a lost sovereign." Karl's paroxysm of rage and pain over, he threw himself into a chair and buried his face in his hands. He did not even look up as Millar, his cynical glance fixed on him, walked out, closing the door softly behind him. His departure seemed to clear the at- mosphere of its oppressive burden of evil, however, and Karl jum]3ed to his feet. He made a few turns up and down the studio and then changed his velvet studio jacket for a greatcoat and plunged out of doors into the storm. The Devil 83 CHAPTER VII A BRISK walk through the snow and gath- ering darkness revived him and he turned back to the studio with a clearer brain. His old servant, Heinrich, met him at the door. "Monsieur, the gentleman has returned and is dressing," the old man said, in an awe-struck whisper. "I think he is the devil," he added vindictively. Heinrich had been terrified when Millar, returning to the studio in Karl's absence, had taken possession, with the utmost cool- ness, of Karl's guest-chamber and proceeded to change to the evening clothes which had been sent to him there from the tailor's. Un- willing to meet the man again, Karl hurried into his own room and locked the door. He did not emerge again until long after Millar had completed his dressing and had left the studio. 84 Tlie Devil Karl tried desperately to drive thoughts of Olga from his mind ; but the terrible flame of passion which had grown from the tiny, buried spark of boy love that lurked in his heart, under the sinister suggestion of Mil- lar, tortured him. He could hardly keep himself from rushing oif to Olga's house, in advance of the ball, to beg her not to proceed with her design of bringing him and Elsa to- gether; to tell her that he loved her and that in all the world there lived no other woman for him. Desperately, at last, he remem- bered his promise to see Mimi, and he hur- ried out and made his way afoot to the tat- tered little building in which she li^ed, hoping there to find forgetfulness. But, go where he would, the haunting black eyes, the cynical smile, that even, persistent voice, the insidious suggestions of Millar, the devil, followed him and would not be shaken off. *^ '4l& ^ 4I& 4I& .1\ TJv T^ «sv Tff In a state of mind even more desperate than that of Karl, Olga went home with Herman. Their journey was as silent as their carriage was silent. Herman was ab- The Devil 85 sorbed in contemplation of the information Millar had given him regarding business af- fairs in Russia, in which he was heavily in- terested. Olga was torn by conflicting emo- tions. The man had roused in her the dor- mant love for Karl which she believed buried forever. She could not deny to herself now, as she had denied for six years, that she loved him. She knew now that during those six years it had been to Karl, not to Herman, that she had turned for sympathy, for under- standing, and the knowledge maddened her. Deep in her heart Olga exalted duty be- fore every other virtue, and the duty of a loyal wife before every other duty. She could feel now the crumbling away of all her principles. She had believed for six years that she had given to Herman every bit of her love and loyalty, and now she was forced to the self-confession that she had lived a lie, even to herself. She loved Karl. But, away from Millar's influence, she re- solved that she would yet battle with and overcome the terrible impulses he had aroused. She would make the artist love the beautiful, accomplished girl whom she 86 The Devil herself had selected for his bride. She would make him happy; make them both happy, even if it meant that she must crush out her o^vn hopes of happiness in doing so. "That is a very remarkable man, that friend of Karl's," Herman said after they had driven some time in silence. "Yes; he is very disagreeable," Olga re- plied. "Oh, I don't think so," Herman protest- ed. "To me he seemed very agreeable. Where does he come from? He seems to have been everywhere and to know every- body." "And everything," assented Olga weari- ly. "I cannot tell you an}i;hing about him. Karl met him a year ago at Monte Carlo." "I am glad you persuaded him to come to-night," Herman said. "He is going to give me information that will be of great value to me." Olga was on the point of telling Herman all about the terrible sermon the stranger had preached to them ; of his wicked insinua- tions and of her terrible dread, but she checked herself. Herman seemed fatuously The Devil 87 delighted by Millar, and she could not bring herself to talk to him now. They continued the ride in silence until home was reached. 88 The Devil CHAPTER VIII Herman and Olga occupied one of the finest residences in Park Lane. It had been built by a wealthy nobleman and comj)leted with a princely disregard for expenditure. It stood in the center of a considerable park, surrounded by trees and gardens. Preparations were already going forward for the ball vvhen Herman and Olga reached home. Decorators were putting the finish- ing touches on the magnificent ballroom. Florists were banking ferns and potted plants along the stairs and halls. All was bustle and preparation. Herman delight- edly went forward and examined every de- tail of the work. Olga, who ordinarily would have taken the same keen interest in the preparations, turned wearilj^ away and went to her own room. She dined alone, under the plea of a headache, and did not The Devil 89 again appear until the guests began to ai> rive in the evening. "You look very beautiful, my dear," Her- man said to her when she entered the draw- ing-room. Her mood had changed. Her eyes seemed unnaturally bright. She herself could not tell what had caused the change. When she reached home she had looked for- ward with shuddering aversion to her sec- ond meeting with Millar. Now she was im- patient for him to arrive. She wanted to talk to him; to hear again the soft, persua- sive voice, the insidious harmony of his words that seemed to frame for her the thoughts she had never dared express. She was bright, alive, witty, charming in the beauty of her fresh color, her glorious hair, her si3lendid figure set off charmingly in an evening gown of white satin brocade. She stood at the head of the winding stair- way leading to the drawing-room when Mil- lar came. The man seemed more suggestive of ma- lignant purpose in his evening clothes than he had been in the afternoon. Immaculate 90 The Devil in every detal of his dress, his very groom- ing suggested wickedness. He walked slow- ly up the stairs, feasting his eyes on Olga as she stood with hand extended to meet him. "Madam, I am charmed to greet you again," he said. "I congratulate you on the wonderful transformation, and I need not ask in what way it was effected." "It may be that I owe it to you, mon- sieur," Olga replied gayh% her ej'^es frankly meeting those of Millar as he looked at her Avith admiration he did not attempt to dis- guise. "I trust we are soon to have the pleasure of seeing Karl again." "He will be here — later, I believe," Olga answered. "Meanwhile, monsieur, I am going to ask you to make yourself agreeable to some of my guests." "JNIadam, I can only make myself disa- greeable to them," he replied cynically. "It is not they whom I came to see and enter-_ tain." "But you must be entertained now," Olga 3aidt "Soon I hope we may talk," TJie Devil 91 "We shall talk," Millar assured her, bow- ing. He passed on to greet Herman, and was presented to others in the rapidly growing throng. Wherever he went Olga heard ex- elamations usually of surprise or dismay from her women guests, and the number that invariably gathered around him at first rap- idly diminished. He seemed bent on making himself disagreeable, as he had promised. One elderly spinster to whom he was pre- sented greeted him with an affected lisp, drooping eyes and an inane remark about the terrible cold. "Yes, mademoiselle, your teeth will chat- ter to-night — on the dresser." To another — a portly lady who affected the airs of a girl — he said in his most silken tones: "My dear madam, I must tell you of a splendid remedy for getting thin." "I don't want to get thin," the portly one replied indignantly as she flounced away from him. Olga waited impatiently for an oppor- tunity to withdraw with Millar into a se- 92 The Devil eluded place, where she might listen to him while he told her the things that she did not dare tell herself. The evening had grown late, however, and Karl had arrived before she could get away from her guests. Karl had tried to avoid a tete-a-tete vAih. Olga, and she took the first opportunity of introducing him to Elsa. She rebelled in her soul now at the thought of their mar- riage, but her will drove her to the fulfilment of her puropse, to that extent at least. But it was with a heart torn with jealousy that she watched Karl and Elsa move off togeth- er, and turned to meet JMillar, standing be- side her with his cjTiical, sinister smile. Elsa Berg was a brilliant, vivacious girl, rarely beautiful, with lively blue eyes, chest- nut hair and a tall, slender, willowy figure. The romance and excitement of her meet- ing with Karl made her seem doubly beauti- ful, and she gladdened the artist in him, hut he helplessly confessed to himself that she made no impression on his heart. His thoughts were with Olga, and he w^as ab- stracted, almost to the point of rudeness, while Elsa tried to talk with him. The Devil 93 "Who is that terribly rude person who seems to be frightening every one?" she asked. "He? Oh, that is Dr. Millar, a friend of mine," Karl replied. "Pooh! I don't see why every one seems so afraid of him," Elsa said with a note of challenge in her tone. "I think I shall meet him just to see if he will make me run." "No, no; don't go near him," Karl begged. "And why not? Has he such a sharp tongue or an evil mind? I can take care of myself." "I don't really think you ought to meet him," Karl said, but he spoke without con- viction. He suddenly yielded to a curiosity to see what might come of a meeting between Elsa and Millar. "I don't care ; I'm going to hunt him up," she cried, jumping up and scampering off. Millar had gone into an anteroom lead- ing out into the beautiful gardens. A num- ber of the company had assembled there as he entered, and it was obvious from the in- stant silence which ensued that he had been the subject of their discussion. This seemed 04 Tlie Devil to gratify his cj^nical humor, and he looked the assembled men and women — society pup- pets — over with a cjmical grin. Elsa was among them, and tow^ard her Millar bowed as he said: "I never knew this number of ladies could be so silent. I presume during my absence you have been discussing me kindly." The others did not speak, but Elsa turned boldly to Millar. "Don't flatter yourself that I am afraid of you," she said. "I would say to your face what these f)eople only dare think. Indeed, I was just going to look for you." "It is just as well you are here: thej^ might discuss you and your approaching betrothal with Karl," JNIillar said. "You — you know!" Elsa cried in aston- ishment. The others seemed tremendously inter- ested at the information Millar had impart- ed, and Elsa was embarrassed. She knew the design of her friend Olga in bringing her and Karl together, but she was not aware that it was kno\^^l to any one else. Millar smiled as he replied : The Devil 95 "Of course; they would throw you into his arms." While the others who overheard laughed at this sally and Elsa blushed furiously, Millar went close to her and said : "I must speak to you alone. I will send these people away. Leave it to me.'* Elsa* drew away and there was a silence in the room. The others began to feel un- comfortable as Millar looked slowly from one to the other of them. One or two es- sayed conversation, and his cutting, insolent replies sent them scurrying from the room. In a few moments only he and Elsa remained in the apartment. From the adjoining ball- room came the strains of music and the sound of dancing and bright laughter. Mil- lar looked at Elsa. "Now they are gone," he said. "Are you not surprised that I did not go also?" she asked. "You offended me, you know, but I stayed because I want to talk with you." "How charming," Millar said with gentle sarcasm. 