, kiss the prettiest lips."

No subtler tempter ever spoke to the hearts of a man and a woman. Karl
was leaning over Olga now; he saw her eyes, her lips, soft, warm,
rose-colored, he felt her arms as she clung to him, while over them both
gloated the sinister figure of Millar--the devil--triumphant, confident
that his work was done.

There was a crashing ring at the doorbell that acted like an electric
shock on the group. Karl and Olga came to their senses, dazed,
trembling, thankful. Millar stepped down from the chair, baffled, and
turned his back upon them.

"My husband!" Olga gasped.

"Mr. Moneybags!" Millar sneered contemptuously.

Olga and Karl quickly drew apart. Both were relieved. Olga felt as if
she had stepped back from the brink of a terrible precipice, over which
she had almost fallen. Her face was colorless, and there were lines of
agony across her brow. The two unhappy people stood staring at each
other for a full minute before Heinrich entered and announced Herman.

It had been growing dark in the studio during the remarkable discourse
by Millar, but so absorbed had both his listeners been in their own
tremendous emotions that they had paid no heed. Now, as Herman entered,
his first exclamation was:

"How dark it is in here. I am sorry I am late."

Heinrich turned on the lights, and the apartment was suddenly
illuminated. Karl and Olga had not yet recovered their self-possession,
but Karl managed to indicate with a wave of his hand his strange
visitor.

"Dr. Millar," he said.

Millar nodded absently and barely replied to Herman's cordial greeting.
He was still enraged at the interruption which had prevented the success
of his infamous plan. Herman turned quickly to Karl and Olga.

"Well, children, where is the picture? I am anxious to see it," he
exclaimed.

"There is no picture," was all Karl could say. Olga, filled with
apprehension at she knew not what, was silent.

"No picture!" Herman exclaimed. "What have you been doing all this
time?"

"It has been dark for an hour," Karl explained.

"Yes, but Olga has been here for two hours," Herman said, looking at his
watch.

There was an instant of silence that threatened to become painfully
embarrassing. Olga was about to speak when Millar unexpectedly stepped
forward, briskly and politely.

"My dear Monsieur Hofmann, it was my fault," he explained. "I came a
moment after you left. I had not seen Karl in two years. We chatted and
the t