Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-25
THE RICHMOND DIsPATCH-sUNDAY, MARCH o. 1885,

morning, and her heart misgave her.
Perhaps she would never care to take
another picture.
Having inserted two plates in her dark
slide aud armed herself with all the ne
cessary paraphcrnalia for her task, she
once more passed through the conserga-
tory, where she saw Saunders pulling mp
the blind Of one OF the drawing-room
Windows.
"Sauudersi" she said. 81 am going
into the garden TO take a photograph.
and then / shall finish il IN my dark
room. Mind you, don't come in this
time while / nm there. IF you want
anything call through the door.
Every good, Mum, said Saunders re-
spectiuily.
Saunders had been in the service of
Manseil's father, and was Loyalty devoted
to the family. He had ideas OF Lis own
concerning Lord Undercroft's frequent
visits to his young mistress. and nourish-
ed an antagonistlc feeling toward the
camera.
Fanny proceeded 10 the garden and
placed the offending apparatus on the
| lawn in front Of the house. As she stood
facing the old gabled building the sun
was behind her, but little TO her right ;
close TO her, on her left, was a thick
clump OF rhodOdendrOns. She gave her
whole attention to her work, quite as
much for the purpose Of driving away
melancholy thoughts as of taking a Gre
I,tohiO ,,nntopva,,h YrotIoI Hat-ipc NJ
mounted the camera on the stand and
having gone through the process of To-
cussing, she carefully pushed in the dark
slide.
Now" she thought, "I must be very
careful TO give the right exposure. l
should think two seconds would be
enough, as the sun is so strong.
Sho drew forth her watch. which
marked the seconds, and took her pic
tire. That done she debated whether,
after all, the exposure had been sufi-
cient She had one more plate with her.
Perhaps it would be wiser to take the
same view once more, allowing three
seconds instead of two. Thereupon she
drew out the dark slide, reversed il. and
replaced it, She now turned round to
note the position of the sun and stood
between the camera and the rhododen-
dron bush, this time with her back TO
the house. She then again consulted
her watch, and reaching ont her left
hand she removed the cap without look
ing at IT, Having counted fully three
seconds she put on the cap, replaced her
watch, and removed the dark side from
the camera.
Gone OF these pictures ought to be
successful, at any rate, " she said to her
SELF as she gathered her things together
and returned to the clubhouse to develop
the negative.
The first plate proved TO be a trife
under-exposed. Her hopes were now
centered on the second plate. She put
it in the tray, poured the solution over
it., and watched the result with considera-
bic anxiety. Lord Undercroit and his
offer were, for the time being, COM
pletely forgotten.
Gradually the plate dsrkened. The
outline of the house became distin-
guishsble. But what was this dark patch
appearing in the centre of the house and
III the foreground? Could the plate
have been logged? She had taken great
pains to pour the solution over it evenly,
and the edges of the picture were clear
and well defined. She felt disappointed
at her failure after all her care. 30 long
as the plate was in the solution it was
not easy TO ascertain what had happened
to it. but when she took it out she dip
ped it in water and held it up so that
the red light from the window shone
through it.
Great Heavens What was this ?
For an instant Fanny stood motionless
as a statue, staring at the negative. The
blood in her veins seemed turned to ice
her breath came fast her brain reeled.
The outline of the house formed frame
round portrait. She was gazing at her
husbands face.
She made one desperate effort at re-
covering herself. This must be some
practical Joke of Lord Undercroft's. He
had tempered with the plate. But no !
There was no likeness Of her husband in
existence, and even had It been possible
no one would choose such a subject as
tins for a practical joke. Besides, the
portrait appeared in front of the house
and was quite distinct and clear 1t
could not have been on the plate when
she took her picture-that was certain.
No She had sinned. She had been
unfaithful to the memory of her hus-
band She had dared for one moment
to entertain Lord Undercroft's offer.
This was a judgment on her for her
wickedness. Heaven help her.
Overcome with remorse and terror,
she uttered a piercing shrek, turned
faint, and dropped the plate, which fell
to the ground and was broken into frag-
ments.
Then she lost consciousness.