The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-11-24

monty made by persons having only the
usual workman's skill
but 1t was always realized by the
masters of this art that the extreme and
/ delicate beauties of their etchings could
be produced only by an adequate skill
! by skill almost equal to their own, in
| the printing of the picture. This skill
constitutes the peculiar genius of Mon
sieuT Dillard-a skill which he has striv-
en- to perfect and which he has finally
brought to the highest excellence.
He labored in the house in the Fau-
bourg st. German for a long time and
with an incredible patience, until he be-
came the superior of any man living, and
the house, as 1 have said, was literally
packed with the most beautiful and most
valuable reproductions Of this character
in the world. This accumulated treasure
represented the incredible fortune which
was before Monsieur billiard and my
self.
''It was on the night that he had gone
to Bordeaux in order to make some ar
rangement for the removal Of the treas
ure that the unfortunate fire occurred
that wiped out our fortune in an hour,
leaving monsieur penniless and myself
with but the ruin CT another illusion. And
1t happened, monsieur, in the simplest
fashion,
There was absolute silence on the ter
race before the villa. The vaguely blue
sea seemed to underhe world OF
amethyst. Heavy odors were IN the air.
A little beyond the terrace the leaves or
a Towering vine moved where the foot
Y,er ~ the Princess Kitzenzcf searched
as noiselessIy as ghosts for the lost par
rot. The shadowy figures of the two
+oo+uoap were outlined to the woman IN
the chair, and perhaps to Monsieur JON
nuelle, but they were net Vlslple 70 the
American.
He sat like tense figure IN some or
panic medium grim. rigid; always in
tha+ irnrrobility which seemed to await
the next word before it flashed into Vio-
lent life. as though madame's words
were the delicate implement Of Vivi-
sectionist moving about nerve which
If never touched, but which it constantly
menaced.
"It was the simplest accident" the
woman repeated in her placid voice.
."rhe original etchings of an immortal
IKE one Of the three which have al
ready named are priceless-they cannot ,
be replaced.
"Out of the fear that the house might
be entered, after the reproductions had
been made. these originals were placed
under some rubbish in the basement Of
the house.
'"This basement had not been entered
for a Icing time, and when these originals
we're concealed there. care was taken
not to disturb the appearance which this
room presented Of not having been
opened for an incredible age.
'It was low, with an earth floor. The
ceiling was Of wooden beams dried out
and beginning tc decay and as infIam-
rnable as finder. The whole Of this CELL
ing was hung with cobwebs, laced over
them. hanging like wells in shreds.
ION the night of the disaster. before
leaving the house, I went into this base
nent to make sure that the originals
stored there remained we had placed
them 1t was late. and took a candle.
This was a fatal indiscretion.
when I arose from an examination
# the place where the etchings were con-
,ealed the fame Of the candle came in
contact with the hanging spider webs,
Ind Immediately the whole ceiling of the
DOM was on fire I had barely time to
escape before the room was a furnace.
The final instalIment of "The Woman
IN the Terrace" will appear In The Jour-
1aI tomorrow.