Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-10-21

| tisementF'
Taras stretched out his hand and grasped
his friends in silence more expressive
| than any verbal testimony of his faith in
Gordon and recognition of the generous
motive that underlay his scheme.
We saw a great deal of Gordon during
/ the following week. On the Saturday
there was long consultation in the work
| shop with two of the cleverest men in the
trade with respect to the casting of the
group, which had now received the last
touch, and it was agreed that on the Mon
day following the operation should be be-
| gun. Taras told me this when the work
men were gone, and l found him in the
workshop. There he stood before his work
with folded arms, and after regarding it in
| silence for few minutes he said with inn
| pressive force:
This is the finest work have ever done
in my life, Aura. l am pooud of it."
1t was the pride of conscious strength,
not the vanity of n weak mind, that i'm
| PEELED him to say this. and it evoked a cor
responding feeling of eXultant admiration
in my breast that banished all foolish
thoughts and compuuctions. slipped my
| hand under his arm and pressed it. was
| proud, TOO, not of the work, but of the man
whose genius had produced it.
ut should be his finest work, said to
myself as the awful reflection flashed upon
/ me IElI IL WAS likely 10 DE his l1SI ana
that it would cost him his life.
We went to Kew on Sunday afternoon
and fingered under the beautiful trees in
the gardens until the keeper cried, "All
| outr' We were both more silent than
usual, for we were both thinking about the
group-he with some anxiety, probably,
about the delicate operation of the morrow,
| for the result of its successful achieve
ment. But with my anxiety was mingled
/ hnr, %
privilege in being the friend and companion
of such a noble man.
On Monday morning rose early, and 60
| ing out to the atelier l saw Taras standing
in the doorway, his chin sunk upon his
breast and his eyes fixed on something
| within.
At the sound of my step he raised his
head and turned, looking down at me with
deep detection in his face and with such va
cancy in his regard that 1 could scarcely be-
| lieve he saw me.
"Taras!'' l exclaimed, hating at the foot
of the steps In wonder and fear.
Without Il word he beckoned me to come
up, and as 1 reached his side on the landing
he raised his hand and pointed within.
With choking cry of dismay perceived
| that his work-the beautiful group on
which he had spent months of patient
labor and strenuous thought-lay a shape
less wreck upon the floor. The irons that
| supported the subject stood there, a gro
! tesque skeleton of the living figures, but
the modelled clay was heaped upon the
floor in n shapeless mass, the original de
sign beaten out of recognition.
For the moment 1 thought that, finding
it fallen and his work spoiled, he himself had
trampled upon it in a fit of frenzied exas-
peration.
Was it too damp l asked, knowing
the care he took to wiring out the wetted
cloths that cnvelOped the group at night
time.
He shook his head
Then who has done thist" asked.
The car" he replied. His arm is
long"
But not SO long as yours said l, fired
with spirit of reyengeful wrath. You
I will not give in because of this. You will
| fight him to the end. What you have done
before you can do again. You can build up
the figures once more and make them rs
beautiful rs they were. 1t is only n matter
of time
My brave Aura!' said he, laying his
hand affectionately on my shoulder, You
give me the courage l lack. Yes, that is
the way to face Il disaster like this. Take
up the sword and fight on. That alone
makes defeat honorable. What does it
matter-the delay of few months? We
| left me the bones ut any rate" he added,
with laugh and Il nod at the rusted iron,
and we shall soon see the flesh grow again
on them. Let us go down now. After
breakfast we will begin again. It's good to
| have q brave friend Mt such time as this.
| Come, Aura"
But for all my bravery could eat no
breakfast, and when Taras spoke of our
visit to Kew burst into n flood of uncon-
/ trOl1ahla with a Fpcp1 lpptinn of the
confident hope and pride which had filled
| us with such happiness and content.
When Gordon and the workmen came, l
! let them go up to the workshop without a
word, but determined to spare Taras the
pain of telling the story again, and so
when Kavanagh came l stopped him in
the passage, and, taking him into the sit
ting room, myself related what had hap
| pcned. He listened with astonishment,
and seemed greatly shocked.
Good heavens" he exclaimed, what a
| terrible blow for poor Taras! Gordon told
me that they were to begin casting the
| group today. l came to congratulate my
friend on having finished his work. Poor
/ fellowl What is he going to do"
Make another group" l answered fierce
| ly, and if that's destroyed another after
that. You don't think he's going to give
up, do you;'
| He paused in reflective silence for min
ute, then wen; to the door and looked into
| the passage. lie stood there for another
minute, closed the door as silently as he had
opened it, and returning to my side con
tinued:
| No" he said quietly; that wasn't,
however, exactly what l meant. Can you
tell me if he has taken any steps to dis
| cover the person who committed the out
ragef"
He hasn't taken any steps. He knows
| who did it. 1t was the car He says So
There's no getting at him.
But VIC ouGLe to get at the men employ
cd by him, for what is to prevent them
doing this again when the next model is
| finished if they are allowed to escape
| now:'
We'll, how are they to be caught?'
THAT is what we who are the friends of
Taras ought to try and find out Taras is
too intent on striking at the car to occupy
himself with the agents, but we have not
| that excuse for Indifference, and we might
at least attempt to find them. That at any
rate is my feeling, and think it is yours
| too"
"Of course it is. 1 can't sleep at night
| for fearing what they may do
Then let us make a practical beginning
now. We need not bother Taras about it.
Let us try to find the enemy out just as if
he were an ordinary thief who had broken
into the house. Do you agree to that'"
why, certainly"
Tell me now" said he, drawing his chair
a little nearer and lowering his voice,
when did this take place."
Il don't know. We found it all smashed
down when we went up in the workshop
before breakfast this morning. 1t was all
right when we were there ON Saturday
night
You did not 90 in there Yesterday,
Mo-
Then it must have happened between
Saturday night and this morning Now"
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