Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1920-05-06
DONE IN CHALK
By EVELYN LEE
,copyrIght. 1920. western Newspaper Union,

haunted the fervid imagination of Ava
Thurston and she wondered If ever
again the flowers would seem so love
ly, the birds sing as sweetly, the skies
look so bright. Would their promise
of renewal ever come true? Oh,
surely so for had not Norris Brown
ing said it, and was he not the soul of
honor, and did he not love her?
He had revealed to her his souls in
nermost secrets the last day they had
wandered in the woods. He loved her,
but he would not ask her to bind her
self to any promise. He was simply a
poor, struggling artist he frankly told
her. His chance meeting with her. the
rare natural beauties of her environ
ment had given him the inspiration of
great picture. He was going back to
his city garrett studio to toll for her
and for fame
Springtime had merged into sum
mer, and now the landscape was sere,
but for over two months Ava had re-
ceived no word from the man she
loved Formerly every letter had
breathed hope and faith in the success
of his great life effort. Then there had
come utter silence. The girl grew anx-
ious, distracted, fear filed. Was she
never to see him again? Had failure,
new object of affection influenced
him to forget her?
"Why do you not hear from Mr..
Browning any more" her brother,
Walter, a lad of sixteen sOlicitously
inquired you know, Ava, he was
surely to come to see us again"
But Ava only shook her head sadly
and went away with tears in her eyes.
Walter had fastened his faith irrevoca-
bly, upon Browning, who had discerned
prospective artistic genius in the lad.
He had taken pains to direct and in
struct Walter and the day he left had
made him present of set Of cray
onS. 1t had been pleasant reminder
to Ava to watch her ambitious brother
with pencil and pad evenings making
some quite pretentious sketches of
familiar home surroundings. Two pic
lures that he made, one of Browning
from memory and one of Ava posing
for him, indicated what the former
had said of him, that he possessed a
natural gift for portraiture.
But Walter had been ambitious and
had cherished his aspirations secretly,
even from Ava. At the rear of the
house was an old unused barn.
This space had become the studio of
the young artist for here he could un-
dertake large efforts with his crayons.
He had finished one or two can
vases and it was his delight TO view
them One rainy morning Walter crept
up into the barn attic. He was sur
prised to find there lying upon heap
of old horse blankets a stranger. His
pillow was a bundle done up in piece
of oilcloth, his attire half suggestive
of the tramp AT all events he APP
pealed to Waiter as picturesque sub
iect for portrayal. He was fast asleep
and Walter set at work at a vacant
space on the side wall to reproduce
him in chalk.
Walter completed the portrait en-
tirely to his satisfaction and left the
loft. He forgot all about the intruding
stranger until later in the afternoon,
when he saw his father talking with a
man who had driven up in an automo-
bile with two others. All of them he
recognized as town officers.
"The man got away with over fifty
thousand dollars in cash and securi-
ties from the bank" the sheriff was
saying as Walter came up. "He was
seen later by farmer carrying a
package done up in oilcloth. We have
details of his dress" and the speaker
described the subject of Walters
morning portrait. Keep keen look
out" proceeded the official "A re-
ward of FIVE thousand dollars Is Of
fered and we win divide it with any
one giving us a clue to the identity of
the man."
"Suppose-suppose," burst out Wal
ter eagerly, you could see a picture of
the man, would that mean anything to
your"
would it be anything to us?" re-
peated the sheriff excitedly why
that would be all we need"
And If I can show you such a pic
ture do / get half the reward?"
If it leads to the arrest of the man,
yes"
Come with me" directed Walter,
and ms he revealed his last artistic eff
fort he explained the circumstances
Of its construction.
The rest is easy" proclaimed the
sheriff jublantly, and sped away with
his men TO overtake the fugitive with
In twenty-four hours.
It was proud moment for Walter
Thurston when his father was given
check for half of the reward.
Father he said. "will you let me
have some Of the money to go to the
city and study art? want to see Mr..
Browning. too. 1t is the only work
like to do and there was no gainsay-
ing the ambitions little fellow.
Ava babe him a futtering good-by.
Write me everything" she whispered
to him, and only so far expressed
openly her mingled hope and dread