Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-25
CHAPTER XIII.
A Striking Likeness,

mine of sensational copy"
Now are you quite sure you are not
making mistaken" he asked. You have
not been misled by some chance likeness,
because this is rather an important matter
for me-. My people expect smartness, but
they have rooted objection to mistakes"
Il TIL you there is NJ mistake here"
Walter Lance said definitely. Il am pre-
pared to swear that that portrait was
painted by my uncle. OF course. you re-
member the sensation there was at the time
when the pictures were stolen. They van
ished from the studio in the most mys-
ferrous fashion. Two of tn m were of COM
parative unimportance, but yonder work
my uncle r"ck0Is to be the best thing he
has ever done. And 1 quite agree with
him"
"A portrait, I SUPPOSE Venables asked
well, my uncle always denies it. He
says the face is more less a fancy one
And while he is prepared to admit that 1t
Is co!or2d by recollection he says it is not
intended for anybody in particular. But I
can see likeness there"
''Of course you can, and a very strong
one. too. Fcnabes excla med. DO you
mean to tell me that your uncle cannot see
that that picture is Miss Vera Rayne?"
That is the point / have put to him
more than once. He says he can't see it at
all. And there are others who share the
same opinion On the other hand. there
are certain friends o. ours who take the
same view of it as l do myself"
And they are right" Venables said Wig
orously. My word. we appear to be only
on the fringe of this mystery 1t occurs
to me that the thief who stole that picture
did not steal it for the mere sake of gain,
but merely because 1t is what it Is. No
doubt the other two works were merely
stolen as blind. l don't wish to appear
curious. my dear fellow. but what relation
Is Miss Rayne to Lord Ravenspur or your
salf?'
"Ah. that 1 can't tell YOU" Walter re-
Piled Strange as 1t may seem, my uncle
has always refused to say anything about
Miss Rayne's antecedents All l know is
that she is we'll bred, exceed ngly beauti-
full and perfect in every way"
'Oh. of course, Venables said hastily.
But here is Stevens back again. 1t
wouldn't be a bad plan to ask him point
blank where that picture comes from
Walter nodded his approval as Stevens
came back into the room with a notebook
In his hand He started uneasily as Ven
ables literally fired the question at him.
But there was time for the man to pre-
varcate.
1T doesn't belong to me- he said LAS
matter Of fact it Is the property of
man who used to lodge with me some time
ago
We'll. 1t is very fine piece of work"
Nenables said. in a matter of-fact voice
Il suppose your friend is a poor man,
otherwise he would not live In place like
the picture?'
Stevens replied, with obvious confusion,
that he could not say His friend was not
an Englishman, and where he was to be
found at that moment Stevens could not
say There appeared to be nothing more
for 1t but to change the subject. Then as
he stood looking at the painted face, sud-
den inspiration came to Walter. He won
dered why he had not thought of 1t before
His mind went swiftly back TO the moment
in the studio when Lord Ravenspur had
appeared so disturbed over the unexpected
finding of the photograph by one of his
guests. Here the photo idealiZed
Could there be any connection between the
thief of the picture and Lord Ravenspurs
midn'g ht guest?
Perhaps I can stimulate your memory"
he said. Isn't your friend an Italian?
Hasn't he got something to do with the
variety stage? Come, You can answer my
question: surely it Is an easy one. Isn't
your friend in London at the present mo-
ment?"
Stevens stammered and hestated There
was something like fear in his eyes as he
glanced furtively at the questioner. Lance
felt quite sure that he was on the right
track now.
Now. look here" he said. I'VE have
come on important business. and If you re-
fuse to help us we may find some other
way of inducing you to tell the truth. On
the other hand. there eed be no unpleas-
antnass. and there is no reason why you
shouldn't put a five-pound note in your
pocket. Now isn't that picture the prop
erty of man named Waldo, who is at
present under engagement a the Imperial
Palace Theater? Now, yes or no."
Il don't know how you found it out"
Stevens said wrlgglng about uncomfort-
ably. But 1t Is true enough Waldo was
living with me- about three years ago. He
came bach one night with the picture in
his possession
Not In a frame, l suppose?" Lance
asked.
He brought it rolled up. The frame was
put upon it day or two later by Silva
himself"
SILVA" Venables excla med. Il thought
his name was Waldo"
THAT is his stage name" Stevens ex-
planned. You see. Silva had not come to
England very long. He was very poor
then. and understood that he was looking
for some Englshman who had promised
him employment whenever he crossed the
channel"
Was the Englishman ever found?"
Lance asked.
THAT l can't tell you," Stevens went on
Silva is very close about his own affairs
and l believe that he belonged to some
secret society. He told me the picture had
been painted for him by a clever COM
patriot of his, who was trying to make
name for himself. OF course, it was
nothing to me. and l asked no questions
about 1t. When Silva went away to fulfill
an engagement up in the north he asked
me to take care of the portrait. and it has
been hanging on the wall opposite ever
since. l hope there is nothing wrong about
it,
Indeed there Is" Lance said significant
ly. Now. If you would like to help us we
Will make it worth your while. If you
don't. why, 1t is more than possible that
you may find yourself in an awkward posi-
ton. l don't mind telling you that that
portrait was painted by Lord Ravenspur
and that 1t was stolen one night from his
studio some three years ago"
Stevens gave sudden start.
Il recollect it, he cried; Il recollect it
perfectly. 1 remember that there was q
great cutlery at the time, and that a large
reward was offered for the recovery of the
pictures. Lord, If I had only known. And
to think that all this time
That reward would have been yours"
Nenables smiled grimly You would not
have allowed your friendship for this man
Silva"
Friendship" Stevens said contemptuous-
ly. What is friendship where money Is
concerned? And. after all, Silva was no
real pal of mine. Precious little use he
was to me-"
''Oh. you'll find US useful enough if you
play your cards correctly" Venables said
I'VE happen to know that you are on good
terms with this man Waldo, or Silva, what
ever you call him. In fact, we know that
he gave you money tonight. You are quite
astute enough to see how much better it