The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-11-26
Love and a Portrait.


years of failure and rebuffs before ~
became a successful journalist. As he sat
in his room busily writing one cold De
cember night his thoughts wandered bach
10 the summer before. when he had taker
a short and much-nee6ed rest at the sea
side
One morning he had saved a girl from
| drowning. She had been tempted out over
the green covered rocks, farther and far
! Their, until the treacherous tide. which
| she had not noticed was coming in, caught
and held her fast, and but for his aid
| in plunging in after her she would have
drowned. Her aunt had thanked him, and
| begged him to call next day. but in the
excitement she had forgotten to give him
/ her address, and he had never seen either
OF them since.
Presently he put down his pen, and go
/ ing 10 the end of the room brought out
a carefully packed parcel. He removed
/ the paper wrappings. and his face soft
| ened wonderfully as he gaZed at a pic
! ture of young girl, until he almost fan
cied that the violet eyes looked into his
/ brown ones, and the little rosebud mouth
was going to speak. Then he cleared the
mantel shelf of everything and hung the
portrait there. He had only seen her once
and yet, as he looked at the picture again,
he told himself he loved her as a man
He had never spoken of the episode TO
soul, not even his dearest friend, Fred
Peters. His delight had been unbounded.
when, after five dreary months of living
on a memory, he found her portrait in a
picture store. II was an oil painting. The
clerk said he knew nothing of it; it was
bought with many Others, ne did not know
from whom.
Tom bought it and had it sent 10 his
knock on the door announced his friend
Peters.
"Jovei Tom, who is she?" the latter
burst out as he saw the painting. Fine
girl, that! My eyes, what hair! What
neck"
For the first time in Toms life he want
ed to kick his friend out. But he only
answered nonchalantly:
If you mean the picture, and presume
you do, saw it in a picture store win
dow. II struck me as being rather pref
ty face so l went in and bought it. Don't
know the painter. Initials c. c. S. in
the corner"
&C. c. So" said Peters why, don't
you know who that is? That's Charlie
Scott-Charles Cyril Scott-see? He paints
pictures and sells them 10 dealers some
times when he's hard up. Yours is one
but, by jove. wouldn't ike to know the
model. Well, good night, old boy. 1 must
be off"
Tom gave a sigh o content when he
was gone. Then he remembered that ne
had a chance o finding out who she was,
so he went over to SCOTS room, as he
knew him slightly.
I paint many pictures" said Scott Ian
suidly, when questioned. Yes, golden
hair, deep blue eyes, pretty-of course.
They all are. I'll come over and have a
look at it, if you like"
When Scott looked at the portrait there
was strange expression on his face.
At last he said, abruptly: Look here,
Reynolds, 1 must have that back"
Have it back" echoed the other what
on earth do you mean?"
THAT picture was stolen from my room
stolen. never knew how nor by whom.
1t is portrait of one very dear TO me-
A jealous pang shot through Toms
heart. So Scott loved her, too.
If L refuse to SELF" he said quickly.
Hang it, man. you'll not, surely. 1 VIII
give you double what you paid for It;
but have it 1 must, and WILL
His emphatic will nettled Reynolds
He said calmly: eff I stiI refuse?"
You will not, cannot refuse" said
Scott. baughtily.
4 refuse to SELL" said Tom, doggedly
Then. tell me where and when you met
that LADY," cried the artist 81 have a
right to know
And l refuse to tell you. Now. leave
my ROOM
Livid with rage Scott went away. say
ing, fiedcely: You viii hear of this!
will find out whether you speak the truth
about the dearest, best girl in the world
Poor Tom went to bed in a miserable
state of mind. His last waking thought
was that perhaps he had been little I'M
Just TO Scott. and he decided TO give up
the treasured picture as his love was in
vain, and try and tear the object from his
heart.
a few days later he was astonished TO
see Scott walk into his room. with out
stretched hand, and say: My dear fell
low. ! must apologize for my behavior
the other evening. l Twas horribly mad
when l left you. The next morning I
rushed off to interview that young per-
son'-pointing TO the picture-"about you
| described you, and in return learned
that YOU had saved my dear little girls
DE. BY George l was penitent then 1
wanted to come right back, but she
bless her-insisted on my staying a day |
or two.
However. I'm here now, and as to the
picture"
"Oh, you can have #" returned Rev /
to make joyial. "and l wish you iov."
''Of the picture?" inquired Scott. with /
innocence.
The picture? No, the original; you 1
owe her. don't you?"
Love her? 1 should think 7 did 81
would you il you had been guardian. PLAY
fellow, protector, all rolled into one as
have been; YOU would love her. too! But
am forgetting. word in your ear. She
Flushed divinely when she spoke OF YOU
This was too much for Reynolds.
Why speak OF this?'' he burst out
You Will marry her and
NO. I shall never marry her" return
ID the other gravely. Then. Selling Tom
~ the hand he shook Il heartily and
iaid
How can I marry her? She is nv sis
err And as some sort OF atonement To-
he way I treated you, l will take you TO
zee her whenever you like to go"