The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1883-05-23

shespoke;
@YOu painted that piclutes and
how9"
@From remembrance" he an.
swered. at was my only tribute
70 the little unknown Princess who
crowned me once with roses. Does
she, too, remember itHe
For a moment doubt was IN her
face; but as he looked fxedly at
her it vanished in certainty A
smile just touched her bright lips
ut was you, then, on whom /
forced my rosesS A Princess who
gave away honors unasked. How
often | have wondered since-a
She stopped, turned TO the can.
yass, and added abrlptly "But /
was child then, and here-o
'"Here you are a woman" said
casvaiIlne completing The pnspo,
ken sentence. "Ts Il sohafd to uh.
derstands The same power that
kept the child in my heart showed
me into what she would ripen."
She did not look at him now. but
at the picture, as she asked him in
u low voice: "And whom am | to
thank for such an honor2"
"AIy name is Hilbert Carradine," !"
he answered, and saw ut once that
it was no unfamiliar word to her,
"And yours2 Through all these
years your face has haunted me al.
ways, but your name | never knew. {"
She hesitated a moment, then
turned TO him:
"You never knew my hameH
Then think Of me still as you have
thought of me through all these
years." she said, d half smile lin,
geriug about his mouth, but never
lighting the great dark that was
shaded by some subtle sadness =.
The look, the tone, transported
Carradine beyond all remembrance
Of place or circumstance into the
unreal realm Of Imagination in
which his wish was supreme ruler.
u have thought Of you always
as my life and my love-" he said,
half consciously, his dreamy, deep
gray eyes glowing upon her face.
She blushcd suddenly, and then
paled in an instant. Just then her
former companion entered the
room.
81 am Leila Auvernay," she
said, hastily, "and this is Cecil
Wyndham, my-my betrothod hus,
band4gs4=4a,
Not another word was said. As
the young man approached Cara.
dine fell back a step and looked at
the two. His was a fair, handsome
face, so little marked as yet by time
that it would be hard for an un-
practiced eye to conjecture with
what lines the shaping character
would yet stamp 1t. Nevertheless,
with one keen gaze Carradine es.
timated both present and future.
She said a few low.spoken words
to her companion, who presently
moved toward Carradino, and nd.
dressed him:
81 have the honor of speakinp
to Mr.. Carradine, the painter Of
this picture2"
Carradine bowed without speak
ling,
"Will you pardon me for asking
if it is a fancy sketch?" continued
Mr.. Wyndham.
"Partly so, but suggested by the
face Of a little girl" answered the
artist.
"But the likeness is SO very
striking" muttered the young gen.
tlenlan. 81 must have it at any
rate. Of course, you will part with
it-at your own priceH"
"1'ho picture Is not for sale"
said Carradine, quietly, still re.
garding the young man with that
cool, steady gaze which had already
caused him 10 betray a hesitation,
almost confusion, very unlike his
usual oasy confidence. lie seemed
to have an instructive knowledge
that the artist was measuring him,
and to shrink from that measure,
ment with unconscious dread.
Carradino saw Leila Auvernay
once more before she returned tc
her home in a distant town. Then
he took his picture from the acad.
envy walls and hung it in his stu
dio, where his eyes could find il
whenever he looked away from biz
work. For he did not give up
work; yet among themselves, his