Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-08-19

size. This work. once beg |. sz@4rl,
ed him to the exclusions 4s5Hz
else. He worked day and ~
ing time only for his hast j i III
hurried snaiches OF sleep. feunl
and drarery were done Is As l.zel
being left to the last. - -.
rarely admitted into to "a
was then always ordered III &
business there as brief = 4 HI
"At last the picture - ;shs1,
and the old servant was AI II -.
move all the artists IL NJ hal
accumulated aroend il. l,,t
paints. palette. brushes ry-
thing into the fire. M iue
simply thes be w
Fagain. AsTEosasz
last remnant of the welIus z<sasils,
he heard his master turn the key in
the lock behind him. and heard aoth.
ing more from my uncle until late in
the next afternoon, when, having re-
ceived no summons from the mister s
room, he ventured to 90 TO tle door
and knock. Receiving no resp bnse to
his knocks, he returned TO the Iitchen
to consult with the other servaas, aud
it was finally agreed that tie door
should be forced. This was done, and
the three attendants entered The room
together. A glance showed tlat the
bed had not been slept in. / great
arm chair was drawn up in ront of
the completed picture, and in this
chair sat my uncle, stiff and cold in
death. On a table at his ellpw was
a wine glass with thick deposit in
it. This was analyzed next day and
found to contain deadly drug"
Mr.. Graham ceased speaking. as if
his narrative were complete. Every
trace Of indifference had vanished
from the faces of his hearers. They
looked indeed intensely animated,
some of them even agitated. A mo-
ment's deep stiffness ensued ant then
it was Constance We're who spole.
Was there no clue" she said ca
gerly, "to the identity of the picture ?
Had he been in love with no one ?"
mo tangible clue" said Graham.
The only light ever cast upon his
history was through a small diary
kept by him, whica came into nv pos.
session. This was filed with illusions
to certain foreign girl named Celine,
whom he ardently loved with the pas
sion of a mailman. ! could gather
that she was alone in the world as far
as natural protectors were concerned,
and it seemed probable that she was
poor. Her great beauty and personal
charm were dwelt upon with lovers
fervor, but through it all IAN a COM
plant that she dallied md trified
with him, and that, thous ia she had
assured him of her prefereuce for him
over all others. and had promised to
marry him, she could not give up the
attentions and adulations of other
men to which she was evidently ac-
customed. Some of the entries breathed
the most passionate Jealousy and were
full OF threatenings Of revsuge-some-
times upon the men who were accord
ed the place he deemed to be his own,
and sometimes upon Celine herself,
whom he idolized in one breath and exc
Grated in the next. The last entries
in this diary were Of the most excited
nature, making it evident that the
poor fellows reason had begun to tot
ter, and no wonder, say | +! A girl
like that is enough TO unsettle any
msn-heredity apart The last entry
related to some approaching goal, the
nature of which l could not make out;
it was evidently something that was
to give him some power that he was
thirsting to have. This Eas all l ever
knew. What that goa swhethsr
he ever reached it, lIne was,
and what became of herNfe mysteries
that must remain unsolved.''
"0h, Mr.. Graham. where is this
picture? l. it here in this house, aud
still traceable?' "a
1t was Miss We're who spoke. her
beautiful face aglow with excitement
Yes, it is here" said Mr.. Graham;
81 will show it to yon tomorrow, il
YOU like. 1t is as fresh as ever, ol
was when I looked at it last"
why not show it % us tonight
Do, Mr.. Graham. can't bear to wait. y
She rose to her feet with confident
eagerness. Mr.. Graham looked dis.
posed to humor her, but some of ths
ladies held back. Night had faller
and lights had been brought in, dur
ing Mr.. Graham's recital, and to som.
of the company, the association o