The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-12-12

Still Mr.. Shannon did not answer. He after
wards confessed to me that he was somewhat sur
prissd by the questions n''
"Come, sir" continued Mr. Vandsrwater, ''you
must answer. You had model for that face
and fgureP"
"Yea" answered Shannon, Eyes, did have
10 model"
"WhoP"
II beg your pardon, Mr.. vanderwa.er; that
you have no right to AK"
"But I do AK will know-I have right
when yoa have proved the right may ans.
wsr the question"
"This is too easily proven, fear. Here ~ he
exclaimed, sie.ng and opening loekst which
hung around his daughters neck; do yoa ses
that That is her portrait"
'Good heavens 7! exclaimed Shannon, locking
at tho face in the lscket. "How came you By
this ?"
ut is the same, then ?"
'Ths same, yes! But how here-cams ysu
with it?"
"Ea:ily enough, sir. The l.dy-your model,
wife" "
Before Shannon could speak, Mr.. vsnderwater
turned and said: toe .. .l3eGl ii.
"You shall hear from ne again. And, full of
rage, the old man left tho room, bearing tho Ia
dies on his arms, and endeavoring % best he
could, but with little success, to conceal the
eGotlon and excitement under which he was
laboriag.
shannon was utterly dumbfoundsd by the de-
nouncment, and I found him on entering the
Academy, ten minutes after this occasion, en-
dsavering to reconcile the conflicting facts. He
at once informed ne Of the incident--the stimuli
taneous recognition by Mr.. Vanderwater, his
sister and daughter, of the remarkable portrait,
the statement of Mr.. underwater that the mod
81 was his wife, the possession by him Of pho
tograph Of the lady, and yet the impossibili-
ty OF her being, az he asserted, his wife.
He suddenly turned to me and said:
"has Mr.. Vanderwater been twice married ?"
NO." I answered.
dy met this evening, is a woman of about for
ty or more" l0 -
"Abost forty-two, should say. She married
young. m ~. 'Lt.# IA
"Then it cannot be her But, pshaw what
am thinking of? OF course she can't be his
wife, as" n. ..a.g #.f.gJ
He hesitated and I asked, "why?" ~. Z
cts OF no consequence. She is a young wo-
man not over nineteen" 4'.'
"Did you explain this?" -.'+
II had not time He left So abruptly" '.Iill
"You can't, OF course, satisfy him that the Ia
dy was not his wife"
II can at least assure him SO, for never saw
Mrs. Vanderwatsr in my life" ..,.r.
"Yet she has been for year past in Europe
last winter in Rome"
singular, isn't ltp Nevertheless my model
was not Mrs. Vanderwatsr." .t
"Who was she 2"
"a young Italian girl, whom met en- route to
Florence, in 1865, when was going to Rome.
She was slsne-in trouble-evidently flying from
some one. protected her, and she accompanied
me to Rome" I-I-a
"Where you set her up in business as model,
AID otherwise projected" as
stop, Harry no Jokes on that subject"
II beg pardon, my boy, but
Il can tell you no more than this" .f.
will that satisfy Vanderwater?"
"To tell you the truth, my dear fellow, don't
care whether it does or not. 1 shall explain no
further"
On the following day I saw Mr. Vandervster
was not authorized by Shannon to do 80, but I
presumed on cur long friendship-though some
what cooled since his return frsm Rome. some
other friend having woa some of his at1ectisn-
to act in his interest. Mr.. Vanderwatsr gave me
warmer reception on my announcing nv BUSH
ness than expected, and at once took me to his
library.
81 had to send yeu for Mr.. Shsnnons addr ess."
he said.
named his hotel He had usually stopped at
A. ho"sc ouV ou Als reCuTn ne mad gone to a
quiet hotel in the city, and had declined to make
my house his home as usual
THANK you. l would prefer to communicate
with him through you, if ysu are in any way au-
thorizsd to act for him in the matter of our bust
ness arrangements"
"But am not" / answered
"Ihen will you not act for me? am desir
GUS of closing our agreement for this picture.
am ready to.pay the balance due him, and will
make him liberal allowance in addition to the
sum agreed on, if he will renosnce the right Of
exhibiting it further"
II think that he will consent to the rsmoyal.
but he will decline any consideration for doing
So" As
THANK you. Will you See him. give him
TINS check-flling it up for the amount YOU can
agree on as right, you acting for me--and obtain
MS consent to the withdrawal of the picture
from The Academy"
did so. l saw Shannon, paid the balance.
closed the account and carried his transfer of the
picture to Mr. Vanderwater,
Inc same day the picture was removed from
the Academy, and passed into the hands Of Van
derwater What disposition was made of it at
the time do not know. ~
As we left the building, Mr.. Vanderwater re.
quested me to go with him to his residence. "a
no had q second and more serious commnnica.
ton to make through me to Mr.. Shannon We
got int q cress town car, which was passing the
Academy at the moment, and started for hin
house. ''' lid
As we were making short curve in front Of
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, at Madison Souare T
was suddenly reused from some med citations into
which had fallen, by sharp, nervous CRASH on
my arm turned in my seat. 1t was Wander.