Bridgeton pioneer., 1910-02-10
RETRIBUTION.
BY PHILIP ATTERBURY.

hCs dIOSG W IGCblNe ueT dJiQ WAS
about to ask her how l could serve
her when she said eagerly:
"Where is Edward Borland?"
Edward Borlandr'
"Yes. Do you know where can
find him?"
81 never heard of the gentleman"
"You painted the picture Retribu-
tion,' didn't you, on exhibition at Mar
tine's?
81 did"
From what did you take my like
ness? 1 never sat for you"
'My good lady, will you explainr
Explain! Why harrow my feelings
by forcing me to tell the distressing
story when you must know it already.
Else how could you have painted that
awful scene?'
"What awful sceneY
"Do cease the pretense of ignorance.
I suppose it was he who told you"
My bewilderment was increasing
rather than subsiding, for 1 noticed a
resemblance, though very faint one,
between the lady before me and fig
ure in the picture to which she re-
ferred. In fact, 1 was dumfounded. I
did nothing but stare at her. She went
on speaking in her quick, excited way,
her eyes filling with tears:
"It was all my fault. I urged him
to take the money and speculate for
me. The stocks went down. Ten
days after the loss was reported to me
by the brokers he had learned of it
and made it good out of his own
pocket. Indeed, he wrote me that
there was a profit The stupid brokers
called on me for margin during his alb
sence, at the height of the panic. He
had distinctly told them to look to
him and by no means communicate
with me. But why did you call your
picture .RetributionP At the moment
1 reproached him he had ordered a
check sent me for $4,000. I received
1t after he had gone"
A light was beginning to break in
upon my brain. l had read of cases
where persons had fancied themselves
the subjects Of artists work, and it
struck me that l had met with an in
stance. / was interested in the ladys
story. Might not be of service in re-
storing to her a person she had
wronged? The picture, too, CORE
sponded with the scene to which she
referred. A woman was reproaching
man who had wronged her, while he
stood with bowed head, receiving his
chastisement. The woman was the
principal figure; the man was in shad-
ow and his face not distinctly visible.
! concluded to temporize with her.
"And did he not defend himself?"
asked.
"No; he simply stood and looked at
me in astonishment. His figure in your
picture doesn't show his demeanor
at all"
"He left you with no explanation?"
"None whatever Ten minutes after
his departure the postman left his let
ter containing his check for what l
had given him-the profit. Profit, in
deed! The transaction cost him 81 800"
l pondered, while she went on inco-
herently in the same manner as be-
fore. Finally said to her, "If you
will leave me your address l will see
If can do anything for YOU"
''There! 1 knew all the while you
were acquainted with him and that he
gave you the information which led
to your painting that picture. oh,
please do tell him how sorry am for
what did"
Eyes, if find him"
The lady departed somewhat COM
forted, but by no means confident that
1 would succeed in gaining for her
the forgiveness of the man she had
wiUngeG.
How | found Edward Borland is
matter between me and a man I paid
for doing the work. When l met Mr..
Borland he supposed the meeting was
casual. l pursued the acquaintance
and invited him to my studio, where l
had the picture from Marines con-
spicuously displayed on an easel. l
watched him as he looked at it. The
womans face evidently interested him.
"Where did you get your model for
that figure?" he asked.
This was beginning. Before he
left my studio l had told him the story
of my visitor and her illusion. When
his wonder at the singular occurrence
had given place to thinking on the
situation h. -n2n himself and the
lady | saw is face harden. If l eff
fected a reconciliation l must use the
utmost adroitness.
"She was very bitter" he said, when
she supposed had lost her money"
Naturally" I remarked.
"She gave me carte blanche to do
as thought best for her, to win or
lose as the market rose or fell, and
when it fell she reproached me-"
"As was to be expected from any
woman and as would be the result in
the case Of most men. Women don't
possess the poise to stand that sort of
thing. Granting that you were excus-
able for accepting such a commission,
you could only expect that it would be
heads you win, tails you lose.'"
Before he left I secured his promise
to meet the lady in question in my
studio the next morning. I notified
her TO come and she no sooner saw