Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1913-07-10

Il BnAll De DacK bOOu, NC Salu 40
he put on his overcoat, and she
smiled and nodded, just as though she
understood. He took the letter TO
mail and one of his pictures under his
arm. This ne designed for certain
dealer who purchased his work at a
ridiculously low price; nevertheless, II
would provide him with food for a
month. and. possibly, II he were sharp
at a bargain, with enough over for
their fares to Hicksyille, his mothers
town.
AS he crossed the street Harmed
became aware OF swarthy. sinis-
tar.looking man who, leaning against
the rail which surrounded the park,
watched him with a sort OF malignant
stare that struck him cold with appre-
hension Harmed hesitated, then, rpdl-
culing his fears, he continued on his
way, but more quickly. At the end OF
the street he paused. The man was
still leaning against the rail. Harmed
now laughed at his terror Obviously
| this was some italian laborec out OF
a Job; but the nervousness which the
incident had produced revealed to him
the abyss over which his happiness
/ hung suspended He resolved to get
the girl to Hicksville as soor as pos
! sible. He was lucky enough to sell
his picture at a satisfactory price, and
| departed homeward. blissfuily ig-
norant that the dealer, who was ac-
cumulating Harned's work against the
day of his fame, would gladly have
paid him three times the price he had
demanded
The man was no longer leaning
against the rail. Harmed hurried into
/ the house AS he did so he became
aware that he was still clutching the
unopened letter in his hand. He would
| have turned back to post 1t, but his
fears had awakened again and he
fastened up the stairs to his studio,
unlocked the door, and ran in. The
studio was empty.
! He rushed into the bedroom. The
girl was not there, She was not any
where. She had gone as mysterious
ly rs she had come. He called her.
ran down the corridors and shouted
| A fellow artist came out of his room
and looked at Harmed with an amused
smile.
Have you seen a girl-my model
dark, with black hair-disappeared! !"
| Harmed gasped
The others eyslids huttered upon
his cheek. mo, old man he replied
Say. II | were you, | wouldn't make
such a COMPOUNDED noise about it,
anyway"
All that night 1t showed, and all
that night Harmed paced the streets
in a frenzy, looking for her in every
woman's figure that hurried by. There
were stout and lean women old and
young some with dark tousled hair
some frizzled blondes-there was
none whom he could have mistaken
/ for his love as far as he could have
seen her.
Toward morning he was back in
his studio again He had torn his
letter to his mother into fragments,
and he was painting again.
I Harneds picture, THE Snow
( Bride was the sensation Of the year
at the Exposition of American Paint
ers In a single day he leaped into
celebrity Bent, the shrewd little deal
er who had some 20 of his pictures
stored away, now brought them forth
and held a Harmed exhibition, which
netted him nearly $4,000
! One day knock came at the door.
and Harmed opened II to find a lit
1 the tan-colored gentleman at the door.
dressed in well-ftting frock coat
and carrying q silk hat in his hand.
/ He introduced himself with a smile
and bow as the Persian consul.
Mr. Harmed, | am looking for an
artist to paint my wife" he said Il
was much struck by your painting,
The Snow Bride In fact, | am the
purchaser Of 1t, If you will permit me
The price u.s. understand, $2,000?"
He went on to speak frankly. He
had long wanted a portrait of Nine.
Nouriddian, but unfortunately, his
means were limited He hoped that Mr..
| Harmed would not demand an exces-
sive price: he was sure that some
day the picture would become a val
ued heirloom in his family. Harmed
drank In the mans praise with the
/ thirst of one whose long struggle had
at last been rewarded with success
He agreed to be at the consuls apart
ment the following Thursday at noon
in order to meet Nine Nouriddian
and make that acquaintance which
must precede the sitting
Harmed must have arrived too
soon, for the consul was not yet home
from his office, and Nine. Nouriddian
was also out. He was shown .nto a
modest reception room; he was con-
scious that young woman was seat
ed there. Next moment the blood rush
ed to his head There before him,
smiling AND tremulous. was the wom-
an he loved
II seemed like a dream to Harmed
A mist swan before his eyes and
dizzy faintness oyercame him He
tried TO stare out through the encom-
passing clouds and. trying In vain,
sank into g chair And then-then
she was kneeling at his side and her
arms were round him, and her cheek
was pressed against his own.