96 The Devil "Perhaps j'^ou kncv/ my nickname — Saucy Elsa?" said the girl warningly. "Oh, yes." "Then you should know that your Ches- terfieldian manners embarrass me," Elsa said impatiently as IMillar bowed again be- fore her. "I have selected you to dehver a most impudent message to that crowd in there, because you are so perfectly impo- lite." "I am entirely at your disposal, mademoi- selle." "How can I be impudent, though, when you are so polite to me?" she cried petu- lantly. "Shall we end the conversation, then?" "Oh, no, not yet," Elsa cried, embar- rassed. Then she went on with determina- tion: "When you came in here you said I was the girl they were going to throw into Karl's arms." "I did." "But you did not say that I am the girl who permits herself to be thrown into Karl's arms. Am I right?" "Yes." TJie Devil 97 "Please sit down," Elsa went on, recov- ering her self-poise, which the baffling polite- ness of Millar had disturbed. He declined the chair with a gesture, but she insisted. \ "I feel much more commanding when I stand, and I want every advantage," she said. "I want to set you right, and it will be much easier when you sit down and I stand." Smiling, Millar sat down and looked up at her expectantly. Slightly confused, she went on: "I don't want people making fun of me before my face. I know everything. Do I make myself clear? You were kind enough to mention the subject, and I shall dele- gate to you the mission of explaining the true facts to those dummies." She grew quite vehement, and her cheeks flushed. Millar looked at her admiringly as he said : "Your confidence does me great honor." "As a rule I don't take these people seri- ously," the girl hurried on. "I have no more interest in them or their opinions than I 98 Tlie Devil have in last week's newspapers. But I want them all to know that they have not fooled me into marrying Karl. And you all want me to marry him — you all want to throw me into his arms." "Pardon me " Millar interrupted, but she went on, unheeding. "Don't you think I can see through your transparent schemes? But I'll marry him just the same, if he'll have me. Do you un- derstand? I'll marry him." "I do not think you will," Millar said quietly. "I tell you I am going to be Karl's wife," Elsa cried with emphasis. "Now that you have graced me with your confidence," Millar said, rising, "I feel that I may be quite frank with you. This mar- riage cannot take place." He pointed to tlie chair he had vacated and smiled. "Now, j^ou sit down, because I am going to set you right," he said. Wonderingly, Elsa obeyed. Millar called a servant who was passing, and said : TJw Devil 99 "You will find a small red leather case in my overcoat pocket. Bring it here." The servant went out and he continued to Elsa: "I know the reason of this marriage, but you — you don't know the reason, or " "Or what?" "Or you don't want to know. Hence you are about to consent." "Consent to what?" Elsa cried. "Don't beat around the bush. This is what I am trying to avoid. I am about to consent to become the wife of a man who loves another woman. And, what is more, I intend to go on my honeymoon with a man who has an- other woman in his heart — who leaves with this other woman everything he should bring to his wife — love, symj)athy, enthusiasm, everything. You see, you did not know me.'* Millar was unmoved by her vehement declaration. As the servant re-entered the room and handed him a small, red leather case, he said : "I did not think this subject could excite you to such a degree." 100 The Devil "I don't want any one laughing at me," Elsa protested. "I want them all to under- stand that I know quite well the way I am going, and that I go that way proudly, fully conscious of it — that I know everything and yet I consent to be his wife." "Why?" Millar asked, opening his little satchel. "Because — because — I — I love him," the girl answered, and began to sob. Millar smiled wickedly as he took from the case a dainty lace handkerchief and held it toward Elsa. "Pardon me, I always carry this with me," he said. "It is my weeping bag. In it is everything a woman needs for weeping." Elsa sobbed and dabbed at her eyes with the handkerchief, not noticing that the man was amused. "I — I love him," she declared. "And take this also," Millar said, hand- ing her a little mirror, then a powder puff and a tiny stick of rouge. Elsa could not help smiling through her tears at the absurdity of it, as she dabbed and dusted her tear- The Devil 101 stained face, looking at herself in the little mirror, until all traces of her weeping were removed. "So this is the far-famed Saucy Elsa," Millar said as he watched her. "No, it isn't," she said rebelliously. "When I came here to-night I was a young, saucy girl. Now I am a nervous old wom- an. What shall I do?" "Whatever you do, you must not be dis- couraged. You must fight — attack the enemy. But first of all you must be pretty." "I shall try," Elsa said dolefully. "You must show that woman your teeth. Of course it is hard for a young girl to fight a woman," Millar went on. "You don't pos- sess so many weapons as a married woman who knows love already — who — may I say something improper?" "Please do," she said, her sauciness re- turning as she held her hands before her eyes and looked at him through her fingers. "A woman who knows all about love that you have yet to learn." "I understand," she said. 102 Tlie Devil "But don't mind that; listen. There is not much sentiment in me, but I am a man, and I tell j^ou, little girl, j^ou possess the weapon that will deal the death blow to the most attractive, the most experienced woman in the world. That weapon is purity." "Should I listen to all this?" Elsa asked. "You should not," JMillar replied prompt- ly; "but listen just the same. It may help you. And now, go dance with Karl. You must conquer. But don't try to be a woman ; be a girl. Don't try to be saucy." "I don't care to be saucy, but it is so origi- nal," Elsa said contritely. "Don't try to be original," JMillar said earnestly. "Be yourself. Be modest. Be ashamed of your pure white shoulders. Look at Karl as if you feared he is trying to steal j^ou away from girlhood land and show you the way to woman's land. And if any one ever dares to call you saucy again, tell him you once met a gentleman to whom you wanted to give a piece of your mind and that you left him with a piece of his mind, feeling very small indeed yourself, The Devil 103 and making him feel as if he were the big- gest rascal in the world." Elsa turned and went toward the other room, meeting Karl at the door as Millar withdrew behind a curtain of palms. 104. The Devil CHAPTER IX Millar had played with devilish ingenuity on the tender susceptibilities of Elsa. He encouraged her in her love for Karl and her determination to win him, evidently with the deliberate purpose that she should repel the boy whose will he had determined to subordinate to his own. He watched as a cat watches its prey the meeting between Karl and Elsa after he withdrew quietly into the sheltering recess behind the palms. Karl had been searching for her and stopped, barring her way into the ballroom. "So here you are at last, Miss Elsa," he exclaimed. "Yes," Elsa replied, dropping her eyes demurely. "Why are you not in the ballroom?" "I wanted to be alone. If any one really^ wanted me he could find me." The Devil 105 Her dejection surprised Karl. "You seem sad. Are you worried?" "No." "Then what has happened?" Karl asked. He walked toward her, and as he did so Millar emerged from his place of conceal- ment. Karl looked at him. "Ah, now I understand," he said. "Surely you do not mean to suspect that I am the cause of Miss Elsa's mihappiness," he said blandly. Karl ignored him and turned to Elsa, looking at her in frank admiration. "You are very pretty to-night," he said, going close to her. "It is because you are yourself — a sweet, pure, natural girl. I like you better this way, Elsa. I could take you in my arms and hug you." "Oh, Karl !" Elsa exclaimed, blushing and hiding her face. Millar's cjniical smile overspread his face, and he turned away, well satisfied with the progress he was making. "Excuse me," he murmured. "I must say good-evening to our hostess," and he stole quietly out. loe The Devil The two young people did not notice him. They sat down very close to each other, Karl leaning forward and looking Into the big blue eyes of the girl. Elsa gave a glance at the disappearing figure of Millar. "I am awfully glad to be alone with you, Elsa," Karl said. "You are the one natural thing in this fetid, artificial atmosphere. Don't you feel warm?" "Yes, as if some hot breeze were blowing through this room. It stifles me." "You never spoke like that before," Karl said. His back was toward the ballroom door and he did not see Millar usher Olga into the room. The man had brought Olga that she might witness the fulfilment of her plan, and that he might triumph in her jealousy and further thwart them. Elsa saw them come in and seat themselves across the room. "There is Olga," she said, "and she, too, is jealous. "Don't you want to speak to her?" "I have seen her," Karl replied without turning around. "I would rather talk with you. It's far more interesting." "They axe talking about us," Elsa said The Devil 107 warningly, as she saw Olga and Millar look toward them. "Oh, what of it?" Karl exclaimed impa- tiently. "Let us be glad we are together. I am just beginning to know you, Elsa." ' "Why do you look around, then?" Elsa said. "Am I looking around?" Karl asked. "I wasn't aware of it." But even as he spoke he could not help furtively glancing around to see what Mil- lar and Olga were doing. He remembered the man's declaration in the studio that after- noon and he distrusted and feared him. He was beginning to hate him. By a sheer effort of will he forced him- self to turn to Elsa. He resolved that he would talk to her; that he would make love to her; that he would marry her and banish from his heart those hateful emotions which Millar had aroused. He leaned forward and spoke of love to the girl in low tones, while Elsa, with color coming and going in her face, listened and watched the woman she knew for her rival. "Our first love usually is our last love^^^ 108 The Devil our last love always is the first," Karl said. "I don't know," Elsa cried demurely. "I have never been in love, although I was dis- appointed twice," she added gayly. Karl was beginning to find his task diffi- cult. His attention wandered to Olga. "Disappointments; well, }^es, who has not been disappointed?" Elsa observed his growing inattention, his efforts to concentrate his thoughts on their talk, his futile love-making, and she turned from him coldly. JNIeanwhile IMillar and Olga were having a conversation in which Olga was being torn on the rack of her jeal- ous emotions. IMillar had brought her into the anteroom to show her Karl making love to Elsa. Everj'- circumstance favored his design. Olga at first was disposed to withdraw when she saw them. "Don't you think we should leave the young people together?" she said. "You are too considerate," Millar replied cynically. "They seem to be growing fond of each other," Olga said jealously. The Devil 109 "Yes; do you dislike it?" "No." "Shall we leave now?" "No; I rather enjoy watching my seed bear fruit." Olga tried to speak lightly and smile. Millar, watching her closely, saw her lips twitch, and it was with difficulty that she controlled herself. "They are an interesting couple," he said. "Can't we discuss something besides these two?" Olga asked impatiently. "Yes, certainly," Millar acquiesced. "I came here to-night to decide a wager," he went on. "What was it?" Olga asked absently, look- ing with jealous eyes at Elsa and Karl. "I made a wager that j^ou would fall in love with me to-night." Olga was startled by the declaration, but she treated it lightly as one of Millar's strange sayings. "With whom did you make such a wager?" she asked. "With Karl," Millar answered quickly. 