Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1902-03-13

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CHAPTER vIIL-(Continued0
mo; | have business that requires
hy attention. and am anxious to be
1t. Don't looked worried. little
riend; God bless you. | haven't fot-
otten my promise. This last act of
he drama blots the whole thing out Of
my life. Fedora now belongs to an
pther, and under no conditions could
ever again be the queen Of my heart.
have cast her out as unworthy, and
closed the doors forever-hermetically
sealed them, | trust. I could not IL
tried tell you how much good you
have done me. When go hence-for
shall soon leave England behind me
81 will carry the remembrance of your
friendship with me to the end. Ma
zette. goodnight, and heaven bless you,
1 child"
! He went straight home to his attic
studio. One set purpose governed his
every move now. and this to put Fe-
dora. fair and false. out of his mind
forever.
Since through a woman's hand this
night had witnessed the sacrifice OF
his hopes, his aims, 1t might as well
be complete
In this bitter spirit he entered the
humble attic that served him as
studio. while cot in corner granted
him a bed.
Lighting lamp, he first of all built
little fire upon the hearth. for.
Gfr ~ hn
possessed of a fireplace.
1t was not because the night was
cool that he did this. but with quite
another definite object in view.
Finally he walked over to the easel
and snatched away the cloth that COW
J cred It.
Long and earnestly Overton survey.
ed the magical work of his hands-so
perfect had been the witchery that
guided his love-inspired 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 flesh and
blood, as Galatea, of sculptor fame, had
donelof old.
Aulength the artist heaved heavy
sigh
Itfequired all the determination OF
hisf|sture to carry out the desperate
res61Fe he had made. but, though 1t
seex1ed like Staying his love anew, he
did lot falter. Human eyes should new
Or aRin behold this work of his genius
rcd 5ceived In alteration. and worked
but Through the days when her love
hung over him like benson, 1t must
cease to exist on this black night when
the last spark of his affection was ex-
tinguished and the bonds uniting him
to the happy past were severed forever.
He took up his palette knife and APP
preached the canvas-his hand was
firm. though his face appeared very
| pallid in the Pickering light.
\ .sr Suddenly, as the rush of emotion be-
H&:ame too great to be longer withstood.
'~he dashed the blade through the can
vas. splitting II from top to bottom
most ruthlessly.
The first stroke seemed to loosen the
passion which had been so long re-
\ strained. and with savage. almost BIRD.
Atal emphasis, he cut and slashed furi-
Abusly right and left. up and down.
I Thus In a very brief space of time
II that represented his many months
weary yet loving labor, into which
4 Ie had put his very life. so to speak,
lyas a wooden frame from which dan
jgled dozens of streamers.
y The masterpiece was as utterly de-
stroyed as his own ambition.
Not content, he ground the frame
into pieces under his heel and cast
the wreck upon the fire that had been
purposely started upon the hearth to
receive It.
Burn" he said. bitterly. as the
flames greedily seized upon the frag-
! ments; burn out as my love has done,
leaving nothing but bitetr. cold ashes.
Henceforth live but to seek power
and wealth. The past shall be a ghast-
Iy blank-the future | will build by
the power of brain and Drawn. until
the hour comes for my revenge. Some
thing tells me 1t will 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
a before the mast, thanks to his early
Z. yachting training, was Jack Overton.
4 gone to follow the reckoning finger of
fortune.