The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-03-16

He whistled. "Then there IA no time to be
lost, Mr.. Lynton,n he cried. "Iet us go first
TO the Fonda. II is possible that some busy
body, knowing you did not get your letters
yesterday, has fetched them for you on the
chance of getting peseta for his pains"
gladly assented, and we went together to
the hotel But no one there would confess to
knowing anything Of my letter, No one had
gone for them. As we left the yard noticed
that my companion looked keenly at the
waiter, who was not too civil "Do you sus-
pect himYr asked, when we were outside.
81 hardly know" Client answered slowly
Possibly you mislaid card the night you
slept there, so that he is one Of the people to
be suspected But come, we will go now to
the postofllce. will help you as far as CAM
And indeed he did. His knowledge of the
language was perfect, and 1t was wonderful
TO hear him scoding, questioning and COM
planning, without end of the wrongs his
influential friend, whose passport he was
waving under their official noses, had suf-
fered. But when presently everything had
been tried, and for the time tried fruitlessly,
we stood in the square and looked somewhat
blankly at one another.
81 say, Mr.. Lynton,' he began, "fifty
pounds is large sum TO lose" y
~ wish it were less" replied, with an at
tempt at sprightliness.
"It does not cripple you altogetherr
II can afford it, II that is what you mean.
But-but ii is little inconveuient at pres
ent," answered
at puts you in difficulty for few daysr
"Precisely. cannot receive another re-
mittance for five days at least In the mean
time have six-yes, seven pesetas and
half
"Umph! Call 1t six shillings and three I
pence" he replied, laughing. "The cathedral
vergers will soon ease you Of it, even were it
more But look herel we are next door
neighbors, and you must let me help you In
strange country always keep few pounds
by me; they are at your service"
As he spoke he drew from an inner pocket
a shabby letter case and took out 200 pesta
note-the only note, saw, that the case con-
tanned.
81 am afraid said, doubtfully, "that
am inconveniencing you And besides, you
do not know me-"
~ shall not need the money! he replied,
quickly, 'and as to my knowing you, think
! do-not you, personally, but your kind"
"That is well said!" l exclaimed with
heartiness, 'and | accept your offer on one
condtion-that If you want the money before
| Sunday you will tell me So"
"Why, if do" he replied, laughing merTi.
| ly, YOU Will nave sItnt nail VI IL.
$50 shall," | said, laughing myself "but
| have watch, and Toledo, no doubt, has a
| let me call it n Mont de Piete.r
"Ciertamente!' he cried gayly, and with
word about meeting at dinner, walked rap
| idly away, leaving me to my thoughts. l
watched him as he threaded his way across
| the square between laden asses and graceful
girls with pitchers, and comparing his slight
upright form with the somber Spaniards who
strutted up and down, keeping, even on this
sunny day, a corner of the capa over the
mouth, felt proud of my countryman.
| ~ do not think" said penitently to Jock
| Il have not mentioned Jock before, although
he was at that time my constant companion
collie dog with the long Scotch head untl
the tenderest eyes, II do not think that
shall be 80 quick to Judge the next man we
meet-and do not understand. All, these
hasty judgments, Jocki" and shook my
head and Jock his tail.
In due course a second remittance came TO
hand, and repaid my friend. By that time
some of the wonder had felt at his solitary
4 life in Toledo--Toledo the somber - had
passed away. He was not altogether solitary,
putting myself out Of the question. More
than once, in the archway or on the veranda,
l met priest coming from his bom-a
small, dark, thin faced man with vivid eyes,
a Spanard, of course, who lifted his low
crowned beaver to me and bowed politely.
Once, too, had glimpse of a pettcoat
whisking out Moreover, Client seemed to
be doing better trade than had judged
probable from the specimen Of his work
which | had seen. Not that he told me this
himself. He was reserved on the subject,
neither offering to show me his pictures nor
accepting my proposal that we should do
some work together. But our letters some
times lay on a slab inside the outer door, and
l could not avoid seeing that he received sew
eral-dealers letters, l was sure-from art
centers-from Dresden and Munich, for in
stance Once there was letter bearing the
postmark of St. Petersburg. This seemed
strange in man Of his caliber; in a man who
was not known to me. And, perhaps, be-
l sides puzzling me, it little nettled me also
My name was not altogether unknown
Client himself had said pretty things about
his acquaintance with it, Yet l had no con-
tinental patrons, no market outside Great
Britain.
/ II had fallen In with him at Madrid or
Seville l should have known what to think;
should have set him down as one of those
copyists who live by all great galleries
And something upon which lit one day in
his room persuaded me for a time that this
was the case, few as were the works in
Toledo that could pay for the labor Of copy
ing, 1t was picture, and the only one
saw at any time in his possession, save the
somber landscape Of which have spoken
had run short of chrome yellow, and
hearing him 60 to his room followed to
ask him ifhe could let me have some. ~
suppose y cannot get any chrome yellow in
Toledor I began before l was well in the
room, nor anywhere nearer than Madridr'
He was kneeling ON the floor, but sprang
up so quickly at the sound Of my voice that
fastened to apologize for entering with
out knocking. He did not seem, at once,
to understand me. He had been porting
over something placed ON the ground where
1t would catch the best light, and his first
aim appeared to be TO move so as to hide
this from me. ''What is itf' he cried harshly
What do you wantF Even by that light !
could see that his face was pale
my dear fellow" said, not irving to
hide my surprise, II am sorry that I entered
without ceremony, and have told you So
came in for nothing In the world but to
ask you il any chrome yellow can be got
nearer than Madrid was SO full of my
wants that, seeing the door was unlatched,
did not knock at it," to-, ..l. alg
WAS it unlatchedf" he asked, glancing al
| dshuucc,
Shrugged my shoulders. Look for your
self, said curtly.
He stepped forward and saw what hae
already noticed-thht the bolt was shot, bu
not into the socket, Something like a stifet
curse escaped him, He turned, nutterinl
that dloould only get the material neodeC
THAT IL unfortunate. But what have yol
got herep' asked, advancing step into th
room. "What a capital bit of paintingl
isa Rbera, is it mott II must beln And
forgetting in. my eagerness everything saw
that had before me q singularly good cop,
OF fine picture, l actually waved hin
aside when he would have interposed. ''N
one but Ribeia,nI cried, STOPPING over Il
could punt those lights and sbadowsi N
oneI- IL isa genuine spaenoletto for q hun
ut copyl" burst fr ON him In a tone @
vivid contradiction.
"a copyp repeated after him in wonder
"A copyi or course 1t is So supposed
Riberas do not grow on every bush, m
friend. meant that the original was r
bera, and not merely of his school, But no,
you speak of it," and went down ON m
knees, "are you SO sure that it is a copy
How bright are these high lights, yet ho'
mellowl And SEQ the depth Of the colorin
here and the tawnv tona ovar ali u