The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-08-17

IL OIL uOlndlnS Oh knOWleURe OuUS1O6
art, the woman was his equal.
It was remarkable that their discus
sions never ended with the sittings
Richard said that perhaps if he took
more exercise he might have less head
ache, and so he fell into the habit of
escorting her to her rooms And even
at her door he remembered many things
that he wanted to say.
During one of these walks Mary re-
marked that the portrait was nearly
completed
''Of course you will call it Claire In
gelow'?' she said.
Eyes, suppose I must" was the re-
ply, "but could suggest at least two
better titles"
"Indeed! And may ask what they
arep"
swell, one is The dearest girl in the
world, and the other, Portrait of the
artists Wife"
She was silent. 1t was dark, and the
road was deserted. His arm crept
round her waist. She looked up, and
her lips met his, descending to meet
them.
And so it was arranged
The picture, being at last finished,
was dispatched with much trembling.
Richard said it ought to be accepted,
the subject was SO fine. Mary said it
ought to be accepted, the handling was
so mastery. They were both right.
The eagerly expected and much
priced vanishing ticket duly arrived,
but attacks of headache had lately be-
come more frequent and more severe,
and on the eventful day he was incapa-
BILE of movement
The doctor cross-examined him close
ly and then said: 81 think your best
course is to consult an oculst."
81 can see perfectly WELL" Lacy said,
with some astonishment
" know you can now," the doctor an
! swered "but feel convinced that your
headaches proceed from weakness Of
! the eyes"
| Richards brow became clammy He
said nothing about it to Mary and went
| privily to a great specialist in Harley
street.
"You must have absolute rest for two
: or three years." said the great man.
"But I can't must live!"
''If you don't rest you will be blind
before you are thirty-five."
With great difficulty he gathered suf-
ficient courage to tell Mary. She re-
mained silent little.
'Then, of course, you must give your
poor eyes a rest, dear" she said.
''But how?"
. the Claire Ingelow' drawings, and
perhaps the picture will sell. Some one
is sure to buy it."
"The money for the drawings won't
last six months, and pictures by un-
known artists never SELL"
"Well, can earn little"
She was determined to keep cheerful
! for his sake. He closed her mouth with
kiss
''No!" he said, 81 shall give myself
six months holiday; that is all l can
afford. And then l must begin again
and take my chance Perhaps the doc
tors are mistaken. They often are"
eyes, very often" echoed Mary.
1t was the day of the private view
and Lacy sat in his studio wondering
if any among the brilliant crowd at
Burlington house had cast a passing
glance at his picture. Toward dusk a
telegram came, reply paid.
"What is name and address," it ran,
'of lady who sat for Claire Ingelow?
Mark Ffolliott, Bedford row."
Now, every one knew Mark Ffolliott.
He was the solicitor, +, and acted for half
the aristocracy. What could it mean?
Lacy telegraphed back the required
information. He went to see Mary next
morning.
Richard, DEAR" she began almost
Immediately, Il know l am brazen
mink, but think we ought to get mar
ried at once. Then / can keep an eye
on you to see that you don't work"
Don't joke, old girl" he said, with q
tremor in his voice. 1--WE been think
ing, and I've made up my mind that I
prospect now of my being able to keep
even myself, to say nothing of fam
ily."
What if refused to be released?"
81 must insist on it."
"Then shall sue you for damages for
breach of promise"
Mary went softly up to him.
Then she showed him a letter which
she had that morning received from Mr..
Mark Ffolliott, of Bedford row.
II set forth, with the usual legal for
mality of phrase, how the writer, catch
ing sight of Mr.. Lacy's picture at the
academy, had been astonished at the
likeness which it bore to Miss Nor
ris, who, twenty years since, had sew
eral times visited his Office in company
with her uncle, Sir James Norris, who
was an old client of his; that Sir James
Norris had died about year ago, in
testate; that it had been discovered that
the deceased left no relations except
his niece, and that the latter had mar
ried a gentleman named Blackwood
and subsequently died, leavinga a daugh-
ter; that Mr.. Ffolliott had hitherto
been unable to trace the issue of this
marriage; and, finally, that he was con-
vinced that the original of "Claire In