oing, he rushed out on the landing, and,
leaning over the banister, called out loudly, "Sir, stop a moment!"

De Breulh, who had by this time reached the bottom of the staircase,
turned round.

"Come back, if you please," said Andre.

After a moment's hesitation, De Breulh obeyed; and when he was again
in the studio, Andre addressed him in a voice that quivered with
indignation.

"Take back these notes, sir; I will not accept them."

"What do you mean?"

"Only that I have thought the matter over, and that I will not accept
your commission."

"And why this sudden change?"

"You know perfectly well, M. de Breulh-Faverlay."

The gentleman at once saw that Sabine had mentioned his name to the
young artist, and with a slight lacking of generous feeling said,--

"Let me hear your reasons, sir."

"Because, because----" stammered the young man.

"Because is not an answer."

Andre's confusion became greater. He would not tell the whole truth, for
he would have died sooner than bring Sabine's name into the discussion;
and he could only see one way out of his difficulty.

"Suppose I say that I do not like your manner or appearance," returned
he disdainfully.

"Is it your wish to insult me, M. Andre?"

"As you choose to take it."

M. de Breulh was not gifted with an immense stock of patience. He turned
livid, and made a step forward; but his generous impulses restrained
him, and it was in a voice broken by agitation that he said,--

"Accept my apologies, M. Andre; I fear that I have played a part
unworthy of you and of myself. I ought to have given you my name at
once. I know everything."

"I do not comprehend you," answered Andre in a glacial voice.

"Why doubt, then, if you do not understand? However, I have given you
cause to do so. But, let me reassure you, Mademoiselle Sabine has spoken
to me with the utmost frankness; and, if you still distrust me, let me
tell you that this veiled picture is her portrait. I will say
more," continued De Breulh gravely, as the artist still kept silent;
"yesterday, at Mademoiselle de Mussidan's request, I withdrew from my
position as a suitor for her hand."

Andre had already been touched by De Breulh's frank and open manner, and
these last words entirely conquered him.

"I can never thank you enough," began he.

But De Breulh interrupted him.

"A man should not be thanked for performing his duty. I should lie to
you if I said that I am not painfully surprised at