Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-06-01

WIN reelmg. ne una nmosr composed. an1
his composition had embraced the truth.
Lennox was unable to satisfy his doubts. He
would have been glad TO believe that there
was no imagination in the picture but what
his own mind supplied; and that the unsub-
stautial sweetness on the eyes and lips Of tho
Image was but the smile Of youth and inno-
cencc He was In muddle-he was absurdly
suspicious and capricious; be put out the
lights and left the portrait In kindly dark
ness. Then, half a. . reparation 10 his mis-
tress, and half - Q satisfaction to himself, be
went up tospend an hour with Marian. She,
at least, - he found, had no scruples. She
thought the portrait altogether q success,
and she was very willing to be handed down
In that form to posterity. Nevertheless,
when Lennox came in he went back into
the painting room to take another glance.
This time he liz but single light. Faughi
It was worse than with dozen. He hastily
turned out the gas,
Baxter came the next day, as he had
promised. Meanwhile poor Lennox had had
twelve hours Of uninterrupted reflection, and
the expression Of distress in his eyes had ac-
Quired an intensity which, the painter saw,
proved It to Be OF far other import than q
mere tribute TO his power.
"Can the man be jealousln thought Bax.
tr. Stephen had been 20 Innocent Of any
other design than that Of painting q good
portrait, that bis conscience failed to reveal
70 him the source of his companions trouble.
Nevertheless, he began to pity him. He had
felt tempted, indeed, to pity him from the
first He had liked him and esteemed him;
hc bad taken him for a man Of sense and
OF feeling. and he had thought IL matter Of
regret that such mana creature of strong
spiritual needs-should link his destiny with
that Of Marian Everett. But he had very
soon made up his mind that Lennon knew
very well what he was about, and that he
needed no enlightenment. He was marrying
with his eyes open and had weighed the risks
against the profits Every one had his par
ticular taste, and at 35 years of age John
Lennox had no need to be told that Miss
Everett was not quite all that she might
be- Baxter had thus taken for granted
that his friend had designedly selected
as his second wife mere pretty woman-a
woman with genius for receiving company,
and who would make a picturesque use of his
money. He knew nothing Of the serious
character Of the poor mans passion, nor Of
the extent to which his happiness was bound
up in what the painter would have called his
delusion. His only concern had been to do
his work well; and y had done It better be-
cause Of his old interest In Marian's be-
witcbing face. 1t is very certain that
he had actually infused into his pict-
ure that force Of characterization
and that depth Of reality which had
arrested his friends attention; but he
had done 30 wholly without effort or with
out malice. The artistic half of Baxter's ma
ture exerted a lusty dominion over the hu.
man half-fed upon its disappointments ana
grew fat upon its joys and tribulations
This, indeed, is simply saying that the young
man was true artist. Deep, then, in ths
unfathomed recesses Of his strong and sensi-
tive nature, his genius had held commun-
ion with his heart and had transferred to
canvas the burden of its disenchantment and
its resignation. Since his little affair with
Marian, Baxter had made the acquaintance
OF young girl whom he felt that he could
love and trust forever; and, sobered and
strengthened by this new emotion, he had
been able tn resume with more distinctness
the shortcomings Of his earlier love- He had,
therefore, painted with feeling. Miss Everett
could not have expected him to do other.
wise. He had done his honest best, and con.
viction had come in unbidden and made ID
better.
Lennon had beern to feel very curious
about tho history o: his companions ac-
quaintance with his destined bride; but he
was far from feeling jealous. Somehow he
felt that ne could never again be Jealous.
But in ascertaining the terms of their for
mer intercourse, it was Of importance that he
should not allow the young man to suspect
he had discovered in the portrait any radical
defect.
"Your old acquaintance with Miss Ever
ett, !" he said, frankly, "has evidently been Of
great use to YOU"
II suppose it has" said Baxter. "Indeed,
as soon as l began to paint, found her face
coming back TO me like half remembered
tune. She was wonderfully pretty at that
time"
"She was two years younger
"Yes, and was two years younger. De-
cidedly, you are right. have made use Of
my old impressions"
Baxter was willing to confess to so much:
but he resolved not to betray anything that
Marian had herself kept secret. He was not
surprised that she had not told her lover of
her former engagement; he expected as
much. But he would have held 1t iuexcusa-
BILE to attempt to repair her omission. 4
(To BE coNTINUKD)