Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-09-13
THE LOST MINIATURE
1t Reformed the Man
Who Found 1t.
BY A. D. Leo.

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'It is rather a peculiar case" he be-
gan.
l smiled wisely. Every one thinks
his case peculiar. In reality it gener-
ally proves unusual only to the one
concerned in ii.
My book was turned, face down, on
the window sill. l was ready to listen,
but Allyn did not go on at once. He
sat quietly gazing out of the window
across the river The smile was still
on my face as 1 suggested:
"This peculiar case certainly has
it's heroine"
at has a heroine, yes"
Alyn's eyes were so frank as they
met mine. His gaze had not been so
direct nor his face so clear the last
time l had seen him. A years absence
from his old associate had certainly
been good for him. 1t was q pleasure
to look at him.
Just now his expression puzzled me.
/ could not fathom it, but it invited
me to continue.
"Have you her photograph with
your
eyes"
He drew out of his breast pocket q
small red leather case and, opening 1t,
handed it TO me. 1t needed but one
glance at the painted oval to make me
exclaim impetuously:
"You love her. No one could doubt
that an instant"
Such n picture! A dainty little head
covered with short, curling hair; deli
cate, loving, teasing face; dark, full,
bewitching eyes. The throat was bare,
and an indistinct mass Of white gauze
ended the portrait.
"You must love her." l spoke with
conviction.
81 do" returned Alyn-"most sincere
ly."
Still his expression puzzled me. An
inscrutable smile played over his face,
but he delayed beginning the story he
had volunteered to tell.
"And she" l hesitated over the in
quiry remembering what manner Of
man 1t was who had gone from us n
year ago.
a gentle expression passed over
Alyn's face.
81 think she Is fond of me-" he re-
piled simply.
1 stretched out my hand and Allyn
grasped it warmly.
81 do believe" he said earnestly,
that If ever a man was fortunate that
man is 1. VIII you care to listen? 1
used to tell you things when l was a
boy" he added apologetically.
picked up my sewing, always lying
ready against such times as this, and
leaned back in my rocker.
Allyn reached for the picture. He
elbow on the table. In the other hand
he held the case where his eyes could
rest on the face. His own face be-
came grave.
at was year ago. One night-or
morning, rather-I landed on the ferry
on the way to my lodgings. l couldn't
get a street car or n cab. In fact, /
was too drunk to think of either, so
stumbled along just keeping straight
enough to escape the police. In front
of my lodgings Is an electric light. A
slight fall of snow had whitened tho
pavement and made distinct this case
beneath the light. / had just strength
and sense enough left to pick 1t up,
tumble up the stairs and stretch myself
out on my couch"
Allyn snapped the case shut and
paused moment.
"Some time the next day l awoke
and the first thing that attracted my
attention was this-open on the floor
and her eyes looking up at meme in
that condition"
An expression of disgust good to see
came over the mans face.
81 quickly shut the case and put my
self and my room in order. Then ] sat
down and studied her"
Still absorbed in his narrative, Allyn
opened the case again and dropped his
eyes on the photograph.
81 told you this was n peculiar case,
and you will think, fear, that am n
peculiar man. But the more / looked
Mt her the more l wanted to look.
never parted with the miniature.
carried 1t around In my pocket and
thought and thought about her until
she became d living presence to me, n
beautiful woman always with me.
became absentmnded. The fellows
complained, but / came to have an en-
gagement always when they wanted
me. My engagement was with this
the lady of the miniature. l had host
my heart to her. About the original OF
the photograph l reasoned this way:
She would not be carrying her own
miniature around In all probability. 1t
must have been lost by n friend, and
probably-here was the hard part of 1t
abby her lover. If | advertised IT.,
he would claim it, and l should not
meet her.
81 didn't advertise. / did something
...rs ,arching. | visited stores and
Va Ln. I'll, streets. I haunted the resi-
i,uc .f;t rl ,"c city. / went to the
op . Hal ..uuued the boxes rather
thaa the stasc. Needless to say, / did
not find her; yet l never lost hope. !
felt | must find her and look at her.
/ felt this afrcsh every time / opened
this case. | would not give up the
| search When | had exhausted every
resource Of my own, l did something
which had shrunk from doing before;
| / haunted out the best detective in the
city and told him to spare neither time
nor money in finding her.
"Withln two weeks 1 received note
from him. He was obliged to leave
| the town suddenly. He wrote some
| thing like this:
| "I've found her Mt 800 Water avenue
| Imogene Munroe. VIII give you par
! ticulars when l return tomorrow. she