Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-12-29

marriage between them would be sui
cidal. Markham lugubriously admitted
the fact. He told her that he loved
her and was only prevented from ask
ing her to be his wife by the misery
that such a union would bring upon
| her.
Markham noticed that there was no
statement from Miss Trevor on this
matter to match his own. she did not
say, Would that had fortune-how
happy we could be together!" He Won
dered, if she had. a fortune, whether
she would throw herself away on
poverty stricken man with bohemian
instincts. He feared not. He had
given her to suppose that he was only
prevented from being a spendthrift by
not having any money to spend.
Would her love for him should she be-
come wealthy triumph over common
sense?
| While Markham appreciated common
sense, he set more store upon Miss
Trevors love for him. He wished that
she might suddenly get windfall-a
few hundred thousand dollars-that he
might learn whether she loved him
we'll enough to permit him to make
ducks and brakes with it. This set
him to thinking how he could give her
the fortune without her knowing that
it came from him.
One day Markham went to Miss
Trevor very much agitated. He said
that he had discovered an original
Murillo. 1t had been taken from a
part Of house that had been bricked
| up for several hundred years and was
now being torn down. The surface
was covered with dirt, and If there
were q name in the corner it did not
appear When Miss Trevor asked him
10 he said that he relied entirely on
his knowledge of the great artists
other works, this painting bearing the
same individual characteristics.
Markham told her that what trou-
bled him was that the work could be
bought for a song and he hadn't
enough money to buy cigar, which
in Italy may be had for fraction of
a cent. He begged Miss Trevor to try
to raise 80 francs, the price asked by
the finder of the picture. She hap
pened to have the money, having just
been paid 80 francs for copying
painting, and offered to lend it to her
lover. But Markham would not listen
to such a proposal. If she took risk
on his opinion she should reap the ben
eft in case he was right. She gave
him the money to invest for her, and
be brought the picture to her studio.
All depended ON whether when the
accumulated dirt was removed from
the corner the magic name would ap'
pear which, like Midas touch, would
turn the picture into gold. Markham
had brought with him cleaning mate
rails and, setting the picture on an
easel, began to rub. The first letter
that appeared was an 81" then an 81"
then another "l' and an Co." Then,
working the other way, he exposed the
word "Murillo."
Miss Trevor was too much excited
to take an unbiased look at the pic
ture, and If she had done so it would
have availed nothing, for it was all, ex-
cept the name, covered with dust.
Markham took it away, promising to
let her see it when it had been cleaned,
but before the dirt had been taken off
he reported to her that the painting
had been snapped up by an American
pork packer for 100000 lire.
So it was that the impoverished
American cOpyist was suddenly en-
riched by $4,000, an amount which
invested at per cent would yield $4,-
600 year. To one who could not al
ways afford an Italian breakfast OF
coffee and rolls this was wealth in
deed. Markham expected-at least
hoped-that the possessor would throw
her arms around his neck and say
"Now we can be happy together" In
stead she asked:
"When shall get the money!"
81 am to go to the bank tomorrow
where the purchaser will draw on Chi
cago. The draft will be cashed by the
bank, and l will receive a certificate o.
deposit in your name"
Markham wondered If she would of
fer to divide. She said no more. HI
was curious to know if anything mor'
to his satisfaction would be said OF
payment of the money.
The next day he brought her Ger
tificate of deposit for 100000 lire
She looked at it, Toasted her eyes on II
and pleasant smile came over he
lips,
"Don't you think" she said, 'tha
/ ought to give you some of this TO
. finding the picture and-doing it all?
"Not cent. You risked your none.
and are entitled to the profit"
~ suppose now she began ant
t paused,
'Now what?"
3 ''If you feel the same
t ~ do"
= "There's no objection to-
t Markham was about to embrace he
: when she motioned him to desist.
n "I'm afraid you'll spend the none
r and Wen be in poverty again. Yo
= must expect to leave it in my keeping.
q 81 promise"
y "Your promise isn't enough. 70
!, must sign a paper waving all a hu'
!, bands rights to his wife's money"