the Buttons had taken in order to find him. If they
had communicated with the police, surely, at some stage of their
journey, Barney Bill would have been held up and questioned. But had
they even troubled to call in the police? Barney Bill thought not, and
Paul agreed. The police were very unpopular in Budge Street--almost as
unpopular as Paul. In all probability the Buttons were only too glad to
be rid of him. If he found no favour in the eyes of Mrs. Button, in the
eyes of Button he was detestable. Occasionally he spoke of them to
Barney Bill on his rare appearances in London, but for prudential
motives the latter had struck Bludston out of his itinerary and could
give no information. At last Paul ceased altogether to think of them.
They belonged to a far-distant past already becoming blurred in his
memory.

So Paul lived his queer sedulous life, month after month, year after
year, known among the studios as a quaint oddity, drawn out indulgently
by the men, somewhat petted, monkey-fashion, by the women, forgotten by
both when out of their presence, but developing imperceptibly day by
day along the self-centring line. A kindly adviser suggested a
gymnasium to keep him in condition for professional purposes. He took
the advice, and in the course of time became a splendid young animal, a
being so physically perfect as to be what the good vicar of Bludston
had called him in tired jest--a lusus naturae. But though proud of his
body as any finely formed human may honorably be, a far higher
arrogance saved him from Narcissus vanity. It was the inner and
essential Paul and not the outer investiture that was born to great
things.

In his eighteenth year he gradually awoke to consciousness of change.
One of his classmates at the Polytechnic institute, with whom he had
picked a slight acquaintance, said one evening as they were walking
homeward together: "I shan't be coming here after next week. I've got a
good clerkship in the city. What are you doing?"

"I'm an artist's model," said Paul.

The other, a pale and perky youth, sniffed. His name was Higgins. "Good
Lord! What do you mean?"

"I'm a model in the life class of the Royal Academy School," said Paul,
proudly.

"You stand up naked in front of all kinds of people for them to paint
you?"

"Of course," said Paul.

"How beastly!" said Higgins.

"What do you mean?"

"Just that," said Higgins. "It's beastly!"

A minute or two afterward he jumped on a passing t