The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-04

the next rev days horrors were neapeU on nor
rors head; swimmer, bare and exhausted, but
with the gratitude of unexpected deliverance on
his face, pierre ed by dagger: youth with pile
of heaped up gold on the table before him, with
Il sword transfxing him; soldier in the moment
of victory pinned to the parapet by revengeful
comrade; a naked body in the misty depths of the
water with glaring maniac face beside him
and sharp, broad blade thrust deep in his side,
the red blood biurring the transparent deeps.
A bridegroom pinned to the bedpost of
the nuptial chamber by ferce-eyed
rival. But in every case the lnexorable patron
compelled Asric to retouch the faces and make
the victim resemble the sketch he had given. so
that in the end in the mass OF pictorial murder.
there was really but one. Meanwhile, chance
had given Asiric pretext and opportunity to have
speech with Juana one day. The mute gone
from the house. and another servant entering
the alcove asked for the master
Asiric had left him but few moments before
in the gallery. and went out call him. He
was not there but through the drawn curtains
he caught glimpse or Juana She was occu-
pied with some needlework, and as Asiric stood
under the curtains and spoke she turned with an
expression of pleased surprise. There is an
inquiry for--for-" he didn't know what title to
give his patron, and ended stammeriDg, "for
Mr.. Munde.n
She paled as she met the young mans eye, and.
with a frightened gesture that had beseeching in
if, motioned the young man to leave the room.
Loud, angry voices were heard above their heads,
and Asirc recognized his patrons in furious stri
leying with the servant as he resumed his place in
the curtaned alcove. He was embodying muir
der In a new fOrm-the supernatural His dim
background was pinnacle OF mountain reaching
far up into the clouds; the crescent moon see med
to rest like a half-circle on the extreme peak of
gittering pinnacle. The sharp horns of the
moon, curved like counterpoints, held two fig
ures-transpierced, the tips of the horns just
visible through the breast. Aslric had not shown
the sketch to his patron, and when the canvas
a i'm n nae
judgment upon it.
No sooner had Damorts eager eyes taken in
the composition than he reeled against the paint
er, uttering a frightened cry
'Where-where did you that? Was it in a
dream2 Have you looked in my cabinet9" He
seized the young man sharply and scrutinized
his face.
Asiric was startled, but. as he was innocent of
any duplicity i'll the design. his face exculpated
him. Damort sank into seat YEARLY.
ut has come; it is the hour" He arose with
out another word and left the room. An hour
later he reappeareo and commanded the painter
to bring the canvas into the gallery. When the
broad light fell upon it he stood transtixed, rub
bling his hands in overwhelming perpexity. His
abstraction was so complete that Asiric Quilted
the chamber and pushed through the Venetian
windows into the garden. Ho wandered far
from the house. and was lost in reverie, when
the sound of low voice aroused him. 1t was
Juana. She was in an arbor caressng parrot.
which from time to time broke into the refrain
ing He was at her side before she heard him,
and, to his surprise, looked alarmed when he sat
down beside her.
'Ah! Mr. Sterne, you do wrong to come here;
if Damort-if Mr. Munde-fnds you here ne
will msiudge you; he will punish you and
and" The tears that she had tried in vain to
repress weiled up into her eyes.
And whatP Asric asked in agitation-"ah!
/ am doing wrong-to-to you"
You should not be here or / should not, for
Damort forb;ds." She hesitated again.
"Damort forbids what9" The painter seized
the girls trembling hand. Her eyes opened in a
flash OF glorious trust, his arms stole about her
waist and the gentle head was pillowed his
bosom. Then followed such words as make
lovers vows, and the tender tale went on until,
>edless of time, hours had slipped away. They
re aroused from the dream by the appariton
O. tamort in the trellised doorway of the
boz. garing with livid lips and burning eyes.
Juana started in terror this specter stood
silent, menacng before them, but Asiric firmly
repressed her attempts to rise and held her by
his side, meeting TRANQUILITY the savage gaze of
his patron.
"Juana your duties call you in the house.
They have been neglected too long Sir your
work awaits you. Go"
He stood aside as Juana arose, tremblipgly,
and flew from the arbor AS she disappeared
Damort turned abruptly and was lost in the
foliage. The painter, painfully mystifed ard
convinced that he was in the employ of mad
man. returned to the house, resolving to bring
moned him to coffee in the evening, and the
purpose to speak his mind strongly the
painting oozed away SO soon as the narcotic
effects of the coffee penetrated his tissues. Ths
moon murder was large easel before the
divan, and as the effects OF the coffee bec6me aD-
parent the young man was conscious of Selling
his brush under the malign persuasion of his pa
tron. The dimness in the atmosphere of the
peak was soon made transparent; then, without
apparent volition the faces of the two transfxed
figures were made to bear likeness--in spite of
himself-to Damort Munde and himself Asiric
Sterne! When the work done he retired In
fever and fell upon his bed insensbe. He had
lived century of phantaSmal horror in the
dreams that followed, when he conscious of
some one near him. He uprose with startling
sense of the reality of what he had dreamed.
The shadow of living presence was distinct be-
tween him and the window.
"What is i'll Who are your
sit is /, Asric--Juana. Do not move from
your he'd. implore YOU No foot can fall on
this floor save mine without arousing"-she hes
ltated-"some one else, she went on bSeath
lessly. You must make some pretext to Quit
this house to morrow. Above all. do not touch
another canvas. Do mott" noise was heard in
another part Of the house. Sh!-she whispered
Il must not stay here. l shall find means of
writing you"
He started up now to convince himself wheth-
er it was part of his dream. The night was far
gone. The deep duness that precedes dawn was
in the horizon he could see through the windows
as he CROPPED for a match. When he had lighted
all the candles, he sat down to reflect In vain
he conjured up his dream, the strange scenes of
the afternoon. That he had offended angered
her father, he felt sure. Then the evenings
work with the pictures came back. He started
in dread The vision of his body being inn
paled on one of the horns of the moon suddenly
came before him! What did it mean? By what
subtle power had his hand been guided9 He was
in a fever of terrified conjecture, and descended
softly to the gallery. He would screen his own
face from the hideous travesty. But when he
reached the spot where the picture had been it
was gone! He searched tremblingly in the al
cove He was desperate now and set out to
search the house, il could not have been car
ried away. He had barely reached the arras
leading into the apartment where he had seen
Juana for the first time when a hand
was laid lightly on his arm. He turned in