nothing of the Cedersholms for six years. As far as he
knew, during this time they had never returned to France. Once he
vaguely understood that they were travelling for Mrs. Cedersholm's
health.

His eyes ached to look upon the man whom he regarded as his bitterest
enemy. Of Mrs. Cedersholm he thought now only as he thought of woman, of
vain visions which he might never, never grasp or hold. He had bitterly
torn his love out of his heart.

After leaving her at Windsor he had remained for some time in London
where Dearborn had followed him, and where Dearborn and Nora Scarlet
were married. Fairfax had sat with them in the gallery at Regent's
Theatre when the curtain rose on Dearborn's successful play. Fairfax
took a position as professor of drawing in a girls' school in the West
End and taught a group of schoolgirls for several months. Between times
he modelled on his statues for his new conception of the "Open Door."
Then in the following spring, with a yearning in his heart and
homesickness for France, he returned into the city with the May. He
could scarcely look up at the windows of the old studio on the quays. He
rented a barren place in the Vaugirard quarter and began his work in
terrible earnestness.

Now, as he waited for his visitor, he wondered if Mary Cedersholm had
visited the Salon, if with others she had stood before his sculpture.
His servant announced "Monsieur Cedersholm," then let in the visitor and
shut the door behind him. Cedersholm entered the vast studio in the soft
light of late afternoon with which the spring twilight, rapidly
withdrawing, filled the room. Antony did not stir from his chair, where
he sat enveloped in a cloud of tobacco smoke.

The small man--Fairfax had forgotten how small he was--entered
cautiously as though he were entering the room of a foe, which, indeed,
he was doing, without being aware of it. Fairfax remembered that he had
seen Cedersholm wearing a single eyeglass, and now spectacles of
extraordinary thickness covered his eyes. He evidently saw with
difficulty. As Fairfax did not rise to greet him, Cedersholm approached,
saying tentatively--

"Mr. Rainsford? I believe I have an appointment with Mr. Rainsford."

"Yes," said Fairfax curtly, "I am here. Sit down, will you?"

His lame foot, which would have disclosed his identity, was withdrawn
under his chair.

"I have just come from the Soudan," said Cedersholm, "where I had a
sunstroke of the eyes. I see badly."