Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-04-04
CHAPTER !.
JACK, FROM BOHEMIA.

out tho hour of one hitcIuooo IN
May. when Jack Overton. who had
recently shaken on the dust OF the Boz
hemian Latin quarter In Paris. de-
bouched from one OF the numerous
courts branching out from the Strand.
London. and strolled along this great
thorouRhfare.
Overton was 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 physioEnomy
would have giorled In reading the po-
tentiai 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 II to the
fore.
For some time hs had drifted along
In his studies-a faint CLEAN OF sue
cess had begun to brighten tho eastern
skies-thege was a promise OF his lat
est picture being accepted for the
Salon. when his future could be look
ed upon rs assured.
II wns at this critical juncture In
his Affairs when n little more resolute
work would have landed him we'll on
the road to success. that fortune. and
woman. brought about n crisis
which threatened his bark with dis
astcr.
This accounted for the eagerness
with which he scrutlnixed the inmates
OF the various vehicles moving hithcr
and thithcr along the Strand. Final
ly his kindiing gaze was glued upon n
dashInK equipasc. evidently headed
toward Rotten Row. and particularly
upon the beautiful woman who sat
there nonchaihntiy holding n lace
trimmed parasoi above her dainty
head. and occasionally addressing
some word to her elderly gentleman
companion, whose bronrcd face and
mir Of distinction marked him as
traveller or man of note In Her Ma
jcsty's colonial empire.
Jack held his breath and srittrd his
teeth as he looked. lie loved. aye.
worshipcd this radiant creature. He.
n poor. unknown artist. dared TO
raise his eyes TO such a beautiful bird
OF fashion.
Why no,-who had = ri.h, onc-haif
40 strong. Time was when he knew
Fedora as n modest little English
girl with a passionate desire to study
art. when he had given innumcrabic
opportunities To stand between her
and insult. to soften the rough places
for her dainty feet. to assist her In
tho work she had chosen while his
own lay neglected In his garrett studio.
Yes. they had become such great
friends In Bohemia that II ripcncd
INTO love. thoash on Jacks part he
fairly adorcd the sIri from the tour
they first met
Thus vows we're exchanged. and Tor
months they drlt,cd aion. In fools
paradise. Then Jack. poor fellow. In
sisted on cndcayorins to open COM
munications between Fedora and the
grim old English grandfather who
had cxiicd his daughter for marrying
against his august will.
The negotiations succeeded all too
we'll. and one day there came doior-
ous scene when Jack and his bctrothcd
separated. she to go TO her now
English home. he to work fcvcrishiy
on the great picture that was to make
such sensation in the Salon-thc
face of Fedora. created by hand in
spircd by the divine passion-and
bring him the fame and fortune which
he ionsed to lay at her feet.
Al last IL was finished. all but n
few touches. He had for some time
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 his
mind. Stiii. they crcpt back In spite
OF him. and when existence finally be-
came uncomfortable away from the at
mosphcre she breathcd. he had
brought his treasured canvas to Lon
don.
Never had he suspected the full cx-
tent OF her radiant beauty and her
uuecnly manner until the moment his
eyes fell upon her in the vehicle that
rolled toward Rotton Row. Could
such n prize be for him7
Then came n revulsion OF feeling
She belonged TO him-shc had again
and again vowed no power on earth
but death could take her from him.
More than that. did he not owe her
his life! There had been hrc. and
Jack. overcome in his sleep by smoke.
might have perished but that some
girl dared death to run In and drag
him to the open air. They told him
It was Fedora. and although she had
always in her modesty. appeared con-
fused when he spoke OF the subject.
yet he never doubted.
At this day overton had not learned
what n mighty influence Moloch had
upon the average human heart, nor
the winning power of Gold. The time
was coming when he would discover
these things through bitter experience
that would warp his nature and
change his disposition.
II was his desire to notice what
effect his presence might have upon
the beautiful girl in the landau.
When her wandering gaze suddenly
fell upon him she gave perceptible
start. and the color left her cheeks
only to Immediately return. and as
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