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

conceal the, lace upon IT. This lit.
tie stratagem, however, was desti.
ned to be Of no avail. Having
been marked BY the intruder one
ofthose cordial, well meaning peo.
ple, good.natured to degree, but
with edelicacy Of PERCEPTION
the action at once aroused his Gu.
riosity.
"Ah, master painter" he said,
with a alaugh, "let US see what it is
that you work at by yourself till
it steals away your eyes and ears.
Only one peep2" i..s
With that, he laid his hand on
the frame, and receiving no forbid.
ding word from Carradine, turned
it around. The next moment he
was loud in praise.
"But who is it, Carradine2 If it
isa portrait, tell me where to find
the original, and l will, ,if it is a
seven days journey!o
Carradine smiled.
"If myself knew where to find
such an original l should not be
here to tell you, my good friend" {"
he answered, evasively.
"0h, a fancy SKETCH" said the
other, misled, as the artist had
desired. II might have saved my.
self the trouble Of asking. NJ real
flesh and blood face ever lookod
like that more shame to nature, l
say. ofcourse you will exhibit it,
CarradineY"
"No!g answered the painter,
quietly
"Nolgrepeated.the other, in sur.
prise. "But, my dear fellow, you
must, orI shall betray your secret,
and you will have a swarm Of visi.
tors, worse than q plague in Egypt,
let in upon you"
Carradine hesitated. A chance
word in bis friends speech had
suggested a possibility that made
his heart leap in spite Of sober
reason.
"You are right" he said. 81
shall send the picture for exhibi.
tion. 1t will be better so."
After his visitor had left him
alone again, Carradine bent low
over his easel, gazing into the
lovely, upturned face, until it be.
gan to fade into the gathering twi.
light.
"It-itl" be murmured to him.
self, half unconsciously. "But it
Gun not be. Yeti will send iL-and
perhaps-"
And so the picture was sent in
due time; and it seemed almost as
if Carradine's soul had gone with
it and drawn him to follow. Hour
after hour, and day after day, he
sat in the gallery scrutinising
eagerly every face amid the yisi.
tors whom taste or fashion had
brought to look at the now celebra.
ted artists latest success. Every
night he went away unsatiSfed,
and every morning he returned
with hope springins afresh in his
heart.
Still, the object Of his search,
whatever it may have been, does
not appear and one day, discour.
aged at last, he resolved to 60 nc
more on so fruitless an errand.--
Shutting himself in his studio, he
began to paint, but, strive as he
would, he could command neither
hand nor fancy. Finally, tired Of
repeated failure, he abandoned
work, and yielded to an impulse
which drew his steps in the GUS
tomary direction.
When he entered the small side
room in which his picture hung
he found but two persons within, a
young man and girl,
Carradino could not see the faces
of these two, but, with an earnest
ness for which he was ut a loss tc
account, he followed their retreat.
ing figures as they moved slowly
toward his picture, But the noxi
moment an exclamation of aston.
ishment burst from the lips Of the
young man.
"Why, here is your portrait, Lei.
liaI What does it mean2 Who
can the painter beH"
With that he hurried out to pur.
chase a catalogue. Carradine ad,
vanced quickly to the girl.
81 am the painter" he said.
She turned and looked at him
with one steady gaze from those
! glorious eyes that had haunted his