in her rage that he could not help admiring her
through it all. The love for him which had aroused this tempest was so
fierce that he felt his savage blood beginning to throb with an
answering glow. He felt that once more he was about to be a traitor to
all that was good within him. The ground was slipping from under his
feet. The glamour of her voluptuous beauty was ruling his brain like the
fumes of liquor. His eyes, too, were beginning to shine fiercely, but
not with anger.

"Evelin," he said, "listen. You know I love you and have from the first.
She is nothing to me. The words that you overheard were addressed only
to the picture. It is my masterpiece. I was not thinking of the
original." And down in his heart the small voice was whispering,
"Coward--traitor--fool!"

But the hot blood of passion was sweeping through his veins, and he
heeded it not. He put out his hand and laid it upon her arm.

"Don't touch me!" she said, angrily, but the expression in her eyes
softened. He saw his advantage and followed it up.

"Evelin," he said, huskily, "I love you-- I love you!" Again he laid his
hand upon her and this time she allowed it to remain. They were standing
near the curtained arch of the adjoining room. He parted back the heavy
draperies, and gently drew her within.

The savage blood was rioting fiercely within him. He caught both her
hands in his and drew her to his embrace. She hid her face upon his
shoulder, and would not let him touch her lips. Other than this she made
no further resistance. Half dragging, and half carrying her he
approached a large divan that stood in a little alcove on the opposite
side of the room. Suddenly he took her bodily in his arms and they sank
down upon it together. For a second, only; then, with a quick powerful
effort she threw him backward and sprang to her feet, staring about her
with a wild, startled look in her eyes.

Goetze, wholly at a loss to account for the suddenness and fierceness of
the resistance, was for a moment stunned. As he recovered himself and
made a movement toward her, she gave him one quick, piteous look--a look
that recalled to him suddenly and strangely the beautiful, innocent girl
whom he had wronged and forgotten--the _face of Eva Delorme_--then, as
if seized with sudden panic she sped from the room, out through the dim
studio and into the dusky hall-way beyond.

He heard the opening and closing of the outside door, and knew that she
was gone. Then t