Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-23
THE PHOTOGRAPH.

My own poor holidays were of the
scantiest at the time of this narration.
| had enjoyed my freedom for ten days
Of June; but, though the period babe
fair to live forever in my memory, /
seemed to have been already twelve
month back at work upon the evening
when found Dicks letter awaiting me
at my lodgings:
My DEAR MoRTIMER-I am in town again at
last. Arrived last night Come round and
smoke pipe-tonight if possible I've hun
dred things to tell you Meanwhile, if you
will believe it, I'm engaged. Yours, DICK.
The news he told me was the pleas
ATTEST possible, for I also, to tell the
truth, had learned in my ten days free
dom how unenviable are the liberties Of
the mere bachelor. remained free for
the present, but I nevertheless hoped to
follow his example before the year was
out
One can do a good deal in ten days
indeed had fallen hopelessly in love
in less than that number of hours. But
I felt it rather too much to ask that
Maud should have recognized and learn
ed to reciprocate my feelings in SO short
time, and so had not spoken. All
the same, I knew that it would be a
crushing disappointment to me if 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 out
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 my
holiday at Sandybar, and Madge Lut-
trell was great friend of mine. She
had detected or foreseen my devotion to
Maud, think, even before it revealed
itself to me. At any rate, I knew she
would be discreet, and, trusting to her
clemency, I had stolen the precious pho
tograph out of her album upon the morn
ing when I left Sandybar.
had soon finished the meal which
stood ready for me and from which I
had been kept by Dicks note and by the
emotions resulting from its perusal.
Then I found my hat and stick and my
very largest pipe and set out across
London to Dicks rooms. The place was
in darkness and untenanted when I en-
tered, but [ knew that he would not
fail me and struck match to discover
if he had left note to tell me when he
would return. Back at g." it read.
Meanwhile, there's baccy and new
Stevenson.
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 most happily. At last I laid
aside the book and filed my pipe. ]
walked across the room to take a spill
from the mantelshelf and in a moment
found myself gazing at the photograph
Of Maud Cameron-the girl I loved, the
girl hoped to marry.
1t was in frame Of deliberately beaten
silver, already somewhat furnished by
tobacco smoke, and beyond a doubt was
a portrait of Dicks fiancee.
turned away from the mantel-hel
face looked forth upon me like stran-
gers out of that frame-and took my
copy Of her photograph from my pocket.
I laid it upon the table in the full light
of the lamp. 1t had not all her beauty;
her loneliness was half Of everchanging
expression, and SO must needs escape
the camera. But still the picture gave
the lie to all the overwhelming evidence
which had crushed my faith in her. For
moment I was content. He might &C.
count himself master Of her love; might,
if it pleased him, believe that no man
disputed with him the kingdom of her
heart For moment, despite all evil
dence, believed that she was still true
to the unspoken fact between us, that
she could not betray me-
There was sudden sound Of footsteps
on the stairs, a hand upon the door, and
even as ! thrust back her photograph
into my pocket the door opened and
Dick entered.
"Hope you've not had long to wait, y
he said. II had to be out for awhile. y
"Not long" ! answered. "And now,
I suppose, I must congratulate your"
Dick laughed. "Do you only suppose!
am the luckiest beggar in the world.
But, never mind, you will see her some
day, and then you will speak differently.
You will envy me, madly, for in.
deed But we'll wait until you have
met her. Only I promise you you may
safely venture your congratulations.
Here is her photograph, by the bye, 9
wretchedly bad one, but still not all un.
like"
He moved to the mantel and handed
me her picture, inclosed in that abom.
Unable frame Of his. | took it from him,
and for a minute and more gazed hare
upon her face
1T is all true" I kept whispering tt
myself. "She has betrayed me. =
Dick watched me in silence, evident
~ convinced Of my admiration. In reali
ty / was wondering whether it would
be better to tell him that we had met
Presently he broke silence. well,
he said, holding ont his hand for the re
turn Of her photograph.
you are lucky, \ answered slowly
"She is very beautiful. /"
faye" he said contentedly, ''bu
you don't know how beautiful Tha
photograph is q libel. !"
He put it back upon the mantelshel
and selected pipe. Then he stretched
himself iii an easy chair.
lyon two must know one another