The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-14
tCONCLUDED.j

more accustomed to the light, and there
in the moonlight, on the very chair on
which Annie had sat. was a woman,
leaning slightly forward-young, beau-
tiful and very pale. Bat you have seen
the picture looked at her now more
than at him, only glaneing now and then
to see how the work went on. AS
watched her the face changed, and the
sorrowful, worn look gave place toa kind
of wonderin- happiness-he has notquite
got 1t in the picture; it was aS ii the
feeling were 50 intense it made kind of
radiance round her | don't know how
long watched, At last sound made
me turn and look ut the painter. lie
had thrown down tine palette and brush
es and was standing looking at his work.
Then he turned slowly and held out his
hand with supplicating gesture. She
had risen, too, and come step forward,
with wonderful light in her eyes. and
Just as she put her haads in his a cloud
crossed over the moon and blotted out
the figures from my sight. When 1T
passed the patch Of moonlight was empty,
and there WAS ouly the painted head and
the palette lying on the floor to convince
me had been dreaming After that |
must have fallen asleep, for 1t was broad
daylight when | next remember any
thing, anl heard Ihe welcome and ia
miliar sound Of my old woman prepar-
ing my breakfast The smell Of frying
piIchards WIS rafra3hin Ely mundane,
and got up stiff ana sore from my un-
easy couch, prepared to find that my
phantoms of the nj tlt before had been
nothing but a dream No; there was
the picture. just as you see it, and on
the floor were tie palette and brushes.
picked them mp and lJo'.al anEiously
at them. If you'll believe me could
never make mp NY mia @iFaA the
paint OF That palette, and II, there
just ;ts that fellow LETT it,"
We sat silent some minutes when
Graves had done. confess the story
impressed me good deal, and giancing
up could see that CUTLER was strangely
moved.
.'And did you never have any explana-
tion of the thing?' said / at last.
"No," said Graves. II never had any
explanation, ana don't suppose eve'
shall"
C.ulller had risen, and stood near the
ire.
II think can give it," he said, knock
ing the ashes out of his pipe.
Graves stared at him: no one spoke.
and he went on, as if unwillingly.
"That must have been brakes cottage
you had; he was before your time-l
dare say you never heard Of him. He
lived there with his wife-and that's her
portrait.
Graves stare of surprise became more
profound, and Teddy and looked on in
silent wonder Quiller went on, speak
ing like man that has been carried
quite out of himself.
''There was a tragic story told about
Drake and his wife. He was a good deal
older than she, and changeable and
moody in his ways; and she, poor child,
was ambitious to help him to be great.
At first he was tender and thoughtful
toward her, and then he seemed to forget
how fragile and sensitive she was-he
neglected her, and grew more and more
morose and moody. He used to get very
savage about his models, and complain
that it was impossible to get any one
with intelligence enough to sit decently
sOnce his wife asked him whether she
could not sometimes help him by sitting,
and he only laughed at her, remember,
l,pt n
Then the poor child had an illness, which,
| if she had been happier, might have end
ed differently, and been new happiness
| to both of them; but she was too worn
out with sorrow and disappointment,
and in the end she died In her delirium
she was always calling to her husband,
''Let me help yon, let me be Of some use;
only once, dear-paint me only once;
and poor Drake, who woke up to a sense
| of his loss. was heart broken at his in
ability to satisfy her. The tenderest and
| most passionate tones of his voice never
reached her, and she died without ever
knowing him again. After that Drake
was q changed man; he seemed to have
only one idea--to paint the portrait OF
his wife. Canvas after canvas he spoiled,
and when went to see him he would
say, "She cannot rest until | have done
it. | must succeed; sooner or later
must satisfy her." At length he became
SO unmanageable, eating nothing, ant
spending long, sleepless nights walking
about the country, that his friends came
and took him away. He died some
months after in an asylum"
''By Joyc." said Teddy O'Brien wher
Quiller had finished, and then relapset
into silence.
| looked at Graves, but he was lost il
wonderment too deep for words.
1.-The portraits very like her." sale
Quiller, with strange awe in his tone
"rm glad pt. i.rake succeeded at last.
You tll.:. said l. and broke off
Quiller was putting on his coat. H
answered finished question with
solemnity ir lich was not prepared
For twentv-two years those two poo
ghosts haya Hean waiting their oppor
tunity. l.; T. ue thankful that in tn
end they M
He seer Ia forget to take leave O
us in any and went without an
other word As the door closed each @
us drew deep breath of relief. Die
raised his head with an air of stupefae
ton.
That's rum story said Tedd
! 0'Brien; ''why lid you never tell il bt
fuTet''
The rurinlisSt ching about it is til
sequel" said |. "Dick, cid man, is you