The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-03-25
THE LOST MINIATURE.
1t Reformed the Man
Who Found 1t.
BY A. D. Lee. -

SllllPu WISELY. ENery one lulHhS
his case peculiar. In reality it gener
ally proves unusual only to the one
concerned in it. ~
My book was turned. face dowH on
the window sill. was ready to lfstv1a.
but Allyn did not go on at once. He
sat quietly gazing out of the window
across the river The smile was still
on my face as | suggested:
This peculiar case certainly has
its heroine"
1T has heroine, yes"
Alyn's eyes were so frank as they
met mine His gaze had not been so
direct nor his face so clear the last
time | had seen him. A years absence
from his old associate had certainly
been good for him. 1t was a pleasure
to lock at him.
Just now his expression puzzled me.
| could not fathom it, but it Invited
me to continue.
Have you her photograph with
you?"
Yes"
He drew out of his breast pocket
small red leather case and. opening it.
handed it to me 1t needed b1t one
glance at the painted oval to make me
exclaim impetuously:
You love her No one could doubt
that an instant" M
Such a picture. A dainty little head
covered with short. curling hair; deli
cate, loving. teasing face: dark. full.
bewitching eyes. The throat was bare,
and an indstinct mass of white gauze
ended the portrait.
x You must love her." | spoke with
conviction @
u do" returned Allyn most sincere
ly"
Still his expression puzzled me. An
inscrutable smile played over his face,
but he delayed beginning the story he
had volunteered to tell
''And sheY' | hesitated over the In
curry remembering what manner of
man it was who had gone from us a
year ago
A gentle expression passed over
Alyn's face.
II think she is fond of me-" he re-
piled simply
! stretched out my hand and Allyn
grasped it warmly.
II do believe" he said earnestly. |
that If ever a man was fortunate that |
man is L. Win you care to listen? 4
used to tell you things when ! was ii
boy" he added apologetically
| picked up my sewing. always lying |
ready against such times as this, and |
leaned back in my rocker.
Allyn reached for the picture He
leaned his head on one hand and his |
elbow on the table In the other hand
he held the case where his eyes could
rest on the face. His own face be- |
camc grave.
1T was a year ago. One night-or
morning rather-I landed on the ferry
on the way to my lodgings. | couldn't
get a street car or a cab. In fact, !
was too drunk to think of either, so
stumbled along just keeping straight
enough to escape the police. In front
of my lodgings is an electric light \
slight fall of snow had whitened the
pa CuuGAi anu l1dAc AlSLluCl lulS EuSC
beneath the light, had just strength
and sense enough left to pick it up,
tumble up the stairs and stretch myself
out on my couch"
Allyn snapped the case shut and
paused a moment.
''Some time the next day awoke
and the first thing that attracted my
attention was this-open ON the floor
and her eyes looking up at meme IN
that condition"
An expression of disgust good to see
came over the mans face.
Il quickly shut the case and put my
self and my room in order Then ] sat
down and studied her."
Still absorbed in his narrative, Allyn !
opened the case again and dropped his
eyes on the photograph
81 told you this was peculiar case,
and you will think, fear. that am a
peculiar man. But the more looked |
at her the more | wanted to look.
never parted with the miniature. |
carried 1t around in my pocket and |
thought and thought about her until |
she became a living presence to me. a |
beautiful woman always with me. l |
became apsentminded The fellows
complained. but | came to have an en-
gagement always when they wanted |
me. My engagement was with this
the lady of the miniature. | had lost |
i eto.; to her. About the original OF |
1.,s Photograph | reasoned this way
She would not be carrying her own |
miniature around in all probability II |
must have been lost by Il friend. and
probably here was the hard part of ii
all-hy her lover If advertised it,
he would claim it. and should. not |
meet her.
II didn't advertise. | id something
far more irrational. | spent my spare
hours searching. | visited stores and
walked the streets | haunted the resi-.
dence part of the city. | went to the
opera and scanned the boxes rather
than the stage Needless TO say. id
moi find her: yet never lost hope |
felt must find her and look at her.
! fell this afresh every time ! open d
this ease ! would not give up the
search When | had exhausted every
resource Of my own. | did something
which had shrunk from doing before:
hauated ont the best detective In the
city ana told him 10 spare neither time