Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1902-01-16
CHAPTER I.
JACK FROM BOHEMIA.

Nav. when Jack 0verton, who had
recently shaken off the dust of the Bo-
hemian Latin quarter in Paris, de-
bouched from one OF the numerous
courts branching out from the Strand,
London, and strolled along this great
thoroughfare.
0verton was a man OF possibly
twenty-five His form was well built
and athletic. his countenance, while
not wholly handsome, worthy OF deep
study-an expert at physiognomy
would have gloried in reading the po-
tential features so plainly marked,
and his verdict must have been that
while the young man had not yet
awakened to the resistless and domi-
nant power that slumbered within his
grasp, the force of circumstances
would sooner or later bring it to the
fore.
For some time he had drifted along
IN his studies-a faint CLEAN OF sue
cess had begun to brighten the eastern
skles-there was a promise Of his lat
est picture being accepted for the
Salon, when his future could be look
ed upon as assured.
1t was at this critical juncture in
his affairs when a little more resolute
work would have landed him well OF
the road to success, that fortune, -
woman, brought about 1T
which threatened his bark u,,.h Az
aster,
Ths,s accounted f(yr the eagerness
with which he s." .rutinized the inmates
OF the Varlo's vehicles moving hither
ana tnitp er along the Strand Final
~ nis kindling gaze was glued upon a
aw ming equipage, evidently headed
toward Rotten Row, and particularly
upon the beautiful woman who sat
there nonchalantly holding a lace
trimmed parasol above her dainty
head, and occasionally addressing
4 some word to her elderly gentleman
companion whose bronZed face and
air of distinction marked him as a
traveller or man OF note in Her Ma
jestys colonial empire.
Jack held his breath and gritted his
a teeth as he looked. He loved, aye
worshiped this radiant creature. He
poor, unknown artist, dared to
raise his eyes to such a beautiful bird
of fashion
Why not-who had a right one-hali
SO strong? Time was when he knew
Fedora as a modest little English
girl with a passionate desire to study
art, when he had given innumerablt
opportunities to stand between hel
and insult, to soften the rough places
for her dainty feet, to assist her In
the work she had chosen while his
own lay neglected in his garnet studio
Yes, they had become such greaj
friends in Bohemia that it ripenet
into love, though on Jacks part hi
fairly adored the girl from the hour
they first met.
Thus vows were exchanged, and foI
months they drifted along in fool!
paradise. Then Jack, poor fellow, in
sisted on endeavoring to open com
munications between Fedora and thu
grim old English grandfather who
had exiled his daughter for marrying
against his august will.
The negotiations succeeded all too
we'll and one day there came dolor
GUS scene when Jack and his betrotheC
separated, she to go to her new
English home, he to work feverishl!
on the great picture that was to MAKE
such a sensation in the Salon-th,
face Of Fedora, created by a hand in
spired by the divine passion-anC
bring him the fame and fortune which
he longed to lay at her feet.
At last IL was finished, all but
few touches. He had for some tim
been on the verge of distraction
Stray rumors that Fedora had forgot
ten him. He, faithful to death him
self, believed steadfastly in the wo
man he loved, and Indignantly chased
all satanic doubts headlong from hi
mind Still, they crept back in spit
of him, and when existence finally be
came uncomfortable away from the at
mosphere she breathed, he hat
brought his treasured canvas to Lon
don.
Never had he suspected the full ex
tent OF her radiant beauty and he
queenly manner until the moment hi
eyes fell upon her in the vehicle tina
rolled toward Rotton Row. Coul,
such a prize be for him?
Then came revulsion OF feeling
She belonged to him-she had agail
and again vowed no power on cart
but death could take her from him
More than that, did he not owe he
his life? There had been fire, an
Jack, overcome in his sleep by smoke
might have persisted but that som
girl dared death to run in and dra
him 10 the open air. They told hin
1t vas Fedora, and although she ha
always in her modesty. appeared con
fused when he spoke Of the subject
yet he never doubted.
At this day Overton had not learne
what a mighty influence Moloch ha
upon the average human heart, no
the winning power OF Gold. The tim
-. aa..ai-n suhnn hn WOULD diacnue