New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-24

silence was grim because it was painful. and be
cause Tracy knew that in few days rs the bright
out and leave everything dark and wTetehed, as
lie dreaded to think Of what would happen when
the portrait was finished Inc emptiness OF ms
imagine what his life would be without the fair
raised dais in the centre She was becoming dearer
he 9,n 1DS4 his ms b 0S i HE 5ia sd it like
one painting for his life. He forgot that the COM
pounds shings ana pence: he forgot that he vas
painting tor his daily bread. and that the sniIns
face before him would never smile Tor him. He
remembered only that he was painting the hair.
loved and that there was red Jewel in her bodice
that famed and scintiilated and glowed like living
flashed back from attracted and fascinated him;
stepped back and gazed at it for moment in
The effect was wonderful. 1t seemed to breathe
TO laugh; it glowed if his brush had been dipped
light reflected something from her face.
he Locked up and caught her dark eyes hxed upon
Rgrins t the few weeks h in which he had been
was Was a4bngeroHS friendship for him: mere oag27
Sersed IN her same Of hearts and no was poor.
of meals ana who was Well acquainted with hun
ger And when she idly dragged from him tae
failures and dis1ppointments-she neither thought
AS it was She net his ezra pjGred gaze witch moth
ING more than d spark of passing Interest in her
1T is almost finished" she remarked
it 50 tar nshtd that it was Scarcely i neses ,
When / no longer coming to you" she went
9 you NJ, must Ii come 70 ne should IKE tt
,r The red blood ran up into his face the brush
Some day YOU will be a great artist" she added
II of it; and 1 should feel proud
She paused abruptly. for the change in his face
Is that all you care?', he broke in You only
she laughed i? little and rose from her seat The
edge OF her dainty gown swept the dust from the
descended
ing out her hand Then an insane desire TO hear
her and she smiled from under her dark Iashes.
again She asksd t S3G DO not %5S9 10 see me
thought Of his empty life reused the tempest in
He flung away his brush. Not want to see you,
r. S 9Pur OF my ne Is YOURS II You will have II
forget You. Your face will he before me always:
the thought Of you will never leave me-never till
She %a a ssI, him With face flushed with tri-
her like that before; even the man she was going
chosen words And sense Of loss awoke within
She held out her hand to him, and he took it in
d Will you do something for mer he asked sud
She nodded her acquiescencs. and he pointed to
GIVE hat" he said 7 don't know what it
but next to you it is the one thing I desire II
scintillates; It moves as if it were alive. II
Ri,i hes sB5 ID for moment o She re- deemed
prevailed, and when She held it out to him his
fingers closed II lovingly
1t will bring me luck" he said.
The long dead winter rolled bv. and spring came
snd through II all Tracy worked with sort o:
on. He grew thin and Iaded looking his cheeks
s 6Sc2ms , hollow and his eyes dull and poverty
But one day he stood before hts easel with the
flushed face and triumphant ar OF a conquer0r
The picture o. woman stood upon ia strange
Jewel flashing on her neck. and he looked upon
her as he might have looked upon the woman he
When. knock sounded on his door he started
as II anxious to screen it from sight.
Halo Cfreaves!' he Said "a new picture?
Can look?' And when he held aside the covering
Great Scottr ne cried What a womanr'
He stood looking at 1t for moment. breathless.
amazed eyes. He looked it up and down: he noticed
It again, and the lazy indifference of his face had
gone and his eyes were alieht with excitement
. What IS 1t. Cox?" Tracy asked nervoUsly. 'Is
Cox turned to him. enthusiastically,
nihcent. It's tremendous You will be remer-
nifcentT'
g IN Phe y Of tsDT 2qf INTO ih
thought nothing could quell He had forgotten the
f4rsotten that he was as haggard and famished as
ten that hunger was staring him in the face and
that he had spent his last penny in framing his
the picture Of the year. and that already. before
the Academy was opened there was n buzz OF ex-
element over il. Cox had prophesied there
would be, and his thoughts We're far away with
the woman whose eyes were Ike the wOrnan's in
his picture; and the remembrance of whose voice
had never left him.
He walked on with his eyes on the pavement
with his strained fever pitch: and he
went all Piccadily seemed to be swtrling past him
IN mist.
He was bewldered. stunned by the sudden pros
pect that had opened out before him. In few
weeks all London would he ringing with his name.
and the poverty he had dreaded and the insgnih-
canoe would
be known, admired, his work would be famous and
his success assured.
AS he went his fingers closed mechanically over
the amulet he carried in his pocket-it his