110 The Devil "Karl — and what did he say?" Olga cried, almost rising from her seat. "I must not tell you now; it might hurt you." "Oh, no, it won't; please tell me now," Olga pleaded, leaning over the table toward him. Millar, too, leaned forward, his face al- most touching her white shoulder, his hand touching hers as it rested on the table. It was thus Karl saw them with one of those furtive glances, and the glist froze the pretty speech he was trying to make to Elsa. The girl, seeing his look, jumped to her feet, ex- claiming angrily, and so that all three heard her: "Take me to the ballroom immediately. I have promised the next dance." Karl also, his face white with passion, had jumped to his feet. Elsa, almost in tears, stamped her foot at him. "Why do you stand there? Take me away. Aren't you coming?" She turned and started to the door, Karl following. They passed Millar and Olga, still seated at the table. The Devil 111 "I thought you were in the ballroom," Olga said sweetly to the girl. "Oh, did you?" "I hope you are enjoying the dancing." "I hate dancing, but I shall dance every dance to-night," Elsa cried passionately. She looked angrily at Olga, who arose and moved toward her. Karl stepped between them, giving his arm to Elsa. The two walked together, leaving Olga looking help- lessly into the smiling face of Millar. Olga looked angrily at the stormy little Elsa as she floundered from the room into the ballroom, followed by the enraged Karl. Millar smiled more cynically than ever as he saw the play of emotion on Olga's face. His ruse had worked admirably. He had at least beaten down Olga's will, but he had yet to make certain of Karl. "How dared she speak like that?" Olga demanded, turning to her cynic Millar. "Karl must love her." "Let us not reach conclusions so hastily," Millar said. "First let me tell you how Karl answered me this afternoon." 112 The Devil "When you made the wager?" Olga asked quickly. "Yes; when I promised to make you fall in love with me." "What did he say?" "He tried to kill me," INIillar answered slowly. The color rushed to Olga's cheeks. Her eyes sparkled as she turned them toward her tempter. It was delight she felt; mad, un- reasoning joy that Karl's love for her had prompted him to kill another who threatened to win her from him. Still smiling, INIillar went on, taking the shining revolver from his pocket and showing it to her: "With his own hands, dear lady, Karl tried to kill me with this little pistol. I took it away from him." "He tried to shoot you?" Olga exclaimed. "Yes; and he would have done so. This is nicely loaded for six." Almost to herself Olga whispered her next words : "This afternoon he wanted to kill you when you only spoke of making love to me, and now— he saw you whisper in my ear, The Devil 113 hold my hand, touch my shoulders. Why, he must have fallen in love with " "Don't you think it silly to shoot a friend on account of a woman?" Millar interrupted, before she could pronounce Elsa's name. "Oh, he's fond of me — perhaps you said something- about me," Olga stumbled on hur- riedly. "Karl holds me in high regard, but, there is no doubt of it, these young people are in love." "I fear you regret the success of your matrimonial scheme for Karl and Elsa," Millar said. "Do you think it will be successful?" she asked eagerly. "I don't know, but we may find out easily enough." "How?" Millar took a turn up and down the room, his up-slanting eyebrows drawn together in deep thought. "This afternoon he tried to shoot me when I told him I would make you fall in love with me," he said, stopping in front of Olga. "That means love. Don't speak to me of re- spect or regard, my dear lady. They fire off 114 The Devil cannons in salute out of respect, but when they draw pistols, that means love. Now, you think Karl loves this little girl. Sup- pose we find out who is right. We will make Karl tell us himself." Olga turned away, with a gesture of dis- sent, but Millar went on insinuatingly: "Of course, I understand it interests you only because you planned this marriage, and after all itis only right* that you should feel a certain amount of pride in the success of your plans. Is it not so?" "Yes, that is true." "Very well, then ; Karl shall tell us which was real — his attempt to murder me or this little affair with Elsa." "But how — you don't mean to ask Karl?" Olga asked in bewilderment. "You are not going to listen at key-holes?" "Oh, madam, no." "Then how can we make him tell us?" "It is simple; I have a plan. But you must follow my instructions to the letter. Don't ask for any reasons; simply do as I say." Olga looked at him reflectively. She knew By Permission of Henry W. Savage. "let only your bake neck show above your cloak, and the tips of your shoes beneath it."- pa^e 115. The Devil 115 instinctively that he had some new bit of devilish ingenuity, some sinister twist of that marvelous brain, and she was afraid. But she wanted more than anything else to be assured that Karl did not love Elsa ; that her scheme for their marriage had failed, and she replied : "Very well, it is agreed." "I saw you once at the opera with a very beautiful cloak that covered you completely from your neck to your shoe tij^s. Have you such a cloak now?" "Yes." "Good. Put this cloak on. Let only your bare neck show above it and the tips of your shoes beneath. Button it from top to bot- tom, as if you felt cold. Then we shall need but the presence of j'^ourself and Karl, here in this room, to solve the problem." Olga looked at Millar a moment in si- lence. There flashed instantly through her mind the full meaning of his daring sugges- tion, and at first she was on the point of in- dignant refusal. Then she as quickly re- solved to carry out the scheme; to beat the 116 The Devil man at his own cunning game ; to find out for herself what Karl really felt. "Unconditionally obey me and we shall know everything," Millar assured her, ob- serving her hesitation. "This is very mysterious," Olga said slow- ly. "What strange influence do j'^ou possess that compels me to obey your will? Your eyes seem to have all the wisdom of the world behind them." "You do my eyes poor, scant justice," Millar replied. "Now go, dear madam. If any one expresses astonishment that j'ou wear a cloak indoors, simply say that you felt cold." "It really is cold," Olga said with a little shiver as they turned away. "Out this way," ^Millar said quickly, point- ing to the palms and a door beyond them. "Karl is coming." Olga gathered her skirts up and hurried from the room just as Karl entered. The young artist caught a glimpse of her dress as she disappeared behind the palms. He looked at JNIillar with jealous rage making his eyes glow. The Devil 117 "Who was that?" he demanded. "Who?" Millar asked blandly. "Did Olga run away from me?" "No one ran from you that I know of, Karl. That is a pretty girl, my young friend, that little Elsa." "Yes, she is j)retty," Karl replied absent- ly, sitting down at a table. He was still tortured by the sight of Mil- lar leaning over Olga, touching her hands, whispering in her ear. He was tormented by the insinuating words the man had ut- tered in the afternoon when he swore that Olga should love him; should be his. He would have liked to take JNIillar's throat in his two hands and throttle him. Keenly aware of the inferno he had raised in Karl, Millar continued to chat affably, Karl not deigning to answer. Finally Mil- lar said: "You seem annoyed." Karl lost control of himself and leaped to his feet. He went close to Millar, star- ing into his eyes. "I am annoyed. Do you want to know 118 Tlic Devil why?" he demanded, putting all the inso- lence he could command into his tone. "No," Millar rej^lied with a smile. "I want to tell you wlw," Karl declared. "Please don't," Millar said deprecatingly. "Yes, I will," Karl went on belligerently. "I am amazed at the change which has come over you since this afternoon. Don't imag- ine that it is on account of Olga — we Avon't discuss her at all." "Certainty not; she is out of the question," INIillar assented warmly. "Absolute^," Karl went on. "I came here this evening determined to ask Elsa to marrj'^ me." "Fine! I am very glad to hear it. I wish you good luck, my boy!" INIillar cried with enthusiasm. "You are glad?" "Delighted," Millar assured him. "It does not take you long to change your mind," Karl continued, still with a truculent air. "This afternoon you insisted I should not marry Elsa. To-night you are delighted at the prospect." The Devil 119i "Oh, yes ; I see the matter now in a differ- ent light." "Then it was Olga who ran away as I entered!" Karl almost shouted, glaring at him menacingly. "Ran away? Why should she run away?" Millar asked, pretending embarrassment. "Don't act like a cad!" Karl cried threat- eningly. "What do you mean, Karl?" "I mean exactly what I say. Don't act like a cad. If you were a gentleman you would hide your pleasure." JMillar pretended to be shocked at the in- dignation of the yiung artist, which secretly delighted him. "Don't talk that way, Karl," he urged. "As you seem to have penetrated my secret, I suppose I might as well — but have you made up your mind to marry Elsa?" "Absolutely." "And you will not change your mind — you promise?" "I will not change my mind." "Well, of course, if that is the case, I can tell you. I " 120 The Devil He hesitated as if embarrassed at his own question. Karl cried roughly : "And did j^ou succeed?" "Well, I " "What of her husband?" "Ah, Karl, he is deaf, dumb and blind," Millar cried gleefully. Stifled with the pain at his heart, Karl turned away. "This afternoon, at my house, you met her for the first time," he said. "All, Karl, she is a clever woman; cleverer than I thought," JNIillar said, affecting tre- mendous enthusiasm. "She deceived me this afternoon about her true character; she has been deceiving all of you. I am sure of it. Oh, she is grand, fantastic, passionate, dar- ing. Think of it, Karl," he went on, going close to the boj'- and leaning over him, bring- ing out his words so that eveiy one seemed to penetrate his heart; "think of it, to-night a kiss behind a door in front of which her hus- band was standing. Danger fascinates her. And just now, a moment before you came, we agreed— — " "So it was she?" Karl interrupted. The Devil 121 "Oh, yes, it was she," Millar admitted. "I suggested a wild plan, Karl; almost too daring for the first day of our acquaintance. Her honor, position, everything depend upon its success. Of course I did not dream she would carry it out. I suggested it mere- ly to sound the depths of her passion. But she loved the idea and insisted upon doing it this very night. If it fails we are lost." Karl trembled with apprehension for Olga, whom he believed in the devilish power of this man. "What is it?" he asked. "She will be here in one minute, dressed in an opera cloak — and nothing else. Think of it, Karl; the daring of it. She will walk through the ballroom on my arm, among all those people, her friends, her husband, with no one in the secret but we two — and you. Ah, Karl, I told j'-ou she would be mine," Millar concluded with rapturous accents. "With a wild cry Karl sprang at Millar, hurling one word at him : "Liar!" "Karl, be careful," Millar protested, avoiding him. 122 The Devil "It's a lie; a damnable, dirty lie!" Karl cried, trjdng blindly to reach him, to grasp his throat to throttle him. JMillar deftly avoided him and laughed triumphantly. "I have trapped you who tried to trap me," he cried. "You love Olga Hofmann." "Yes, I love her," Karl cried loudly. "I love her, and yet I will marry Elsa. Now, I have listened to your infernal lies ; I have watched you gloat over them. Men like j'^ou steal a woman's reputation and boast of it and call it a success. But you shall pay for it, now, this minute, when I kick you out of the house. Out with you, like a sneak-thief that you are!" He advanced determedly on Millar, who quietly faced him. "Remember, Karl, that I have the pistol now," he said coolly. "Out vn\h you, j^ou sneak-thief; I am not afraid of you," Karl cried again. He was about to seize Millar by the throat, when he started back in amazement at what seemed to be the fulfilment of the other's sinister promise. Olga stepped through the The Devil 123 door into the room. She was clothed from head to foot in a beautiful, shimmering, fur- trimmed cloak. Above the top button gleamed her bare throat. Her white arms projected from the short sleeves. The hem of the skirt fell to the tips of her white satin shoes. As Olga entered she gave one glance at Karl and then moved away from him, and stood beside the table at which she and Mil- lar had been seated. She saw the wild rage stamped on his face, and her woman's intui- tion made her know that Millar had told him what she had divined he meant. The situation frightened her, and she felt on the point of fleeing from the room or casting aside the cloak; but she resolved to see the game through. Karl stared at her, rage giving place to amazement, then to despair. For full a min- ute no one spoke. The music floated in soft- ly from the ballroom, mingled with the hum of voices and laughter. Olga was the first to break the stillness, but she did not look at him as she spoke. 