The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-04-20
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

monitory lurch. Mr.. Devens would lose it
she thought; no, he was coming, quickly
but not surely. HIS foot may have been
upon the step when it painted and rolled
forward, and broke up suddenly with a
noise like the crack of doom. 1t seemed to
Laura as if the heavens had rolled together
as scroll at that instant; she knew what
had happened without hearing word; she
was on her feet, cropping her way out
amidst the excited throng, which seemed
to part irstinctiyely to let her pass. She
did not know that she had called his name
tenderly, wildly, with the terrible solicitude
in her voice which only love lends. She
knew nothing till she found him lying like
death, broken beside the track, white and
speechless and mutlated. She crouched
beside him there, whispering tender words,
as if he could understand, as if they two
were alone, and not the spectacle of curl
Gus crowd.
:" l was desperate, Laura, at losing YOU"
were his first faint words. 81 believe-1
took something to drink-at the inn-in
Chester-just to forget about it all. The
first-and the last"
There is to this day an unfinished por
trait, turned fact to the wall, in the studio
of Mr.. Raphael Smith. g The lady never
arrived for her last sitting" he explains.
Her husband would have purchased it, but
the artist declined to sell an unfinished
painting.
81 meant the portrait for Christmas
present, dear, to you,' said Mrs. Devens;
that was why went to town SO privately
for my sittings-why made such secret
of it."
"And the wretched fellow prolonged the
sittings in order to make love to you
q remember the very day when l re-
ceived the postal card from Cousin Jack
her name is Jacqueline, you know, but we
call her Jack for brevity-telling me what
day to go up for my first sitting. Mrs.
Bender brought it, and l thought you
would be in that evening: | supposed you
would drop in at any moment and make
up; and then-afterward- had engaged
the portrait, and what excuse coeld l give
for withdrawing-and Jack at all the bother
of securing Mr.. Smiths services?'
"And presently it grew interesting, with
Raphael at your feet. will swear that
I heard him kiss you at the gate, and vow
he should be the happiest-"
"No, sir; he only kissed my hand, and
said he should be the happiest artist alive
when the picture was finished, and begged
permission to show it TO his friends and
fellow students. ;"
"But pardon, Mrs. Devens, what was it
you owed Mr.. Smith, for which you could
return SO little?''
"Why, l thought you knew. l owed
heart, but found myself insolvent.-
Somebody had stolen all had
Indeed" said Mr.. Devens, taking up
his crutch. SCI wonder you preferred a
cripple; but I'm glad you did,
"Well, now, postal cards don't seem to
give much information, after ALL" con-
sidered Mrs. Bender, when she happened
to learn the solution of her riddle. Chow
was Ito know that Jack was only girl,
and Laura was just going to town to have
her picture taken? 1t teats all how mis-
leading they are. All I've got to say is,
they might as well never have been in
vented.'
But it was owing to postal card that
Mr.. Devens married a gray haired bride,
and that Laura Vaughn welded a crippled
lover