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156 humility. < You interest me in your friend,' she said, in a voice that was soft and musical. ' Since that was my object,' I said, ' I am very glad to hear you say so. You are an artist yourself, perhaps ? ' ' No, I love art,' she replied, ' I have lived in Italy and France.' 'Then you would not be offended if I say that if you had been going to stay in London for any length of time I would have petitioned you to sit to my young friend.' "

" You are very kind, Dick," exclaimed Philip, " and you have a lot more courage than I have ! "

" You are not a journalist with ten years of experience as a war correspondent," said Mr. Chetwynd.

" I would not like to ask the countess anything at which she might take offence," said Dick. " There is sorrow in her eye, and softness in her voice, but there is the devil there also. And mark me, Philip, you are right in thinking there is a remarkable history behind that face.

" How do you mean, Dick ? " Philip asked.

" I mean that it appealed to you as a face that had seen a world of persecution and trouble. You have more than hinted at a woman who has suffered and will be revenged. Your artistic instinct is right, I believe."

" But do you really think she is the woman I saw ? "

" I know she is."

" How?"

" By your portrait, and from her anxiety to see you."

" Her anxiety to see me ! " exclaimed Philip, the blood rushing to his temples.

11 Don't blush, Philip I mean do," said Dick, " I like to see a young fellow blush ; I sometimes wish I could. When I had fired that shot, about you having seen a face at the opera which you had gone home and put into a pic- ture of a tragic character, she tried to disguise her interest, I had almost said her alarm ; and she smiled sweetly, but