Evening journal., 1897-03-08
THE PHOTOGRAPH.


I had enjoyed my freedom for ten days
Of June; but. though the period badc
fair to live forever in my memory, |
seemed TO have been already a twelve
month buck at work upon The evening
when found Dicks letter awaiting me
AZ my lodgings:
My DEAR MORTIMER am in town again ct |
last Arrived last night. Como round and /
smoke pipe-tonight If possible. I've hun
dred things to tell you. Meanwhile, IL you /
win bclieye It, I'm engaged. Yours DICK
The news he told me was tho pleas |
antcst possible, fer ! also, TO tell the
.Iuth, had learned in my ten days free
dom how unenviablc are the liberties of
the mere bachelor / remained free for
tho present, but nevertheless hoped TO
follow his example before the year was
out
One can do good deal in ten days
indeed I had fallen hopeiessly in love
in less than that number Of hours. But
felt it rather too much TO ask that
Maud should have recognized and learn
cd TO reciprccate my feelings in so short
a time, and so l had not spoken. All
the same, / knew that it would be a
crushing disappointment to me il she
had not accomplished it. Her home was
at Brighton, she once told me, and she
well knew my friends, the Meynells.
For Maud could find no words TO
express her. l put my hand into the
breast pocket of my coat and drew cut
a photograph 1t was not a very good
likeness; the hair was not dressed in the
fashion which had become familiar TO
me, and that fashion, Of a surety, was
the most charming that ever occurred
TO the mind OF ingenious woman. But
still the picture had enough of her TO
be for me the most beautiful thing in
the world, save only her sweet self. /
had stolen it. She was stopping with
the Luttrells, with whom / spent nay
holiday at Sandybar, and Madge Lut-
uell was a great friend of mine She
had detected or foreseen my devotion to
Maud, 1 think, even before it revealed
itself TO me. AT any rate, / knew she
would be discreet, and, trusting TO her
clemency, had stolen the precious pho
tograph out cf her album upon the morn
ing when l left Sandybar
had soon finished the meal which
stood ready for me and from which ]
had been kept by Dick S note and by the
emotions resulting from its porusal
3 Then ] found my hat and stick and my
very largest pipe and set odt across
r London to Dick rooms. The place was
I in darkness ard untenantcd when l en-
tered, but / knew that he would not
E fail me and struck a match TO discover
z If he had left note to tell me when be
5 would return. Back at 8, it read.
= Meanwhile, there's baccy and q new
Stevenson.
e 1t was now upon the stroke of Z, so
lit the lamp, found Stevenson and pre-
= pared to spend an hour pleasantly. The
time passed mcst happily. At last l lard
a aside the book and filed my pipe.
h walked across the room TO take a spill
from the mantelshelf and in a moment
g found myself gazing at the photograph
l. Of Maud Cameron-the girl 1 loved, tn
girl 1 hoped to marry.
Itwas in frame Of olahortoly beatel
silver, already somewhat tarnishcd b.
st tobacco smoke, and beyond q doubt wa
d q portrait of Dicks iiancee.
Is / turned away FROM ttc raIlcl-hc
n face looked forth upon INC like a stran
n gers out Of that frame-and took m,
/ copy of her photograph from my pocket
II l laid it upon the table in the full ligh
Of the lamp 1t had not all her beauty
r her loveliness was half OF evercharginl
h expression, and so must needs oscap
h the camera. But still the picture CAV
the lie TO all the overwhelming evidenc
n which had crushed my faith in her FO
IS n moment 1 was content He might nc
lie count himself master of her love; might
10 if it pleased him, believe that no ma
D. disputed with him tho kingdom Of he
70 heart. For moment, despite all evi
t. dence, believed that she was still iru
" 70 the unspokon fact between us, tina
r she could not beuay me.
s. There was q sudden sound Of footstop
n- On the stairs. hand upon the door, an
" even as ] thrust back her photograp
IN into my pocket the door opened an
- Dick entered.
e. Hope you We not had long to wait,
m inc said Il had to be out for awhile.
Not long, 1 answered. ''And now
H. / suppose, 1 must congratulate you?'
is Dick laughed. DO you only suppos'
IT, 7 am tho lucldest beggar in the world
But, never mind. you win sec her som
day, ard theny viii speak differentl,
You VIII envy me, madly, for il
in decd Bat We'll wait until you hay
ly met Ter only promise you you ma
le safely venture your congatulation
at Here is her photograph, by the bye,
lg wretchedly bad one, but still not all III
IS. like. "
ly He moved to the mantcl and handc
VS. me her picture, inclosed in that ahon
IL Unable frame of his. / took it from hin
.s and for minute and more gazed han
ed upon her face.
ce 1T is all true, - kept whispering
ar myself She has betrayed me.
he Dick watched me in silence, evidon
th ly convinced of my admiration. In real
ed ty I was wondering whether it won
to bo better to tell him that we had met
cr Presently he broke silence. We'll,
ok ne said holding out his hand for the r
a, fu1u of her phOfOrraDh