124 The Devil "Karl, this is the first time I have had a chance to talk with you to-night," she said. "What is that?" Karl absently asked. He had not heard ; his mind was confused, bewildered. Millar, cynically misunder- standing his question, said quickly: "Why, that is an opera cloak." Olga turned quickly, fearful that the re- mark might cause an eruption which she could not control. She cried impulsively, seeking to divert the threatening train of conversation : "The ball is a great success. Every one is merrj^; everj^ one dances as if it were the first affair of the season. The girls are all as happy as young widows who have just taken off mourning." "I have observed it," Millar agreed ^dth enthusiasm. "It is splendid. But why is Karl so sad amid all this merry-making?" he added. "Why are you sad, Karl?" Olga asked, turning to him. "I sad? You are silly," Karl cried with forced gayety. "I never felt happier in all my life." The Devil 125 There was a touch of hysteria in his voice that made Olga's heart go out to him. "I am glad you are having such a good time," she said. "Yes, yes; I feel like a schoolboy," Karl cried wildly; "like a young tiger. I'm mad with joy. I will get drunk to-night. I will drink, drink drink until the angels in heav- en sing to me — as you said this afternoon," he added, turning to Millar. "No, no, Karl," Olga pleaded, thoroughly frightened. "Why, you never drank. Why should you drink to-night?" "Because I am doing things to-night I never did before," Karl replied bitterly. "I have never been engaged before; to-night I shall be engaged." "Good! fine, Karl," Millar exclaimed. "She is a splendid girl." "Splendid girl! What do I care what sort of a girl she is? It's not the girl; it's marriage — something new. I want to see what it is like." "For a bridegroom you are not very gay," Millar said tauntingly. "Gay! Why should I be gay? I am 126 The Devil drinking" the last bitter drops of my backelor days — but I'll swallow tliem, and then — ^ purity." "Bravo, Karl!" Olga said. "Oh, I don't care what any one else thinks about it," Karl sneered at her. "I am doing this to please myself." Olga was hurt and surprised at his tone. She had never seen him so completely beside himself before; she had never heard him speak so bitterly, so vindictively. As she watched him he looked at her, and a spasm of pain contorted his face. He pointed his finger at her accusingly, and cried : "Why are you wearing that cloak in the house?" "Madam Hofmann may be cold," Millar suggested quietly. "Yes, yes; I am cold," Olga said hur- riedly, drawing the cloak around her more closely. "You are fortunate to have such a beau- tiful cloak," Millar said, determined now to keep them at the main point of his game. "Suppose we do not talk about the cloak," The Devil 127 Olga said. "You and Elsa seemed to get on nicely to-night, Karl." "Yes," he replied absently. "Really, it was charming to watch such devoted young people," Millar said. Karl flashed a look of hatred at him and turned again to Olga. "That cloak is lined with fur, isn't it?" Before she could reply Millar had inter' rupted in his silken, insinuating voice : "Yes, soft, smooth fur." "I did not sj)eak to you," Karl cried at him savagely. "Well?" he demanded of Olga. "Soft, smooth fur," Olga replied. "It is cold in here." "Nonsense; it is hot. I feel stifling," Karl declared. "I feel chilly," Olga insisted. "Perhaps madam is not dressed warmly enough," Millar insinuated. "You should wear plenty of clothes in the winter time, or you may run the chance of taking cold." Olga caught her breath and then she an- swered : "I love to take chances." 128 The Devil "You do, eh?" Karl cried. "Yes; what is it to you?" she asked taunt- ingly. Karl threw his self-control to the winds. With flaming face and a voice that shook with anger, he cried: "Aren't you two afraid of me?" Olga was afraid and she looked at him apprehensively. Millar smiled his cynical, sinister smile and answered: "Afraid? I'm not afraid of the husband. Why should I be afraid of a moralizing, joy- less bridegroom?" Karl took a step toward him, when Her- man entered the room. All three were silent and Herman looked at them in surprise. "What is this — a conspiracy?" h€ asked gayly. "Oh, no, merely a conversation," Millar said. "Well, Karl, how are you getting along with Elsa?" Herman asked, taking the boy by the arm and walking off with him. Olga watched them as they disappeared, going into the ballroom, Karl evidently re- The Devil 129 luctant to be taken away. Then she turned to Millar. "What did you tell him about my cloak?" "About the cloak? Nothing." "You did not tell him " "What?" "He stared at me as if he thought — thought I had on only this cloak." "That is exactly what I told him," Millar assured her. "Oh, how could you?" "Now don't be shocked," Millar said cyn- ically. "You knew it. The moment you entered the room you realized that I had told him. And what is more you liked it." "How dare you!" Olga gasped. "If I had understood " "If you had understood, would you have taken off the cloak?" "Yes." "Well, now you understand, why do you not take it off?" Olga raised her head and looked straight into Millar's eyes. She said not a word, but drew her cloak more closely about her with 130 The Devil a movement that sent a thrill of suspicion and surprise through him. "Madam, j^ou didn't really?" he cried in amazement. "Do you think I am a child?" she asked. "Do you imagine that I did not understand your suggestion from the very first? You wanted me to fool Karl. Perhaps I have fooled you. How do you know I am not nude beneath this cloak?" "Madam!" Millar cried in wide-eyed amazement. "Now let us see if you will take a chance," Olga said. "Give me your arm, my dear doctor, and we will walk together through the ballroom." JMillar was at a loss for a moment. His imperturbable calm was broken. Olga had matched her woman's intuition against his cunning and had won. But his bewilder- ment gave way to undisguised admiration, and, bowing as gallantly as a youthful sweetheart, he gave her his arm. As they were about to leave, however, Karl suddenly barred their way, coming hur- riedly in from the ballroom. The Devil 131 "Are you coming in with us, Karl?" Olga asked, as they paused. "No," Karl almost shouted; "and you are not going — you stay here." "What do you mean?" "I mean what I said. You stay here. And you, too," he added to Millar. He turned and closed the ballroom door. Then he faced them again. "We will settle this thing right here. Take off that cloak." "I will not." "By heavens, I'll tear it off," he cried furiously, rushing at her. Olga stood unmoved. Millar caught Karl by the arm and stopped him. "Why did you stop him?" Olga asked, smiling. She was perfectly self-possessed now and in command of the situation. Millar was frankly afraid that she had taken his mean- ing literally. Karl was mad with rage and jealousy. Olga was unruffled. "Madam, I was afraid," Millar said. "You will take it off," Karl cried, still held back by IMillar. "If you do not, I'll 132 The Devil find your husband and he shall have the pleasure." Olga turned to him sweetly. "Karl, will you help me off with my cloak?" she asked. Karl almost leaped toward her, but when his hands nearly touched her cloak he drew back, afraid. Slowly he backed away from her, while she smiled. "Dr. ]\Iillar, will you help me remove my cloak?" she asked sweetly. Millar put out his hands as if to do so, but quickly folded them over his breast, bowed very low and smiled, cynically shak- ing his head. Olga looked first at one and then the other with her tantalizing smile. The three might have been carved of stone, so still were they when Herman entered. "Hello, Karl; I lost you when I went to find Elsa," he said. "What are you talk- ing about?" "I think we have been discussing cloaks," Millar said. "Oh, I see Olga is wearing one. Isn't it rather warm for that, dear?" The Devil 133 "Yes, it is, but I felt chilly a while ago," Olga answered. "Will you help me off with it, Herman?" Herman stejoped to her side as she loos- ened the clasps, and lifted the beautiful fur- lined garment from her shoulders. She stood before them again in the beauty of her shim- mering evening gown, her white arms and shoulders gleaming, her lips parted in a daz- zling smile. Karl did not speak. He half involun- tarily made a step toward Olga, and she, fearing what he might say, cried lightly: "Now, I have devoted too much time to you two. My guests are departing. I must go. Come, Herman." 134 The Devil CHAPTER X Herman took his wife's arm, and together they returned to the ballroom. Karl watched them disappear and turned on Millar as if to attack him. There was such menace in his manner, the frenzied appearance of his face, that Millar put his hand behind him quickly and half drew his revolver. Before either spoke, however, Elsa en- tered from the ballroom. She was in her cloak, ready to leave, and said, holding out her hand to Karl : "I wanted to say good-by." Her voice seemed to awaken Karl as from a bad dream. He took her hand eagerly, stepped forward impulsively as if he would take her in his arms and kiss her, but Mil- lar interposed himself between them, and a servant entered at the same moment. Checked in his advance, Karl said: The Devil 135 "I shall take you to your carriage." The servant announced that Elsa's aunt awaited her. She took Karl's arm, and Mil-" lar directed the servant to follow them. "The sidewalk is very slippery," he said. "Take Miss Elsa's other arm." He was determined not to give the beau- tiful girl a chance alone with Karl. In the young artist's present excited state almost anything might occur to wreck his plans. As the two went out, followed by the servant, Olga came in excitedly. She looked around to see that Millar was alone and said : "Your plan worked splendidly." "What are you going to do now?" asked Millar anxiously, as Olga sat at a table and took out writing materials. "I am going to write to him," she an- swered, addressing an envelope. "But what w^ill you say?" "I shall tell him," Olga said wearily, with her hands clasped to her forehead, "never to speak to me again. I never want to see him. He must leave town immediately. To think he believed me capable of -" "Of what?" 136 The Devil "Ah, it is all over," Olga cried, ignoring him. "I never want to see him again, be- cause " "Because you love him?" "Oh, no. After what has happened I hate him." "I am very sorry, madam," Millar said contritely. "You need not be," Olga assured him. "I am glad it happened. With all your cyni- cism you are clever and you have done me a great service. When I know that this letter is in his hands again I shall be perfectly happy," she went on, dipping her j)en in the ink-well. "You say I have helped you; let me ren- der you one more service," IMillar urged. "What can that be?" Olga asked. "I have begun this; let me finish it. Let me dictate this letter. You are excited. You cannot think of things to say. It must be firm, strong." i "Yes, firm, strong," Olga acquiesced. "Undoubtedly," Millar went on. "Let me tell j'-ou what to say." Wearily Olga yielded to his spell. She By Permission of Henry W. Savage. "l HAVE BEGUN THIS, LET ME FINISH IT. LET ME DICTATE THIS LETTER."