Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-01-16

she has a slight headache to-day, and
would rather not give me her last sit
ting"
The stress he laid on the word last"
disarmed Lady Silvertown's suspicious.
and he took his leave, to make his way
home to Camden Town, walking on
air.
Arrived at his garret his heart sank
within him. Camden Town seemed
long way from Park lane.
In thinking over the future he
| thought of the past; of his father, who
had died some years since, an unsuc-
cessful, eccentric, struggling artist; of
his mother, who, his father told him,
died soon after he was born.
! One memory awoke another, till in
his mind he identified his mother with
picture that used to lean with its
face against the wall of his fathers
studio
He remembered how on his sixth
birthday he had turned this canvas
around to the light, revealing the face
of a beautiful woman wonderfully
painted by master hand.
The eyes had seemed to look out of
the canvas mt him with a loving gaze,
and he remembered well how he had
kissed the full, smiling lips, crying
"Mother!' to the painted representa-
ton.
He remembered how Ills father, hear
ing his cry, had rushed into the studio.
ard for the first and last time had laid
hands upon him in anger, seiZing him
by the shoulders and throwing him vio-
lently across the room, so that ha
struck his head against the easel with
q blow that stunned him,
He recalled his awakening sensations
how he found his father hanging
over his bed, with white, scared face.
wringing his hands and crying. 81 have
killed him! | have killed my boy"
Poor old governor, Tam afraid he
was a bit off his head" murmured
Jack, as he pondered over these old
memories. Il wonder what he did
with that picture"
Then came n memory of a glimpse
through half-opened door as he lay
in bed, sick and dazed from the blow.
His father had the picture on the easel
and had painted quickly over it.
Jack rose and strobe over to pile
of old sketches that lay against the
wall.
One of these he selected without hes
itation and, taking his palette knife.
scraped carefully.
There was picture below the rough
landscape!
Stimulated by this discovery, Jack
went eagerly to work, and in the course
of few hours he removed the upper
painting entirely.
by Millais!" he gasped, as the fam
iiar initial of the master appeared in
the corner
He gazed long and lovingly at the
face. He knew by its likeness to him,
self that this was his mother this
beautiful woman.
Hastily wrapping up the picture, he
carried it off to Mr.. Broadbean, to seek
his advice as to the completion of its
cleaning.
Mr.. Broadbean was in his shop. He
greeted Jack with friendly nod.
Il want you to look at picture for
me Mr. Broadbean."
"Chuck up!' replied Mr. Broadbean
affably.
Jack cut the string and threw back
the paper.
Its the missing Millais" calculated
Mr.. Broadbean, starting back.
Excuse me-" replied Jack, politely;
sit is a Millais.'
Il "Why, I've been on the lookout for
that picture these twenty years! So
has every picture dealer in England"
answered Mr.. Broadbean. "And you
: say it is your father?'
! "William Chatteris, landscape paint
er."
! Mr.. Broadbean raiseda his glasses
with IA shaking hand. He1ooked at the
picture, then at Jack.
, "A wonderful likeness" he murmur-
! ed. You say that your father was
> William Chatteris, the landscape paint
, err" he added aloud.
yes"
rs your mother still aliveF'
"She died when | was baby"
Are you certain that this is her por-
traitT'
' quite"
+ Mr. Broadbean leaned his face in his
: hands for some seconds; then he spoke
: "See here, Mr. Chatteris." he said, al
: do not wish to pry into any of you fam
lily affairs. but l will tell you the his
u tory of this portrait. 1t was painted
: thirty years ago by Millas. The lady
is the duchess of WesseX, and is still
: Alive? gasped Jack.
"Yes: still alive. The duke of Wes
u sex, it is said was an exceedingly &c
y centric and jealous man, and the mar
u riage was an unhappy one. After q
violent quarrel he disappeared, to
} gether with his infant son and this por
trait of his wife. The police have hai
s the case in hand for years. and every
picture dealer in the world has beer
u told to look out for the missing Mil
$ lais,' as it is called in the profession
If that lady is your mother she will
probably call on me in ten minutes tC
l. look at that there Constable. If yo,
are her son | hope your grace will
Il break it to her as gently as possbl,
that you are the duke of Wessex"
{ Hold on, Mr.. Chatteris, for heaven.
sake, Here she isl
a =, An elderly lady was descending from
a carriage which had just drawn up
the door
Jack stood rooted to the ground.
! She was a beautiful lady, with tn
~, 4