you must say something about it, you know. I would only be
in the way."

Olga weakened and began to pace the floor again.

"Well, I shall be quite frank with him," she said. "I shall be honest. I
shall ask him for the last time----"

Karl's voice was heard in his own room, calling to Heinrich.

"He is coming," Millar said. "I will leave you."

"Please don't go very far away," Olga implored.

"I shall be here," Millar said, going to a small anteroom adjoining the
studio. "If you need me, call."

He stepped within the other room and closed the door softly. Olga stood,
her hands gripping the back of her chair, waiting.

Karl entered the reception-room and stood for an instant looking at
Olga. He showed that he, too, had suffered during the night. His face
was white and drawn. When he saw Olga standing there, a mute statue of
despair, he was filled with pity for her and self-abasement. He stepped
quickly to her side, caught her hands and kissed them passionately.

"I ought to go down on my knees and beg your pardon for my conduct last
night, Olga," he said.

She turned to him quickly, yielding her hands to him, leaning toward
him, speaking eagerly.

"Speak very low; he is in there," she said, pointing to the anteroom
where Millar was hiding. "Let us be brief, Karl. I have been very
foolish, but I could not control myself. After what happened I wanted to
know. I wanted to feel that you loved me as I thought you did, as I
hoped you did, day and night, every minute."

"Olga!" he exclaimed rapturously.

[Illustration: "I WANTED TO FEEL THAT YOU LOVED ME AS I HOPED YOU
DID."--Page 173.

By Permission of Henry W. Savage.]

He was not prepared for this. He feared that he had offended her, and
her impulsive declaration swept him from his feet. He watched her face
eagerly, hungrily, as she went on, talking very rapidly, and making no
effort to disengage her hands, which he held clasped to his breast.

"Everything has changed since yesterday, Karl. But let us try to repeat
what we said then. Let us shake hands honorably. Let us try to be strong
and keep our promises, as we have kept them so long, Karl. If I have
been bold and frivolous it was only because I wanted to know what you
thought of me; nothing else. But I am afraid I have been punished too
much."

Her passion swept her along, as she was swayed alternately by love for
Karl and the saner impulse to flee from him. But the sweetness of
knowing that she was