The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-26

When they retired to the drawing-roOm after
dinner, one or two persons coming in from
the neighborhood, conversation became
general. The mysterious lady moved about
from point to point once or twice speaking
with Mr. Heaphy, but never, so far as he
could see, exchanging word with any other
person present BY the time that he retired
to his room Mr.. Heaphy was profoundly up
set by this most unaecountable OF all the
experiences through which he had yet pass
ed in connection with his mysterious vsl-
tant of the summer Determined, If he
could, TO satisfy himself whether he was OF
was not the victim Of hallucination, he
made some excuse for speaking TO the foot
man, who was arranging his clothes before
leaving him for the night, about the lady
who had dined there. The footman looked
at him uninteligently at flrs aud then with
curious, almost qulzzical expression, as
sured Mr.. Heaphy that he had not the least
idea what he was speaking of, as he didn't
know that any lady was staying In the house,
and as the one or two iadies who had called
during the evening had driven home to their
residences Seeing that he was to get no
light from this quarter Mr.. Heaphy was ST.
lent, remained in the house two or three
days, finished the portrait which he had
undertaken to paint in waler-colors and left.
"From time TO time all the circumstances
of this strange acquaintance would recur to
him, but he never cared to dwell upon them
in his own mind Still less did he dream OF
communicating them 10 any ono else lie
could not regard them as purely deusion
of his own imagination, for there III his de-
spaich box was the engraving from Heath's
Book of Beauty" there was the half hn-
ished sketch of a face which had imprinted
| itself with an almost terrible dlstinctness
| upon his memory; and yet he felt that to
hint at any of the circumstances of bis un-
paraleed adventures would expose him in
the minds of other people to suspicious
which, but for the material evidence there
before him, he would be very apt to enter
| tain Of himself.
80 the time passed on. Once or twice, TAX
| ing the sketch up, MIR. Heaphy had worked
| upon it until it was well advanced to COM
| pleton. He never took it up excepting
under a stress of feeling which he could
| neither define or resist; he never laid 1t
away again except with sense OF relief and
Satisfaction. Early in the ensuing winter
Mr. Heaphy was called TO the West of Eng
| land to keep an engagement made long be-
| fore with friend who resided, l think,
somewhere in the Marches of Wales. He
started upon this journey from some point
| the name of which cannot now recall, for
4 II la many years since Mrs. Murray told me
| this story--in the Eastern or Midland conn-
| ties. AT all events, he left this point ON a
| Saturday, and his route led through the an
Client little cathedral city OF Lichfeld. On
| reaching Liehfleld great was Mr.. Heaphy' $
| disgust TO lind that he could make no con-
nection westward until Monday morning.
This condemned him to pass Sunday at
| Iichtield Il prospect which he was not
| enough of philosopher To accept with sat
isfaetion, for there really is not much in
Iichfield to interest the traveller except
anathe cathedral within sight of whoe walls
N n. Il. IL HI .
is very fac cathedral-and the little square
in which the stalwart statue Of DIR. john
son stands, bearing witness 20 the eminence
aud to the oddities of that illustrious leyia-
in. There are two or three very decent
inns in Liehtield however. and in one of
these--I think the Swan-Mr. Heaphy
made himself as comfortable as eircum-
stances would permit. He ordered the usu-
al British dinner with the usual soup, the
usual fish and the usual joint, enlivened it
with pint of dry champagne, picked up the
county history, and settled himself for a
quiet evening and sedative smoke. Tie
had hardly got through with his dinner
when the waiter, to his establishment, came
in with card on salver. Taking up this
card, Mr.. Heaphey read on Il the name of a
gentleman who many years before had been
one of his school-fellows, but of whom be
had seen and heard nothing since he came
W NSttto va AAdlubOu4 nc ndu 5OttCHs III
fact, the very existence of the man and he
vas entirely at loss TO imagine in what
possible way his arrival and his presence in
this quiet little inn could have come to the
ears of his quondam boyish companion. He
babe the waiter, however, show him up at
once. When the door opened he welcomed
not man of his own years, but quiet and
rather serious looking, very courteous young
| gentleman of twenty-five or twenty-six, who
l i.y hat he he
| namesake of Mr.. Heaphy's old schooi-fel-
Low; that he had been sent BY his father
| with a carriage 10 find Mr. Heaphy at the
| inn, his father being confined to bis room
| with an illness, and that his father insisted
| in Mr.. Heaphy's leaving the inn and COM
ing 10 pass his Sunday in Llchheld at their
house. Mr.. Heaphy, overwhelmed with
this civility, could not resist expressing his
surprise aud asking the young man how In
the world his father came to know of his
entirely accidental visit TO Liehfield.
:" That | can't tell you, said the Young
| man, but he has been expecting you all
| day, and has several times asked me this
/ afternoon whether the train had yet got
| in?
2. Well. this passes all comprehension ,
| said Mr.. Heaphy. And / should be very
| glad 10 find out how it came to pass He
| endeayored, however, TO excuse himself for
accepting the hospitality thus unexpectedly
protfered him, but in vain The young man
| insisted that he could not think of such a
thing as going back without Mr.. Heaphy,
and after little the artist yielded. dis
portmanteau and despatch box were brought
down, put into neat little private carriage,
which stood at the Inn door, aud Mr. Heap
by drove to the house Of his old acquaia-
lance.
81 will 60 up stairs, said the young
man, and let my father know you are here.
He is so anxious TO see you and has been so
| nervous and restless of late that | ought to
see him for a few moments before you 90
ups and with this he led Mr.. Heaphy into
a drawing-room, where be presented him TO
young lady dressed in mourning as sis
ter. This young lady greeted Mr' Heaphy
verv cordially, and appeared to have been
quite as well aware as her father Of his com
ing to Lichfeld and quite as much inieres t.
ed as her brother in securing his presence Ia
| their house
80 Ny father, said tine young lady, has
been hoping to see you here for months; but
it was only to-day that he felt sure of your
| coming
/" Yes?' said Mr. Heaphy. And how
in the world did he feel sure Of my coming
to-day?
:" That can't tell you, said the young
woman, for don't know, but / suppose 1t
| Is because be had heard from you.
g Heard from mel said Mr.. Heaphy.
Ny dear, young lady, have had no com
mum cation with your father for years.
am sorry to say didn't even remember that
he was living here in Lichfeld
" The young lady looked at him ineredu-
lousy and said:
" How can this be when you have been
painting my sisters portrat?'
Painting your sisters portraitp said
| Mr.. Heapby. Pray what Is your sister