Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-11-23
Retribution
By PHILIP ATTERBURY


lady who was a perfect stranger 70
me. arose to receive her and was
ABOUT to ask her how l could serve
her when she said eagerly:
Where is Edward BorlandF"
Edward Borlandy'
Yes. Do you know where I can
find him?"
i never heard OF the gentleman"
You painted the picture Retribu-
tlon, didn't you, on exhibition at Mar
tine'sY'
II did"
From what did you take my like
nessT 1 never sat for you"
Ny good lady, will you explainr'
Expiain! Why harrow my feelings
by forcing me to tell the distressing
story when you must know 1t already.
hlse how could you have painted that
awful scene?"
What awful sceneY'
DO cease the pretense Of Ignorance
| suppose 1t was he who told You"
Ny bewilderment was Increasing
rather than subsiding, for / noticed a
resemblance, though a very faint one.
between the lady before me and q fig
ure In the picture to which she re-
ferred. In fact, / was dumfounded.
did nothing but stare at her. She went
on speaking In her quick, excited way.
her eyes filing with tears:
1t was all my fault l 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 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 'Retribution?' At the moment
1 reproached him he had ordered a
check sent me for $4,000. 1 received
1t after he had gone"
A light was beginning to break In
upon my brain. 1 had read of cases
where persons had fancied themselves
the subjects of artists work, and It
struck me that 1 had met with an In
stance. was interested in the Iady's
story. Might 1 not be Of service In re-
storing to her a person she had
wronged2 The picture, too, CORE
sponded with the scene to which she
referred. A woman was reproaching a
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 himself2" 1
asked.
mo; he simply stood and looked at
me in establishment 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"
! pondered, while she went on inco-
herently in the same manner as be-
fore. Finally l said to her. ''If you
will leave me your address Will see
# I can do anything for you"
There! 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 1 am for
what l did,
Yes, If find him"
The lady departed somewhat COM
forted, but by no means confident that
i would succeed in gaining for her
the forgiveness Of the man she had
wronged.
How / found Edward Borland is q
matter between me and man l paid
for doing the work. When 1 met Mr..
Borland he supposed the meeting was
casual. l pursued the acquaintance
and invited him to my studio, where
had the picture from Marines con-
spicuously displayed on an easel.
watched him as he looked at it. The
woman's face evidently interested him.
where did you get your model for
that figure?' he asked.
This was q beginning. Before he
left my studio 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 between himself and the
lady saw his face harden. If 1 eff
fected a reconciliation / must use the
utmost adroitness.
"She was very bitter" he said. when
she supposed had lost her money"
Naturally" ! remarked.
'Sbe gave me carte blanche to do
as l 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 secured his promise