Semi=weekly graphic., 1899-03-25

!iitellosed ,i MISS Sllyertown, with divine smile. "i'n
 At this moment there came 2 sonnd or footsteps in the passage. Tn 2 ean' ond Miss Silvertown's handkerchief was n her pocket, while the voico ~ Jack Chatteris was raised in fayorabIe crltlcism of the most hopeless of snnr. ious old masters.
 Lady Silvertown entered tho room cleared for action" as Jack afterward apdy summed up her appearance
 Armed with the knowledge that ..biss May loved him, he grew weary and da. clined battle. -4 0e
 "Er-Miss Silvertown tells me that she has slight headache today. and ting" 0A' The stress he laid on the word '1astS nlsarmed Lady Silvertown's suspicious. ana he took his leave, to make his way air. -N--s oA
 Arrived at his garret his heart sank within him. Camden Town seemed a long way from Park lane.
 1n thinking over the future he thought of the past; of his father, who had died some years since, an unsuc- eessful, eccentric, struggling artist; of ms mother, who, bis father told him. died soon after he was born.
 one memory awoke another, till in his mind he identified his mother with 9 picture that used to lean with it's race 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 a master hand.
 The eyes had seemed to look out of the canvas at him with loving gaze, and he remembered well how he had kissed the full, smiling lips, crying 'Motherw to the painted representa- ton.
 He remembered how his father, hear. Ing his cry, had rushed into the studio, and 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 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, "I have killed him! have killed my boyr'
 "PoAr old governor, Fam afraid he was a bit off his head" murmured Jack, as he pondered over these old memories. q wonder what he did with that picture?"
 Then cane memory of a glimpse through a 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 strode over to pile of old sketches that lay against the wall
 One of these he selected without he's itation, and, taking his palette knife, scraped carefully.
 There was a picture below the rough
 landscape!
 Stimulated by this discovery, Jack went eagerly to work, and in the course of a few hours he removed the upper painting entirely.
 ''By NIillaisp' he gasped, as the fam. iliar initial of the master appeared in the corner.
 He gazed long and lovingly at the face. He knew by it's 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 it's cleaning.
 MT. Broadbean was in his shop. He greeted Jack with a friendly nod.
 ''I want you to look at a picture for v,ao Mr. 3'
 "Chuck upp' replied Mir. Broadbean. affably.
 Jack cut the string and threw back the paper.
 "Its the missing Millais" calculated MT. Broadbean, starting back.
 Excuse me-" replied Jack, politely; Cit is a Millais."
 "Why, I've been on the lookout for that picture these twenty years! So has every picture dealer in England,' answered MT. Broadbean. And you say it is your father?"
 William Chatteris, landscape paint. er.''
 Mr. Broadbean raised his glasses with shaking hand. He looked at the picture, then at Jack.
 "A wonderful likeness" he murmur- ed. 'sYou say that your father was William Chatteris, the landscape paint err" he added aloud.
 ''Yes."
 'Is your mother still alive?'
 "She died when I was baby"
 "Are you certain that this is her DOT. trait?"
 Quite"
 MT. Broadbean leaned his face in his hands for some seconds; then he spoke. sSee here, Mr. Chatteris,' he said, T do not wish to pry into any of you fam. ily affairs, but I will tell you the his.