The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1904-12-15
CHAPTER XXI.

aElNaA
CHAPTER XXI.
Between six and seven o'clock on the
next evening. an elderly man. dressed
like a gentleman farmer. hastily entered
the shop Of a picture dealer. situated la
the West End. and asked. In a nervous.
impatient manner, 20 inspect some very
pretty watercolor drawings that were In
the window. The shopman produced
them. Instead. however. OF examining
the picture itself. the gentleman seemed
chiefly Interested in the back OF IL. IL
wns growing dusk. and he carried the
picture TO the door aud carefully exam
ined the blank surface at the back. In
one corner was family inscribed in pen
Gil the word CLARA"
With an exclamation Of pleasure. and
a frightened face. he went back 20 the
counter, and asked the shopman for the
address OF the painter. The young man
hesItatcd. IL beg pardon, sir" he said;
but Il Is not usual 10 give the addresses
Of the ladies and gentlemen who work
for us without their permission"
LET me see your master" said the
gentleman, sharply.
In a few minutes the principal himself
came forward.
II wish TO purchase all the drawings
you have by this artist. and ut tho same
| time TO be favored with her address. !
am no; asking this for the qualification
OF idle curiosity. The lady / believe 60
be n very near and dear member OF my
family. whom l have lost sight OF for
several years-whom | believed to be
dead. Five days ago I was looking In
-. " aI. - - asaNa.Z IAataRfa au
the Strand. when I saw exposed for sale
n watercolor painting. representing my
own cottage down In Suffolk. / have
just such a picture nj home, and there
was n popularity OF touch about this
one hat led me 10 believe. Wild as the
thought seemed then. that both were the
work OF one hand. l went into the shop,
and purchased the picture. l was not
deceived. Inscribed In a corner nj the
beck was the word Clara But the
salesman could give me no information
about the artist: they had bought IL
about two years ago. with several others.
OF n young girl whom they had never
seen since. Ny nephew dined with me
that day. and l told him Of the circum-
stance. lie at once requested the affair
10 be left In his hands. He came TO my
hotel last night 10 tell me that he had
inquired. and caused others 10 inqulrc. OF
! every likely picture dealer, but had not
met with the slightest success. As this
was my last day In the city I thought
l would take n look round the picture
shops myself. / have been about all
day. and was just about 10 give up my
search In despair when l caught sight
OF these. l thought they looked like her
work. aud. sure enough. here Is her sig
nature la the corner. Yet. stay a mo-
m,nt: TO make assurance doubly sure. |
will show you her likeness. painted some
six years ago. You will he then able 10
tell me whether IL is the same"
He produced the identical miniature
that SIlas had found In Little Bcthle-
hem. and which. IL will be remembered.
he had left In n pocket OF the clothes
deposited with Mr.. Jonathan Rodwc!i.
The Shopkcepcr hesi,atcd no longer.
but ut once handed over 90 him the re-
quired address. The gentleman purchns-
ed the pictures at a very handsome price.
got into n cab that the shop boy had
fetched for him. and drove away In
the direction OF the northwest.
He arrived at Mrs. Wilson's about S
o'clock. and knocked az the door. Ia
his inquiries. the servant replied, Miss
Clara has gone with missis 20 the play
house; and | do not expect she will be
homo until late"
Does she frequent places OF amuse-
ment muchi Is she often out OF IN
EVENING"
"Oh, dear no; this IL the FIRST time l
have ever known her to so; she is never
out late"
How unfortunate. But I must see
her tonight. at whatever hour she may
return. ] will come back nj twelve"
Mary looked very much astonished al
the idea Of such n late visit. Mr.. iona.
than Rodwcll ordered the cabman to
drive 20 the nearest hotel. where he en-.
gagged n bed and waited impaticntly the
I passing away OF time.
At i" o'clock he Knocked again NJ
Mrs. Wilson's door. They had not re.
turned. Would Mary permit him To
come in aud waltz Mary did not like
the idea Of admitting a stranger az such
an hour, and ahe alone IN the house.
But he locks e gentleman" she thought.
and be Is old enough - he my father"
Don't bc afraid: / am not a kyr.lar.
my dear said Mr.. Jonathan. smiling.
and slipping n coin into her hand.
He walked into the parlor. nud Mary
lt the lamp. one o'clock by his watch.
and still they had not come. lie was
growing uneasy; he could not sid stul;
he walked up and down the room. witt
his watch In his hand. counting the m!is
utcs. The rumble OF wheels az last.
lie ran out 10 the door: the night vas
dark. he could not perceive any object:
but faster and faster. nearer and nearer.
came the roll OF the wheels. until they
stopped before the house.