The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-02

! ner ana was Only prevented from dsh
ing her to he his wife by the misery
that such n rnion would bring upon
her
Markham noticed that there was NJ
statement from Miss Trevor on thi,
matter to match his own. She did moi
say, Would that had fortune-h0w
/ happy we could be together lie won
dered, if she had fortune. whether
| she would throw herself away on 4
poverty stricken man with bohemian
instincts. He feared not. He had
| given her to suppose that he was only
prevented from being a spendthrpt by
not having any money 10 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
TrevOr's love for him. He wished that
she might suddenly get a windfall-a
few hundred thousand dollars-that he
might learn whether she loved him
well 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
1t 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 1t did not
appear. When Miss Trevor asked him
how he knew the picture was Muril-
10 he said that he relied entirely on
his knowledge of the great artist
other works, this painting bearing the
same individual characteristics.
Markham told her that what trou-
bed 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 so francs for copying a
painting, and offered to lend 1t to her
lover. But Markham would not listen
to such a proposal If she took a risk
on his opinion she should reap the ben.
eft I'm 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 a." then an o.
then another "i'' and an 90" 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 1t 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 81.
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 l get the money!"
II am to go to the bank tomorrow,
where the purchaser will draw on Chi.
cago. The draft will be cashed by the
banl, md | will receive certificate of
deposit in your name"
Markham wondered If she would Of
fer to divide. She said no more. He
was curious to know If anything more
to his satisfaction would be said on
payment of the money.
The next day he brought her a GER
tificate of deposit for 100000 lire.
She looked at it. feasted her eyes on 1t,
and a pleasant smile came over her
lips.
Don't you think" she said. that
| ought to give you some of this for
finding the picture-and-doing it all?"
"Not a cent. You risked your money
and are entitled to the profit"
81 suppose now she began and
paused.
Nov what?"
IF you feel the same
IL do"
There's no objection to-
Markham was about to embrace her
when she motioned him to desist.
I'm afraid you'll spend the money
and Wen be in poverty again. You
muyt expect to leave II In my keeping ("