— Page 136. The Devil 137 seemed under hypnotic influence as she re- plied : "Very well, I shall write whatever you tell me to say." Millar stood behind her chair, hovering over her like an evil spirit. His singular, expressive hands twitched. "Good. I shall try to express your thoughts," he said. "Cold, formal?" "Yes, it must be so," Olga said. "It is finished forever?" "Forever." "Then write," he ordered. She settled herself to her task. Leaning over her, Millar suggested a sinister hypno- tist bending a helpless victim to his will. He dictated, while Olga wrote: "I have found out what I dreaded to learn — that you love me. Your behavior to-night convinced me. I could not place any other interpretation on it, and my own heart an- swered, I cannot, dare not, see you again. God knows I want to ; I long for the happi- ness that I might find with you, but I must not. Only the certainty that I am not to 138 The Devil see you impels me to this confession. Good- by forever." When this was finished Olga dropped her pen and stared at the letter. Before she could do anything, JMillar had taken the sheet of paper, blotted it, folded it and placed it within the envelope, which he de- posited in his pocket. "What have I written?" Olga cried, be- wildered. "The last letter," IMillar replied, with a smile of triumph. "I will deliver it to Karl," he said. Olga passed her hands wearily over her eyes, and struggled to clear her mind of the strange, intricate network of intrigue, in- sinuation and suggestion which Millar had woven there. She thought she was rid of his sinister influence until her fingers wrote, in obedience to his will, the letter which she would have given anything to have left un- written. When she looked up, INIillar was putting the letter in his pocket, and his face wore the evil, cynical smile. "I wrote it, yet I am ashamed of what I The Devil 139 have written," she faltered, speaking with difficulty. "I tried to resist — yes, I did — * but my hands, my pen, followed your words. You are a very strange man." "I will deliver the letter to Karl," Millar Repeated slowly. "You know I did not mean it; you know 1 did not want to write it," Olga said. "A woman does not always write what she Wants," Millar said lightly, "but she always Wants what she writes." "The letter was not for him; it was for me," Olga insisted. She arose and her hand was extended im- ploringly, begging Millar to return the mis- sive to her, when Herman entered. The house had grown still. The music was hushed, the guests were gone. Only Millar, spirit of evil, incarnation of the devil, re- mained. "This is good of you, to stay behind and entertain the hostess," Herman said cor- dially. "Madam Hofmann's conversation has been so entertaining that I quite forgot the 140 The Devil time," Millar said, looking at his watch. "By Jove ! it is late ; I must go immediately." "Won't you have some cognac before you go out? The night is cold," Herman urged. "No, I thank you; I have an important engagement in the morning, and it is now too late. JNIadam, I must bid you good- night. I have really spent a very pleasant evening." Millar started toward the door. Olga ut- tered a half -suppressed cry, and he turned inquiringly. "I left a letter lying here on the table; did you, perhaps, pick it up?" she asked nervously. She was almost weeping and spoke in a half-hysterical tone. JNIillar, without chan- ging countenance, drew the letter from his pocket. "Perhaps this is it," he said, holding it up. "If it is of interest to your hus- band " He made a movement as if to hand it to Herman. Fear clutched at Olga's heart and she cried quickly: The Devil 141 "No, no, it was not that; it was nothing." She forced herself to laugh. Millar bowed with impressive politeness and left the room. Herman bowed the strange guest out, and then noticed for the first time Olga's weariness and distress. *'You look tired, dear," he said tenderly. "It has been a long evening." "Yes, I am tired," she said sadly. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. As she stood leaning against the table Herman thought her prettier than he had ever seen her before. He went up to her, took her hands in his and kissed her. "You seem excited, too," he said. "It makes you prettier, and I like it, my dear, sweet, darling wife." Olga shrank from his caress so obviously that Herman was hurt. She withdrew her hands. "Please don't," she said. "I am awfully nervous." "Your cheeks are burning, dear," he said, touching them. "Don't, Herman; I wish to be alone for 142 The Devil a few minutes; to rest all alone. Please leave me here." "Very well, it shall be as you wish," Her- man replied, adding as he left the room : "But it would be better if you went to sleep." A servant entered, and Olga signed to him to extinguish the lights. In a few^ moments she was alone, in semi-darkness, the room be- ing partially lighted by the reflected light from the garden lamps. As she sat there, the tall, sinister figure of Millar, in his fur overcoat and his top hat, passed the mndow. "It would be better if I went to sleep," Olga repeated to herself slowlj^ Just then the shadow of INIillar, as he passed in front of one of the garden lamps, was thro^\Ti against the white wall of the room, and she could hear distinctly his cynical chuckle. With a cry of horror she raised herself to her full height, put out her hands to ward off the evil spell, and shrieked : "A^o!no!no!" Then she sank fainting on the floor. For a moment the shadow lingered above her, and faded. Tie Devil 143 When Karl left the home of Herman and Olga to conduct Elsa and her aunt to their carriage he did not return. He was deeply ashamed of the suspicion he had entertained, and humiliated at the trick played upon his overheated imagination by Millar. He could not bear to face Olga or his tormentor. Sending the servant back for his over- coat and hat, he plunged along through the snow, walking briskly. Old Heinrich had gone to bed when he reached the studio. There remained but a few hours of the night, but Karl could not bring himself to sleep. He paced restlessly up and down the studio, his mind tortured by the thoughts so skilfully implanted there by Millar. He was not surprised when the door bell rang and it was Millar whom he admitted. His strange visitor shook the snow from his great fur coat and laid it aside. Then he walked over to the grate where the fire burned cheerfully and stood in front of it, rubbing his hands as he held them out to the blaze. Karl resumed his restless march up and lU TJie Devil down the room. ;Millar watched him cyni- cally for a few moments. "You seem nervous this morning, Karl," he said. "I am nervous; I'm crazy," Karl an- swered. "You ought to be very happy," Millar insinuated. "Ought to be happy! I ought to be mis- erable — as I am, but it is all through your evil machinations. You have made me re- veal all that is evil in me to the woman " "To the woman you love?" "Yes, to the woman I love and have no right to love; to the woman whose honor I have held sacred for six years ; to the woman I must never see again." "You will see her again," Millar asserted quietly. "How base she must think me," Karl went on wildly. "I did not know myself; I did not dream that I could be so rotten." "You will see her again," Millar repeated. "She will come to you of her own free will here, in this very studio, to-day, and she mil The Devil 145 tell you with her lips on yours that she loves you." "Stop! I won't listen to your infernal in- sinuations. You have ruined my happiness ; you shall not ruin hers. I want you to keep out of her way. Do you understand? I give you fair warning." "My dear Karl, you don't know what you are saying. I shall not mar her happiness or yours." "Why did you play that evil trick on me to-night?" "Why, you dull, young artist? Because I wanted to show her that you loved her; that you cared not two straws for that little slip of a girl to whom you were trying to play devoted. Because I wanted to show her that her great love is not wasted on an empty-pated ass." "Her love!" "Of course. Her love. She loves you, and has loved you for six years, and you were blind and did not know it." "It is not true. It must not be so. She is a true, loyal wife to my friend." "Bah! Do you want her to be loyal to 146 The Devil that big boor of a husband when she loves you?" "I refuse to listen to j^ou any further. Now, let me tell you this. I am going away. I shall not see Olga again. I shall close my studio and return to Paris. And I wish not to see you again. Do you understand? I am going to bed now. When I awake I want you to be gone. Don't let me find you here." "You are not hospitable, my dear j^oung friend," Millar said, smiling and bowing. He seemed genuinely amused at the pas- sionate outburst of the young artist. "I believe you are the devil!" Karl cried. "And you don't find the devil a pleasing personage to look upon, except when he is decked out by poets in the disguise of Cupid," Millar sneered. Karl abruptly left the room, going into his owTi room and locking the door. He threw himself upon the bed and tried to sleep, but for hours he lay awake, hamited by the sinister shadow of his temptation. Left alone, IMillar sank comfortably back in the big, Gothic arm-chair before the fire. The Devil 147 The red glow of the flames seemed to absorb him. He was merged in the shadows — Hght and shadow, as they played around the big chair, from whence there came his devilish chuckle. '^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Olga's maid, alarmed at the prolonged ab- sence of her mistress, found her moaning on the floor, where she had fallen in a swoon after Millar's departure. The maid helped her mistress to her room and to bed. "As soon as it is daylight go to Monsieur Karl's studio and find out at what time he will arise. Let no one else know that you go there. And awaken me as soon as it is possible for me to see him." "Yes, madam." Olga meant to get to Karl to intercept the letter which Millar had tricked her into writ- ing. She meant to tell him to go away; to end everything between them. But, al- though she did not know it, she was blindly obeying the evil will of Millar. Broad, glaring dajdight had come when Heinrich entered the reception-room of the 148 The Devil studio. He divined no presence. There were no conflicting passions in his old heart. He pottered about, humming an old song to him- self, dusting the vases and paintings, stir- ring the slumbering fire, until the door bell rang. He admitted to the anteroom a beautiful young woman whom he had never seen be- fore. When he returned to the reception- room to ruminate on the situation he was confronted by the figure of Millar — the fig- ure of the devil. "I — I beg your pardon; I did not know you were here," he said. "I am here," Millar responded cheerfully. "Who ra^g?" "A lady, sir." "A real lady?" "Oh, yes, sir." "That's odd. What does she want?" "She wants to see my master, sir, Mr. Karl." Heinrich hurried out and ushered in Elsa. The poor little girl had lost her bravado of the night before. She was ready to hum- ble herself. She was stricken with the ter- The Devil 149 rible malady. She was in love; she ac- knowledged it to herself, and she knew that the man she loved had his heart elsewhere. But she had resolved to make a fight — to win him if she could, and she had taken this desperate move. She was startled, though, when she was ushered