The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-04-04


chair. and sitting bolt upright, stared
frowningly at the little dealer.
Apparently there was no need for Mr..
Henriques To examine il carefully: he
had done that in days gone by. All he
did now was TO satisfy himself that it
was the same picture he had seen be-
fore. Then he turned to his visitor.
Really, madam. with all Difference TO
you. you must permit me TO say that
this is not A class of article such as l
am in the habit OF dealing in. My pa
trcns want originals, not copies Still.
in consideration of the fact that madam
and ] have done business on prior oc-
caSion, | do not mind Offering a ten
pound note for this-this copy" He
spoke deferentially, but firmly.
SO you dare to call it A copy, do
your" snapped Miss Wimbush.
The dealer bOwed-''And not A first
rate copy either, if madam will allow me
TO say So"
We'll, Mr.. Henriques. you are right.
1t is copy and daub into the bargain :;
and so L made sure that nobody would
think it worth stealing. Be good enough
to lift it out Of its case, and then take
the canvas out of the frame. L have q
special reason for asking this
Wondering somewhat, the dealer did
as requested. Now" said Miss VIM
bush, although you may not be aware
of it, you hold two canvases in your
the upper one from the lower, you will
see what you will See
With deft fingers Mr.. Henriques pro-
ceeded to do as he was hidden. On the
upper canvas being removed there was
disclosed to view the undoubted original
OF which that had been merely an in
ferior copy. And how immense was the
difference between the two Now for the
first time one seemed to know what sort
of man the BurgOmaster Van TroOn had
really been. Such as Rubens had con-
ceived him to be, there he was for. ali
the world TO become acquainted with
1t was a fact to dwell i'm ones memory
Tor years with its peaked beard, its
furred gown, and it's gold chain and
badge of office; plain TO the verge of
ugliness, if one merely had regard to
the features: stern and severely com
posed, and yet informed through and
through with a spirit of high resolve and
determined majesty 1t NAV have been
that the artist discerned in the face Of
his sitter force Of latent possibilities
such as circumstances had never brought
fully into play. but which vet were there
awaiting an hour which perchance might
never strike. although the man himself
might only be dimly aware of that which
was clear to the intuition Of genius.
Having placed the canvas on an easel,
the dealer fell back a pace or two and
drew deep breath. He knew a master
piece when he saw it-no man better;
and for little while he remained lost
in admiration. Madam he said at
length, we have here in verify the cele-
brated 'Burgomaster' which has been
lost to the world for so many years. I
will not be so impertinent as TO ask by
what happy chance it came into your
possession; it is enough TO know that it
is here. Am L to understand, madam,
that 1t is your intention to honor me by
placing this chef-d'oeuvr in my hands
xx-ffl, 10 to
What Mr.. Henriques was presently
given to understand was, that Miss
Wimbush had no immediate intention of
disposing of the 'Burgomaster" out and
out. What she wanted was an i'm
mediate advance of a thousand pounds
on the security of the picture, with the
proviso that should she not be in a posi-
ton to repay the amount in full, with
interest, by the end of couple of years,
the Rubcns should in that case become
the absolute property of the dealer.
After a little demur, Mr.. Henrfques
assented to the proposed terms. An
agreement was thereupon drawn up,
signed, and witnessed-to be stamped
an hour later at Somerset hOuSe-and
presently Miss Wimbush went her way
taking with her check made out to
bearer" for Il 900 Alitcham and the
cab were in waiting. and from the deal
er's they drove direct TO the bank. The
spinster's face was hidden in part by
her veil. but the spasmOdic twitching Of
her mouth did not pass unnoticed by the
waiting-woman, nor the two large tears
which. a few seconds later, dropped into
her lap.
At the bank Miss Wimbush changed
her check for notes. and was driven
thence to Pendragon square. Fairclough
had left home an hour before 1t would
be a painful thing for Aunt Sarah TO
have to confess that the belief of years
was irrevOcably shattered, and that her
cherished Rubens was condemned as an
undoubted fraud, and he had no desire
to be a witness of her humiliation. Be
sides, in his own more personal matters,
he found room enough for bitter
thoughts. That morning had brought
him note from Verschoyle asking him
to dine with the captain at his club on
the morrow. which was equivalent to
intimating that a settlement there and
then between the two would be looked
upon as a necessity. He was depressed
and miSera BILE. The morrow would
see his home broken up; and the abso-
lutte need of coming to an understanding
of some kind with Verschoyie few
hours later weighed heavily upon him.
The street lamps had been lighted
full hour when he got back home, by
which time Aunt Sarah had come and
gone. of the joyful surprise which
awaited him we have no space here to
tell. The sudden revulsion tried his
manhood as it had rarely been tried be-
fore. Miss Wimbush had left behind her
not only money enough to enable him to
settle with Capt. Verschoyle, but enough
to pay for the redemption Of the neck
lace as well.
1t was November before Maj. Stain
forth put i'm an appearance at Pendragon
square: and when he did ii was to ask
his goddaughter TO return him the dia
mond necklace and accept in lien OF II
a bank-note for $1,000. There had been
a feud of many years standing between
himself and his sister, which had now
been made up, and as proof that 1t
was so, he was DESTROYS of presenting
her with the necklace, which, as having
at one time belonged TO her mother.
might almost be looked upon as hers by
right.
The note had not been more than
twentv-four hours in Clara's possession
before the "BurgOmaster" was redeemed
and carried in triumph to PendragOn
square, where for the future it found
a home. Miss Wimbush, to the secret
Joy of Mitcham, having decided no Ion
ger to run the risk Of losing. or being
robbed of, so precious a possession in the
course of her many journeyings 10 and
fro.-Chambers's Journal.
Not Much Choice.