The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-09-12
A PHANTOM PORTRAIT.

A PHANTOM PORTRAIT.
. DEAR MIKE-Will you look in at my shop
this evening? Quill2r is in town. and is going
to dine with me at the club. | can't stand an
evening of him alone, but il you and Teddy
O'Brien will support me, with pipes and pota-
tions, think we shall he a match for him.
Come early, and I'm your friend for life.
Dick GRAVES.
had nothing particular to do, so |
sent word round to Dick that | should
turn up. having first made sure that
Teddy O'Brien, whose studio was in the
same block, would 90 also, CUTLER we
knew of old, as all the world knew him
IA man who had seen everything, done
everything. been everywhere and these
occasional visits Of his were perpetual
terror t. Graves. Why he paid them we
never knew. There was kind of ira
ditional friendship between the families
certainly, but Qaiiler was man vino
scoffed mt tradition He was in every
way ont Of sympathy With IA set Of ardent
and impacGnious lainters AS journal
ist, as traveller, a. Intn of tlie world, he
had outlived his entbusiasms, Life con
tanned 30 new experiences, no surprises
for him. 1t was only monoton0us
round Of the known and the expected.
Dick Graves, who usually shone as Il
host, was not at bis best tnat evening.
He WAS nervous at first anl rather
silent, leaving the burden of talk to
Teddy and nlyAelf; and V The i'll
luck as the punch circula ut on
a vein Of humorous stories, q, ,,Aich we
laughed conSumedly ourselves wi,aout
evoking even Il smile from the guest of
the evening.
"Willyou fellows look over my Cornish
sketches" sad Graves. suddenly jump
ing up in desperation. Il think there
are some you have not seen and he be-
gan rummage about among pile of
old canvases.
Quiller resumed his seat, and sat, half
absently, half contemptuously, watching
us as We turned over the paintings
possibly he was amused by our jargon
of "tone" and quality" and the rest.
At length | picked up from the heap a
painting that caught my eye, and propped
it on the easel near the lamp. 1t was
quite unlike Graves usual work, and |
stood looking at it for moment, not
quite knowing why | did so. 1t was the
head of young woman, pale and slight
ly worn. She was leaning a little for
n-l # ba H.,
mouth parted by u slight, tremulous
smile, and ii her eyes look that was a
strange mingiing of emotions, as if a
new hope and happiness had come into
life of sorrow-a look half wistful, half
exultant turned to speak to Graves
and saw that Quiller had got up, and
was standing gazing at the picture with
look OF fascination or Of fear Here at
last was something that interested him.
Where did you get that?' he asked,
abruptly.
What do you think of it?" said
Graves, slowly.
"It's good head" said Teddy
OBrien
Its wonderful model" saidI.
"a face to haunt one" said Quiller,
in a tone quite unlike his ordinary Gym
ical one
"Ah that's it" said Graves It's more
than human"
"Who is it;' said CUTLER, in his abrupt
way, again.
"Pon my soul can't tell you, for
don't know. It's a queer story, and one
Tm almost ashamed ask you to believe.
| shant blame You if YOU think Pin hum
bugging,"
We settled ourselves by the fire with
our pipes, and Dick began his story in a
manner, for him, 50 unusually grave
and impressive that it seemed to leave
no room for doubt rs to his perfect good
faith III the matter
Il went into Cornwall as You know.
at the end of the summer, and after
loaing round Newlyn for while |
went to the south coast To try and find
Some place that had been less painted.
stayed few days at Polperro, but it
was all 50 much like the smaller exhib-
itions Ia town th4t could not stand it,
and finally landed at" naming
a small seaport where there
were no painters and not many visitors.
stayed at the ship Inn,' and looked
around for some place to hang up my
palette,
after some inquiries foura a small
cottage which had been empty for some
time, but which had evidently been used
as IA studio for there was wall knocked
out at one side and good sized room
added, with = high north light. On the
south, the t n aud 'parlor, which
opened one iato ,ne other, had view Of
.he loveh ittie harbor III the world.
The place what ! wanted, and
.he rent was aDsard-only el0 year; so
took it sar u months on the under
Standing was zespit on il chose |
Jopght fc,e W~ to make the place
souIurtal s5t an Old woman to
ook after uAi bur lived most Of
he time at tue ship inn and just at
irst spent very j.Jtle time at thesJu3io,
MY taking in ay caHyases at night.
When October s, G in, c-lland wet, had 1
. do some work la5r7. a0g Ken it WIS
hegan to lbaE t-cre was something