Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-04-25

\
| mo; have business that require
my attention. and am anxious to b.
At II. Don't looked worried. littl'
friend: God bless you. l haven't fot
gotten my promise. This last act O
the drama blots the whole thing out o.
my life. Fedora now belongs to an
other. and under no conditions coult
ever again be the queen of my heart
! have cast her out as unworthy. anc
closed the doors forever-hermeticall
sealed them. trust. could MOI II
tried tell you how much good you
have done me. When ! 20 hence-foi
! shall soon leave England behind me
Il will carry the remembrance OF your
friendship with me to the end. Ma
zette. goodnight. and heaven bless you.
child"
Hs went straight home to his attic
studio. One set purpose governed his
every move now. and this to put Fee
dora. fair and false. out OF his mind
forever.
Since through woman's hand this
night had witnessed the sacrifice OF
his hopes. his aims. II might as well
be complete.
In this bitter spirit he entered the
humble attic that served him as a
studio. while cot In corner granted
him bed.
Lighting a lamp. he first OF all built
little are upon the hearth. for.
strange to say. the upper room was
possessed OF n fireplace.
II was not because the night was
cool that hs did this. but with quite
another definite object In view.
Finally he walked over to the easel
and knatched away the cloth that Gov
cred u.
Long and earnestly oyerton survey
ed the magical work OF his hands-fo
perfect had been the wi,ehery that
guided his ioye,Inhplrcd brush that the
very breath OF life seemed TO have been
infused into the canvas. and one could
almost expect Fedora TO step down
from the easel. creature OF resh and
blood. as Gaia,ea. OF sculptor fame. had
done OF old.
i; length the ar,is, hsayed heavy
EjEh.
u required all the determination OF
iiis nature TO carry out the d.spcrat.
resolve he had made. but. though II
seemed like aiayins his love anew. he
did not fai,cr.Human eyes Ehouii ncs'
or again behold this work Of his genius
In alteration. and worked
out through the dnys when her love
hung over him like bcnison. u must
rcas- to exist on this black night when
tho las, spark of his affection vas -1'
and the bonds uniting him
10 the happy pas, were severed forever.
He took up his paiie,t. knife aud ap'
the canyas-hls hand vas
irm. though his face appeared very
,aiiid In the Pickering light.
suddeGiy. as the rush Of emotion be
'at,c too s.~a, TO be longer vi,hs,ood.
10 dashed the blade through tho can
fas. splitting Il from top 10 bottom
nos, ru,hieesiy.
TIE first stroke sscmei 10 loosen the
,assion which had been 40 long TO
trained. and with savage. aimos; bird
al cmphass. he cut and slashcd turi'
,usiy righ, and i.f. np and down.
Inua In a very brief space OF time
III ,ha, represented his many months
II weary yet loving labor. Into which
hc had put his very life. so to speak.
~as a wooden frame from which dan
-lr1 dozens Of s;rcamcrA
The masterpiece was as utterly de'
s,royed as his own ambition.
No, content. he ground the frame
into pisscs under his heel and cast
,hc wreck upon the firc tina, had been
purposriy started upon the hearth to
receive Il.
Burn" he said. bitterly. as the
flames Erccdiiy seized upon the fras-
burn out as my love has done.
nothing but bitetr. cold ashes.
iienectorth I live but TO seek power
and wealth. The past shall be Ehasi'
ly blank-,hc future I will build by
the power OF brain and brawu. until
the hour comes for my revenge. Some
thing tells me ID wilt sooner or later
reach me-that to him who waits and
works everything is given. And now
TO begin TO live a new existence"
Two days later sailing vessel left
London bound for the old Spanish
Main, and among those who shipped
before the mast. thanks TO his early
yachting training. was Jack oyerton.
gone TO follow the bcckonins finger of
fortune.