into the reception-room and saw Millar there, his hands on his breast, bow- ing profoundly. "You seem to be everywhere,'* she ex- claimed. "What are you doing here? Are you Karl's secretary?" Millar was transformed back into his frock coat, his immaculate trousers, his wine- colored waistcoat. He was again the pol- ished, suave, affable gentleman of the aft- ernoon, with ingratiating manner, cynical smile and insinuating words. "No, I am not Karl's servant; only his friend," he said. "How are you feeling to- day?" "Oh, very well, thank you. I did not know there was any one in here or I should have waited outside. But as it is only you I do not mind." 15a The Devil She resented the presence of this man in the place, and she took a seat, turning her back to him. Millar, not in the least dis- turbed, said: "Karl got in very late this morning." "I assume that he did; it was very late when the ball ended." "Still, I think he would be very much pleased to know that you are here. Will you permit me to acquaint him of the pleas- ure that awaits him?" "Thank you, no; I will wait for him here. This is an interesting room. I have never been here before." "I know that," Millar said. "How do you know it?" Elsa demanded with spirit. "Oh, Heinrich told me. A lady may come here secretly every day, but when she comes the first time it cannot be secret, even to Heinrich." "I wish I had not come alone," Elsa de- clared. "I know that also," said the impertur- bable Millar. "How do you know that?" The Devil 151 "Oh, Heinrich told me there was a real lady waiting." "I am glad at least that Heinrich recog- nized me as such," Elsa declared indignant- ly. "He is the only one who has spoken to me as if he realized that." "Then he must have thought you the other kind," Millar said cynically. "Heinrich made a mistake." "I think Heinrich is the better judge," Elsa said. "An excellent judge, I grant you," Mil- lar said, laughing. "He is the one man who should have brought you here. You know only two men have the right to open the door of a bachelor apartment to a young lady. They are his valet and the clergyman. You may choose which of the two you would prefer." Elsa turned on him with eyes that flashed indignation. "I was once left alone with a man who kissed me, and I insulted him," she said. "I was once alone with a lady who in- sulted me and I kissed her," the cynical per- son replied. 152 The Devil "You are horrible!" Elsa exclaimed. Millar saw her distress and rang the bell. When Heinrich entered he said: "Get a little red leather pocketbook out of my overcoat." "Oh, you need not fear; I shall not cry this morning," Elsa said. "I am not apprehensive, but I thought you were laughing," ^lillar said. "When girls laugh I fear they are going to cry. Why did you come here?" "I want to have my portrait painted, and I shall come every day," Elsa replied. "You mean you want to come every day, and therefore you will have to have j^our por- trait painted," said the cynic. "You are an expert word juggler," said Elsa. "Do you know that another lady comes here to have her portrait painted?" "Yes; that is why I am coming," Elsa declared boldly. "I want to see whose por- trait will be better." "That is a bold challenge, my little girl; you were not so brave yesterday." The Devil 153 ^'Yesterday I was undecided. To-day I have made up my mind to fight. You gave me good advice." "I have some more advice to give you to- day; we did not finish last night." "What is it?" "It is this. Do not fight. You were not made to fight." "Why not? I am courageous." "Yes, you are courageous, but you are not strong. Don't fight, because you will batter yourself against an impenetrable wall and suffer defeat. Do you knov/ where Karl's heart is?" "No." "Then let me tell you. He loves Olga. He cannot love any one else. He has no room in his heart for any other image. Do not make sorrow for yourself, my child. Forget. Go away. Karl is the man for another woman." Elsa was courageous. She had set aside her conventional training and ideas when she came to the studio to see Karl — to fight for him. Now she resolved that Millar should 154 The Devil not defeat her again. She looked at him squarely and said: "In spite of all that you tell me, I shall not give up." In spite of her resolve to fight she was on the verge of tears. She sat at a table, shrink- ing from the sinister figure before her. Mil- lar insj)ired her with a nameless terror, and it was almost against her will that she lis- tened. "Let me tell you what you must do," he said, sitting down in front of her. "Do you know what you should do?" "I don't like to have you sit in judgment on me this way," she protested. "You ques- tion me as if you were a judge." "No, it is not that, but you answer as if you were a prisoner. Now, little Elsa, stand up and listen. You know that Karl is in love with Olga." "Yes, I know it; it is the only thing I do know." "Then you should give Karl up." "I can't give him up." "You must learn." "How? From whom shall I learn?" The Devil 155 "Let me see; I think I have here the very person," Millar said. He walked over and opened the hall door. "Mimi, come in here and wait; it is warmer," he called. 156 The Devil CHAPTER XI To THE amazement of Elsa, the shrinking little model came in, hesitating on the thresh- old. She wore a red woolen jersey over her bodice that fitted her tightly and made her look very slight and shivering. She looked with wide-open eyes at the beautiful girl and dropped a courtesy as she sat in the seat JMil- lar drew out for her. Elsa nodded at her in silence, and JNIillar, after watching them a few seconds with a smile of amusement, walked out of the room, whistling softly. Mimi was the first to break the silence, squirming under Elsa's direct scrutiny. "Madam is waiting for the artist?" "Yes," Elsa replied shortly. *'So am I," Mimi said, adding, with en- gaging frankness : "He went on a si)ree last night. When he does that he always sleeps late." The Devil 157 Elsa was embarrassed, and there was an- other interval of silence. Then Mimi said: "Is madam to have her portrait painted?" ■■ "Yes." "I know all those who come here to be painted," Mimi went on. "This is quite like home to me. I am his model. I don't have to pay for my portraits. Madam has a splen- did profile." "Please do not call me madam," Elsa said impatiently. "I am miss, like yourself." "I beg j^our pardon," Mimi said. "I am not madam, either. 3Iy name is Mimi." "My name is Elsa." "Oh, I know; I have heard of you. You are very rich as well as very beautiful. I know what it means to be rich. Once our family was well off, and I did not have to work as a model." "I am sorry you have been unfortunate," Elsa said. "But I have heard much of you," the girl went on. She was now tremendously in- terested in this beautiful woman whose com- ing, she believed, meant that she would no longer be Karl's model. "You see, I know 158 The Devil all the things that go on here ; I look out for the artist's laundrj^ and sew his buttons on; and I almost know his thoughts." "And do they interest you?" "Oh, yes ; but it will not be so any more." "Why not?" "Because he is to be married; because you have come and he will not need me." "Why not? He will still paint. He must have models." "Yes, but it will not be the same, and I will not come any more." "Do you like Monsieur Karl?" "Very much." "Does he paint you now?" "Ah, no ; nothing but landscapes." "Then you did not come as a model to- day?" Elsa asked. "I come always as a model. If the artist does not treat me as such it is not my fault." She noticed that Elsa looked offended, and went on hurriedly, apologetically : "Please, if I offend you I will be quietc But you seem to be so nice. If I were you and you were the model I should not be angry with you." The Devil 159 Elsa was touched by the pathos in Mimi's eyes. "Pardon me; I am Yevy, very sorry if I have hurt you," she cried impulsively. "Let us be friends." "Yes, let's," Mimi cried. "You can talk to me about everything. I am not a bad sort, but I have known him for a long while. I was crying when I went away yesterday and he felt sorry for me. He came to the house on his way to the ball last night in his evening clothes, but I would not see him. It must be finished." "Was he fond of you?" "I liked him very much," Mimi replied simply. "And now?" "All, now it is different. If a man wants to have another sweetheart, what can we do? It is like the railway. The train comes in and goes and the little station must wait until another train comes." "And you are going to wait for another train ? You were fond of him and can speak like that?" "I was fond of him," Mimi said. "But I 160 The Devil am not silly enough to believe it will last just because I wanted it to last. I knew when it started that I should have to give him up some day. I have learned that. I shall forget him — and hope that he and you will be hai)py." jSIimi's tears came unrestrainedly now, and as she looked for her handkerchief Elsa picked up ^lillar's weeping satchel, where he had left it on the table, and gave it to the model. IMimi dabbed vigorously at her streaming eyes. "I am glad that I met you here," she said when she could control her voice. "I shall be clever to-day and not see him at all. I will go away now and never come back. What time is it?" "It is 3 o'clock," Elsa said, looking at her watch. "Then I must go. Another artist in the next block exi3ects me to pose for him, and his laundress comes at 3. He is Yery clever." She stood up and looked around the room at the things on the walls — her own pictures — the place that seemed like home to her. She sobbed as she started toward the door. The Devil 161 "Good-by, miss," she said. Elsa looked after her as she went out. Then she looked around the room and was seized with panic. "Mimi! Mimi!" she called out. The model did not return. Elsa seized her hat and fled, just as Millar entered from the adjoining room. His chuckle of satanic amusement reached her as she hurried from the house. 162 Tlie Devil CHAPTER XII Millar's sardonic face was wreathed in smiles as he looked after the two young girls, each of whom carried from his hateful pres- ence a bruised heart. With Mimi it was the fate of a child of the underworld — something to which she was pathetically resigned. With her there was no struggle. She knew that when she ceased to charm she must go her way and find an- other man; a master rather than a sweet- heart. Elsa could not have told herself what fear made her fly from the studio after Mimi, but she feared that she was also doomed to give up the hope of her heart. It was her first cruel disappointment, but Mimi had made her see that she was beaten, and, in spite of her earlier resolution to fight, she saw that fighting would bring only unliappiness. She The Devil 163 hurried to her waiting carriage and was driven home, where she locked herself in her room to weep alone. And Millar, the sinister being, ever at hand with his insidiously evil suggestions, chuckled as he watched them go. He threw himself into a chair and rang the bell for Heinrich. The old servant entered rebel- liously, but, trained to habits of obedience, he could not give expression to his feeling of hatred and distrust of his master's strange visitor. As for Millar, he even seemed to find something amusing in the old man's obvious aversion. "Bring me tea and brandy," he ordered peremptorily. "Yes, sir." "Is your master up?'* "Yes, sir." "Has any one seen him this morning?" "No, sir. Madam Hofmann's maid was here three times." "What for?" Millar demanded quickly. "She wished to Imow when Madam Hof- mann might see Mr. Karl. I told her I had strict orders not to call him before 3 o'clock." 