The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-01-23
AN AWKWARD
SITUATION.

AmDruon to get leading parts Induced
me to throw up a good position In the
north OF England TO Join n manager
starting at Salisbury. The business
turned out disastrous. the ,hcater clos
Ing in n fortnight. l, an utter stranger
In the place, with n wife and babe. was
taken Ill. and could hardly stir for days.
But for good-hearted laldla ly do
not know what would have become Of
Us.
One morning, however over n melan-
choly pipe In the grassy hollow below
Old Sarum, ray Of hope dawned upon
me. In my anxiety and depression one
old acquaintance had altogether slipped
my memory. This was n Mr.. Ather-
stone. an art dealer OF Bond street.
He first knew me when | had become
assistant to a well-known engraver and
watched my progress with great inter
est wrote, telling him the whole
story OF my misfortune. prompt re-
ply followed
Apart from proof OF Mr.. Atherstone's
good feeling toward me his letter con-
tanned news that read with surprise
and pleasure-not without reason. as
the following extract will show:
IL want you to undertake n commits
sion that requires tact and discrlmina-
ton. II Is n private inquiry, and has
to be carried through ut Shrewton
court, Merivale. the seat OF Lord Mount
falcon. within a few miles OF Salisbury.
see his art treasures. | shall forward
TO you n jeweled miniature of Lord
Mountfalcon. and want you to ascer-
tain II 1t Is fac smile of one In the
collection. That Is the least important
point of the inquiry with which in
trust you. Find out, at any trouble and
with all the skill you can command. the
circumstances under which the fac sim
lie came to be painted. There is a keep
er of the galleries; try to make friends
with him. Keep the object Of your visit
as dark as possible"
On again hearing from the art dealer
wrote to Lord Mountfalcon. asking
permission to visit his picture galleries
By next post ! had the most courteous
OF replies, acceding to my request. One
thing puzzled me, the handwriting Of
the note signed by the nobleman was
familiar. Where | had before seen 1t
could not recollect. Next morning
went over to Merivale Shrewton court.
situated In spacious park. commands
many picturesque objects. One is
graceful Ionic temple. half hidden IN
mass of frs and white elms. SO much
did 1t strike my fancy that left the
pathway to obtain close view. 1t was
prevented, however. by n singular in
cident. AS ] approached young girl
In white bounded down the marble
steps Her melancholy, yet beautiful.
face. and sunny tresses decked with
pansles and lilies, might have been
Ophelia's. To my perplexity. she al
vanced and courtesied three times. Dl-
rectly afterward n matronly woman
ran out OF the building. She quickly
took the girl by the hand and led her
away.
The Shrewton collection would be IA
nous II only for its Florentine and We
netian masterpieces. While absorbed
before them, light foot fall behind
aroused me. turned and saw Lord
Mountfalcon. His open. handsome face
would have been an excellent letter of
Introduction anywhere. He said:
II have seen you before; was II not
as Charles Surface at ExeterY
From theatricals Lord Mountainous
talk glided into matters Of pictorial art.
In which he was evidently an enthu-
slast. Half an hour passed. and his
lordshIp remarked:
Il must now leave you. On no ac-
count miss the small blue galleries.
There Is portfolio OF Rembrandt etch-
ings that must have special value in the
eyes OF practical draughtsman. Per
haps you might also like to look at my
bronzes. canoes and miniaturesY"
Il should. my lord" answered.
very much. Are therc many?"
"Yes. large number" replied his
lordship, very representative. from
hhiaiu anu cooper TO hoSS and Moule.
My portrait by Moule regard as fine
rs anything painted by Cosway. The
keeper shall now attend to you. He
VIII have orders to let you see anything
In which you may have an interest"
When the keeper entered the mystery
vanished about the handwriting sent to
me the day before
l had known Samuel Crackenthorpe.
and we were no longer on speaking
terms. We had become intimate at
Exeter. where he was then a lawyers
clerk and a small money lender. II was
not long before l found out he was
mean, willy, intriguing. treacherous Eel
low, and on discovering him guilty Of