The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-09-26
CHAPTER ~.
Captive or Runaway.

n Captive or Runaway.
4 At the age of twenty-six Donald Alb
Hbott had become prosperous and dis
EItinguished painter in water colors.
Ills work was individual, and at the
same time it was delicate and charm
Ink. : One saw his Italian landscapes
ls through a filmy gauze; the almond
uossoms of Sicily, the rose-laden walls
Z Florence, the vineyards of Chant.
De poppy-glowing Campagna out OF
bme His Italian lakes had brought
Nm fame He knew very little of the
nind and hunger that attended the
ureers OF his whilom associates. His
lhther had left him some valuable pat
nts-wash-tubs, carpet-cleaners and
cher laborsaving devices-and the
E1oyalties from these were quite snf-
Glmt to keep him pleasantly housed.
His earnings mot inconsiderable,
- tourists found much to admire In
I'll the pictures and the artist he
ent in gratifying his mild extrava-
II
andsome, boyish. beardless face; and
- eyes were unusually clear and
0ppy. Perhaps once or twice, since
majority, he had returned to Amer
- to prove that he was not an ex-
triate, though certainly he was one,
- only tie existing between him and
- native land being the bankers who
egularly honored his drafts. And who
Aall condemn him for preferring Italy
~ the desolate center of New York
late. where good servants and good
Weather are as rare as are fiawless
meralds?
Halt after three, on Wednesday aft
anoon, Abbott stared moodily at the
seather.tarnished group by Dalou In
re Luxembourg gardens-the Tri-
nph Of Silenus. His gaze was de-
Mptive. for the rollicking old bibulous
ecoundrel had not stirred his critical
eense nor impressed the delicate films
efl thought. He was looking through
ne bronze, into the far-away things.
he had arrived early that morning, all
he way from Como, to find thunder
oft driven in at his feet. Across his
nees duttered an open newspaper,
re Paris edition of the New York
erald. All that kept 1t from blowing
gay was the tense if sprawling fin
rs Of his right hand; his left hung
hply at his side.
NJ was not possible. Such things did
happen these unromantic days to
6sica1 celebrities. She had written
IT on Monday night she would sing
La Boheme and on Wednesday.
INST. She had since vanished, van
aed as completely as though she had
aken wings and flown away. It was
nfeal. She had left the apartment
the Avenue de Wagram on Satur-
lay afternoon. and nothing had been
IN or heard Of her since. At the
- moment they had had to find q
9stttute for her part in the Puccini
en The maid testified that her
tsess had gone on an errand Of
efcy She had not mentioned where,
she had said that she would return
time to dress for dinner, which
wed conclusively that something
q the ordinary had befallen her.
ne automobile that had carried her
y had not been her own, and the
Eeur was unknown. None of the
cacm at the opera had been mott
q any change In the singers
She had disappeared. and they
deeply concerned. Singers were
auy cratic, full Of sudden indis-
oAs. unaccountable whfms: but
norma da Toscana was one in
1e1nd. She never broke an en-.
mi If she was Ill she said SO
she never left them In doubt
- hst moment. Indecision was
q her characteristics. She
ts1iable as the sun. II the d.