164 The Devil Millar looked at his watch and saw that it was a few minutes after 3 o'clock. "Humph! We shall have another visitor shortly," he muttered. "I think I begin to see the completion of my work. It shall be this afternoon. Get my tea," he added to Heinrich, "and serve it in the studio." The old m.an went out. Millar paced slowly up and down the floor, looking at his watch, until he heard the door bell ring. "The beautiful Olga," he said, stepping softly from the reception-room into the studio and leaving the way clear for Olga, She was admitted by Heinrich. She hur- ried into the room, looked wildly about her and sank into a seat. For a moment she could not speak. All night and all day, since INIillar's shad- ow hovered above her fainting form in her own home, shejiad been torn by the emotions raised by the letter. It was a confession she had never meant to make. She dreaded the thought of Karl ever seeing it. Heinrich waited respectfully. "Is Mr. Karl at home?" she asked, "Yes, madam." Tlie Devil 165 "My maid told me he could not be seen until 3 o'clock. It is now after 3. May I see him?" "If you will wait a few minutes longer, madam, I will tell him that you are here." Heinrich started toward the studio. "One moment," Olga called after him. "Has any one seen Mr. Karl to-day?" "No, madam." "Has he received no letter?" "No, madam." "Thank God!" she exclaimed fervently. "Go, Heinrich; tell him I am in a great hur- ry and must see him at once." "I am afraid, madam, you will have to wait a few minutes for Mr. Karl to dress," Heinrich said. "Shall I tell Dr. Millar you are here?" "Who?" Olga cried, springing up in dread. "Dr. Millar; the gentleman who was here yesterday," Heinrich said. "Is he with your master?" Olga cried in fright. "Yes, madam." "Oh, God! am I too late? Tell me, did 166 The Devil you see Dr. jMillar give a letter to your master?" "He may have done so, madam. I can- not remember." Olga walked nervously up and down the room, while Heinrich waited, sj^mpathizing at her distress. The old man was mystified, but he felt that INIillar was to blame for the grief which his young master's beautiful visi- tor showed. "It maj^ not be too late," Olga cried to herself. Then she said to Heinrich: "Please tell Dr. JMillar to come down. Do not tell him who is here; simply say a lady wishes to see him at once." "Yes, madam." Heinrich withdrew, leaving Olga, with clenched hands and twitching features, walk- ing up and down the room. It was thus JMil- lar saw her as he entered, with his cynical smile, at which she shuddered. "You are the lady who wished to see me at once?" he asked, with his most polite bow. "I am honored, madam." "Yes, I sent for j^ou," Olga said, not knowing how to begin. The Devil 167 "And what may I do for you?'* "Please tell me quickly — I am trembling — did you " "Yes, dear lady, I delivered your letter." Olga sank into her chair and covered her face with her hands, while dry, tearless sobs shook her body. Millar looked at her un- moved, and as Heinrich entered with the tea tray he turned coolly to the old servant. "Put that tea here," he said, indicating a table near Olga. "And the brandy. Thank you. You may go." He poured himself a cup of tea and began to sip it, looking the while at the terrified woman before him. 168 The Devil CHAPTER XIII It was the moment of Millar's complete triumph, and he gloated over Olga as she sat there, her trembling hands covering her face, much as a large cat gloats over a mouse, helpless beneath his paws. He lied deliber- ately about the letter, which even then re- posed in the inside pocket of his immaculate frock coat. But he reserved it for a final coup. He knew that Olga, believing Karl was in possession of the letter, would yield to the inevitable; that she would again confess her love, even to Karl himself, and that only a miracle of resolution and faith and strength could save the two young people from the abyss of dishonor and unhappiness into which he was about to plunge them. He sipped his tea in silence. Several mo- ments elapsed before Olga was able to con- trol herself. Then she asked, without look- The Devil 169 ing at Millar, and her voice was dry with pain: "Did— did Karl read the letter?" "Oh, yes," Millar said, with another sip of tea. "Oh, God! too late!" she cried. Millar arose and stood behind Olga's chair, leaning over her and speaking in a soft, low voice. "After he read the letter he buried his face in his pillow and wept," he said. "He wept?" "Yes; he .wept with joy. I do not like men who weep." Olga did not heed his flippancy. She looked up at him imploringly. "I did not want him to get that letter," she said. "I came to ask him to give it back to me unopened. I am too late." "It is not j^ou who are too late; it was I who was too early," Millar said deprecating- ly. "Oh, is this life really a serious matter?" Olga exclaimed; "when everything can de- pend upon one's getting here a few moments before or a few minutes after 3 o'clock?" 170 The Devil ''That is it exactly," JNIillar said. "We should not take it so seriously." Olga looked thoughtfully away from him and said to herself softly : "He wept." "From joy," Millar repeated after her, in the same soft voice. "I am afraid to speak to him, and yet I must," Olga cried, starting up. "I would like to go far, far away, but I cannot. Some- thing seems to hold me here. I cannot, can- not go. What will become of me?" "You will be very happy and will make Karl very happ)^," ]Millar said. Heinrich entered and took the tea-things. "Mr. Karl will be down in a moment," he said. Olga clasped her hands tragically and turned an imploring face on JMillar, who started for the studio door. "Good-by," he said. "I will leave you to speak to Karl alone." "Please don't go," Olga implored. "I can hardly remain mider the circum- stances," he said. He knew that to further his design Karl The Devil 171 and Olga should meet quite alone. He would see to it that even old Heinrich did not interrupt them until Olga had repeated her confession of love, and the hoax of the letter had been revealed. Then he would re- appear, with the letter^ and they might read it together. Olga knew that her o^vn frail, feminine heart would give way if she were left alone to meet Karl. Evil as she believed Millar to be, yet she dreaded his going now. "I am afraid to be alone with him," she said. "Won't you please stay?" "But if I stay, how could you speak to Karl about the letter?" Millar asked. "And you must say something about it, you know. I would only be in the way." Olga weakened and began to pace the floor again. "Well, I shall be quite frank with him," she said. "I shall be honest. I shall ask him for the last time " Karl's voice was heard in his own room, calling to Heinrich. "He is coming," Millar said. "I will leave you." 172 Tlic Devil "Please don't go very far away," Olga implored. "I shall be here," Millar said, going to a small anteroom adjoining the studio. "If you need me, call." He stepped within the other room and closed the door softly. Olga stood, her hands gripping the back of her chair, waiting. Karl entered the reception-room and stood for an instant looking at Olga. He showed that he, too, had suffered during the night. His face was white and drawn. When he saw Olga standing there, a mute statue of despair, he was filled with pity for her and self-abasement. He stepped quicldy to her side, caught her hands and kissed them pas- sionately. "I ought to go down on my knees and beg your pardon for my conduct last night, Olga," he said. She turned to him quickly, yielding her hands to him, leaning toward him, speaking eagerly. "Speak very low; he is in there," she said, pointing to the anteroom where Millar was hiding. "Let us be brief, Karl. I have been By Permission of Henry W. Savage. "l WANTED TO FEEL THAT YOU LOVED JIE AS I HOPED YOU DID."— Ptitre 173. Tlie Devil 173 very foolish, but I could not control myself. After what happened I wanted to know. I wanted to feel that you loved me as I thought you did, as I hoped you did, day and night, every minute." "Olga!" he exclaimed rapturously. He was not prepared for this. He feared that he had offended her, and her impulsive declaration swept him from his feet. He watched her face eagerly, hungrilj'', as she went on, talking very rapidly, and making no effort to disengage her hands, which he held clasped to his breast. "Everj^thing has changed since yesterday, Karl. But let us try to repeat what we said then. Let us shake hands honorably. Let us try to be strong and keep our promises, as we have kept them so long, Karl. If I have been bold and frivolous it was only because I wanted to know what you thought of me; nothing else. But I am afraid I have been punished too much." Her passion swept her along, as she was swayed alternately by love for Karl and the saner impulse to flee from him. But the sweetness of knowing that she was loved, of 174 The Devil feeling her hands clasped in his, after all her years of self-depression, broke down her resolution. "I fear it is too late, Karl. My strength is gone. My will is lost. We have gone back six years. Karl, I love you." The Devil 175 CHAPTER XIV The last words she whispered with infinite tenderness, and her head fell on his breast. Hysterically they clasped each other in their arms and, half laughing, half sobbing, looked into each other's eyes. Karl leaned over her, murmuring his love and kissing her eyes and hair. "Be careful; he is in there," Olga warned him finally, again pointing at the door be- hind which their evil spirit lurked. Then she whispered shyly: "Did my letter surprise you?'* ' "Letter?" Karl asked, astonished. "What letter, dear heart?" "Karl, I understand you wish to be dis- creet," Olga said reproachfully, "but it is my first letter and I am not ashamed. Let us be honest; I am not afraid. I love you. When I wrote that letter I hardly knew 176 The Devil what I was doing, and I must confess I felt ashamed at first. But I am no longer ashamed now; I am proud. Sometimes women do not write what they want, Karl, but they always want what they write. Karl, I would like to read that letter over again in your arms." That letter meant much to Olga; it was her only love letter. She had never written to Karl before, except in the conventional boy and girl fashion, when she did not know how to express love. Her correspondence with Herman had always been of the most perfunctory sort. Never before had she poured out her soul as she did in this letter. Now she wanted to see what she had written ; to read it over wdth the man for whom it was intended. It was with a shock of pain that she be- held Karl's indifference, and she was amazed when he added: "I received no letter from you, Olga." "What! how can you say so? Was not a letter delivered to you this morning?" "I assure you that I did not receive any letter from you," Karl said earnestly. The realization of Millar's trick was like The Devil 177 a blow in the face to Olga. She saw now how he had deliberately lied to her, in order that she would certainly repeat her con- fession of love to Karl. In what a bold, for- ward, disloyal attitude she had been placed! Her first impulse was of anger, and she ran toward the anteroom. "Doctor! Dr. Millar!" she called wildly. The door opened noiselessly and Millar stood bowing on the threshold. "My — my letter!" Olga stammered. "Madam, I beg a thousand pardons," Millar said suavely. "My only excuse is that some letters are better undelivered." He drew from the inner pocket of his coat a letter, and with a smile and a sweej)ing bow handed it to Karl. "However, I can now make reparation," he said. Karl took the letter, looking wonderingly from Olga to Millar. He held it an instant in his hand and was about to open it, when Olga cried : "Karl, tear the letter up." Karl instantly obeyed her, tearing the en- velope into small pieces. 