continued to spend much of his time. When Mrs. Taine made mocking
references to the novelist's promise not to leave the artist unprotected
to her tender mercies, he always answered with some--as she said--twisty
saying; to the effect that the present situation in no way lessened his
determination to save the young man from the influences that would
accomplish the ruin of his genius. "If"--he always added--"if he is worth
saving; which remains to be seen." Always, at the Taine home, they met
James Rutlidge. Frequently the celebrated critic dropped in at the cottage
in the orange grove.

Under the skillful management of Rutlidge,--at the request of Mrs.
Taine,--the newspapers were already busy with the name and work of Aaron
King. True, the critic had never seen the artist's work; but,
never-the-less, the papers and magazines throughout the country often
mentioned the high order of the painter's genius. There were little
stories of his study and success abroad; tactful references to his
aristocratic family; entertaining accounts of his romantic life with the
famous novelist in the orange groves of Fairlands, and of how, in his
California studio among the roses, the distinguished painter was at work
upon a portrait of the well-known social leader, Mrs. Taine--this being
the first portrait ever painted of that famous beauty. That the picture
would create a sensation at the exhibition, was the unanimous verdict of
all who had been permitted to see the marvelous creation by this rare
genius whose work was so little known in this country.

Said Conrad Lagrange--"It is all so easy."

Once or twice, the artist or his friend had seen the woman of the
disfigured face; and the novelist still tried in vain to fix her in his
memory. Every day, they heard, in the depths of the neighboring orange