178 The Devil "Now burn it," Olga said. He stepped over to the fireplace and threw the bits of paper on the glowing coals. They started up in a little flame and were quickly reduced to ashes. Olga was terrified at the trick Millar had played upon her and at its results. She looked in fear from him to Karl. "Who is this man?" she asked. Karl could not answer her. The same question was echoing in his heart. Who was this man, this personification of evil? Ever there were his insidious wiles to compromise, cajole, trick and betray them. He could not tell. He only knew that he loathed him and that he would drive him out. "Are you going now?" he demanded, as Millar stood looking at them with his evil smile. Millar took the question in the most natural way, disregarding the purposely of- fensive tone in which Karl spoke. "Yes, I am; I must," he said, half regret- fully. "My train leaves in half an hour, Again permit me to beg a thousand pardons. The Devil 179 Could I have foreseen the anguish that was to follow my failure to deliver madam's let- ter, nothing in the world could have " Karl interrupted him rudely, determined that he should not heguile them again and that he should uot speak of Olga or the let- ter as a thing of importance. "You should know that the letter con- tained only a conventional message," he said. Millar looked at Olga, and his smile grew broad as she hung her head and blushed. Who should know better than he the con- fession which she had written and which was now destroyed ? "It was quite conventional, I am sure," he said cynically. "You will miss your train," Karl said with studied insolence. "Heinrich, help the doc- tor on with his coat." "A thousand thanks," the imperturbable Millar said. "Madam, good-by. And once more I beg a thousand pardons." Neither Olga nor Karl spoke to him as he walked to the door, looked back at them, bowed low again and chuckled as the door closed after him. 180 The Devil Olga turned quickly to Karl and held out her hands. "He is gone. I am glad. But, Karl, I would have given a year of my life if he had delivered my letter to you." "Why? Tell me what you wrote," he asked eagerly. "I wrote all the things I told you a few moments ago, Karl. You know it all now." She went over to the grate and looked sadly into the ashes. "My first love letter," she said softly. "Oh, Karl, it was my confession of my love for you. I would like to read it over again with you, and then we might forget. I don't want to be afraid. I want to be strong, to be happy. If I only had that letter now." Karl took her hands in his, and comfort- ed her. "Never mind it, Olga; it has served its purpose. It has taught us ourselves, our hearts." "It has taught us that we must be strong, brave and loyal," Olga declared warmly. They stood thus, looking into each other's The Devil 181 eyes, sanely, clearly, each ready to renounce. The door of the studio opened and Millar stood before them again, holding in his ex- tended hand a letter. "I beg a thousand pardons again," he said„ "I find I gave Karl an old tailor's bill instead of madam's letter." Olga eagerly took the letter, opened it and recognized her own handwriting. "My letter, Karl!" she exclaimed. Both bent close over the letter, reading it eagerly, while Millar slipped quietly out of the studio — out of their lives. Olga looked up from their reading. "I am glad that I wrote it, Karl," she said. "Now we will burn it." Together they watched it glow brightly into flame and fall into gray ashes. "That is our love begun and ended, Karl," Olga said quietly. "It was wrong, and now we realize it, don't we ? And now, dear boy, you are coming with me." "Where?" Karl asked. "I am going to take you to Elsa," Olga answered, 182 The Devil With a feeling of elation, Karl called Helnrich, and was helped into his overcoat. He bent respectfully and kissed Olga's hand as they walked out of the studio together. ^HE EN© THE MORAL OF "THE DEVIL" BY ELLA WHEELED WILCOX THE MORAL OF "THE DEVIL" BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX In every human organization dwell the Twins — the Angel and the Demon. The Angel is the real self; the enduring, immortal self, which goes on from life to life, from planet to planet, until it has made the circuit and ended where it began — at the Source. The Demon is man made; it belongs to the changing, perishable bodies which are created anew with each incarnation; and it goes down, and out, into nothingness, wdth the disintegration of the animal body. But with each new body, the mortal being usually invents, or adopts, a new Devil. A few great souls have passed along through earth without such demoniacal as- sociation; Christ, the latest and greatest of the Masters, held converse with the Devil Copyright, 1908, by American-Journal-Bxaminer 185 186 The Devil once, on the mountain top, when He was tempted; but that was His only acquain- tance with him, because He had finished His circuit, and was ready to become one with God. A weak man or woman, with good in- tentions and desirous of leading a moral life, but lacking will power, and inclined to be timid, and fearful, and negative in thought, often adopts a Devil formed by some selfish and licentious person, who fashions Devils by the wholesale and sends them out to roam over the earth, seekmg an open door in a weak mind. WHien such occurrences are analyzed they are usually called hypnotism. In ever}^ liquor saloon, in every gambling den, in every boldly vicious and immoral place, about every race track and pool room, Devils swarm. And the weak, the dissipated, the thoughtless and the irresponsible minds are the open doors for them to mass through, into dominion of the human citadel. In many drawang-rooms of fashion, in brilliant restaurants and hotels, where the elite congregate; in sensuously decorated The Devil 187 studios, Devils also wait day and night, laiOAving that they will be entertained, if not welcomed, by some of the self-indulgent fre- quenters of these places. Many are the devices employed by the Devils of earth to bring about the desired results. Drinks, drugs, avarice, money mania, jeal- ousy, love of power, desire to outshine neigh- bors, lust, sensuality, gross appetites, gour- mandism, love of praise, personal conceit and egotism, selfishness in every form — all these are webs which the Devils spin about human- ity. Even beautiful, romantic sentiment, mem- ory and imagination, become aids of the Devil, at times, when coarser and more com- mon methods fail in the snaring of a refined soul. Many a good wife, who shrinks with hor- ror at the thought of a vulgar amour, or of any act which could pain or anger her husband, has been led into the Devil's net by indulging in retrospective dreams of a van- ished romance and through the stirring of old ashes to see if one little spark remained. 188 The Devil Letter writing is a favorite pastime of almost all Devils. Once they get a romantic man or woman, with a pen in hand and an unoccupied chamber in the heart, and the breed of Devils who hang about the domestic hearth, hoping to find rooms to let, chuckle in glee. Wives who have believed themselves hap- py and satisfied, husbands who have been unconscious of any lack in their lives, have fallen by the waj^side through an interesting correspondence with some sympathetic "af- finity," who was Devil-instructed to lead them into trouble. After a man or woman falls into the Devil's snare they both call it Fate, and pro- claim their inability to combat the powerful influence of "destiny." But destiny is man himself. The Angel dwells always within him, ready to say, "Get thee behind me, Satan," if the man really wants it said. The Angel and the Devil both are com- pletely under man's control; the work of man, here in this sphere and in every other, The Devil 189 is to develop the character which will enable him to get back to the Source. Unless the man directs the Angel to take the ascendancy, there would be no growth in wisdom for him were the Angel to interpose. So he remains silent and lets the Devil do his work, in order that man may find out for himself the pain and folly of such dominion ; and in order that when he again encounters the Devil, either in this plane of existence or some other, he may be able to say as Christ said, "Get thee behind me." Always have there been Devils; always will there be Devils, while humanity is evolv- ing from the lower to the higher states. But always is there the Angel, ready to lead the soul to conquest and victory if the soul will call. THE SUCCESS OF THE YEAR. FOUNDED OH /T-^— IM^ISWTI SUCCESSFUL PUV Everybody Talking About It. GEORGE BROADHURST'S OF THE HOUR. Thousands of people have not had the opportunity of seeing the play, and to them, as well as to those who have seen it, we desire to announce that we have just published the Story of George Broad- hurst's Play in book form. There is ah-eady an enormous de- mand for this book, owing to the fact that the play is meeting with such a tremendous success, it now being presented for the 600th consecutive time in New York, and four companies presenting it on tour throughout the United States. It is a strong story of politics, love, and graft, and appeals powerfully to every true American. The play has received the highest praise and commendation rom critics and the press, a few of which we give herewith : " THE FINEST PLAY I EVER SA^Wr."~President Roosevelt. Phe best in years."— N'.V. Telegram. " A perfect success."— iV. r. Sun. A. triumph."— iV. Y. American. " A sensation."— iV^. T. Herald. "Astraiglitliit."— iV. T. World. *' Means somettiing."- iV.F. Tribune. " Best play yet."— iV^. T. Commercial. " An apt appeal." — N. T. Globe. " A play worth while."— iV. Y. Neiof "An object lesson." — N. Y. Post, The BOOK has been issued under the title of THE NEW MAYOR, Founded Upon GEORGE BROADHURST'S Play THE HAN OF THE HOUR, in order not to conflict with a book with a similar title by Octave Thanet. It contains 230 pages, well printed on best quality book paper, large clear type, with twelve half-tone illustrations from the play. Price, handsomely bound in cloth, 50 cents net, postage 9 cents additional. Paper bound, 25 cents postpaid. It is for sale by all booksellers and newsdealers everywhere, or it will be sent by mail, upon receipt of price in stamps or silver. Address J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY, P. 0. Box 767. 57 ROSE STREET, NEW YORK THE HOUSE BY THE RIVER. By FLORENCE WARDEN. THE HOUSE IVTHERIVER FLORENCE WARDEN The name and fame of Miss Warden as an author is world- wide, and there are millions of people who remember with pleas- ure her absorbing story entitled tev) iiii// /jf-^iTv. ''The House on the Marsh," over P* I lt^"^<=^^^^ ^^^^ ^ million copies of which It fill iif^?:^;'j2*£^^'^^i were sold. The House hy the Hiver is an interesting, exciting and absorbing story of mystery and romance, in which the hero- ine is the indirect means of bring- ^ ||| [ ing to justice a clique of gentle- ^-^' ' manly criminals. It is written with great clearness and lucidity, and holds the reader's interest to the end, where a remarkable surprise occurs. WHAT THE REVIEWERS SAY OF IT. " Florence Warden is the Anna Katharine Greene of England., She apparently lias the same marvelous capacity as Mrs. Rohlfs for concocting the most complicated plots and most mystifying mysteries, and serving them up hot to her readers. " — N. V. Globe. "The author has a knack of intricate plot- work which will keep an intelligent reader at /ler bocks, when he would become tired over far better novels not so strongly peppered. For even the ' wisest men ' now and then relish not only a little non- sense, but as well do they enjoy a thrilling story of mystery. And this is one — a dark, deep, awesome, compelling if not con- vincing tale." — Sacramento Bee. "The interest of the story is deep and intense, and many guesses might be made of the outcome, as one reads along, with- out hitting on the right one." — Salt Lake Tridutie. SPECIAL OFFER.— This book is printed on best quality laid book paper, and is handsomely bound in green vel- lum cloth, stamped in three colors. The regular price is $1.00, but to the reader of this advertisement we offer to send it by mail, postpaid, upon receipt of only 65 cents. Price in paper covers by mail, postpaid, 35 cents. Addreas all orders to J. S OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY, P. 0. Box 767. 57 EOSE STREET, NEW YOUK. UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 001 313 986 o !i! illllli iliiiHi-iiii'Jiin;