Evening star., 1928-04-24
INSTALLMENT NXlI.

A IL that evening Jonifer waited
" for Gerane to speak 10 him
II about the message. She sat
\ opposite him. sewing. Matilde,
who was mending a frock. oc-
cupied a bench near the fireplace. a
short distance away. Jonifer sighed a
great many times
SLEEPY, father?" inquired his daugh-
ter once-aud only once, She appeared
to be occupied with her OWN thoughts.
Not at ALL" said he dourly
Above the fireplace hung a portrait
OF Cerane'S mother. the beautiful
Louise. It was done in oil and was sad
" in need of cleaning and reviving
coat of varniSh. Ge:ane's resemblance
70 her mother was startling. although
a marked difference was to be noted
IN the color of the hair and eyes
LouiSe'S hair was faXen, her eyes a
pale. almost grayiSn. blue. The story
Of this portrait, rs A. was afterward
told to Starcourt by Matiide, may be
given here and now.
Some time after the marriage Of
Jonifer and Louise the former fell in
with a young artl-a who was spending
q few weeks at the Digman Inn. He
was from Vienna; his purpose in COM
ing 70 Graustark was TO paint the
region. with a view TO exhibiting the
canvases III the Austrian capital. He
had completed several brilliant studies
of farm and woodland maids when
Jonifer made his acquaintance. So
entrance6 was the chieftain by these
pictures that he decided to have
LouiSe's portrait painted.
One day the artist left the inn for
q hut up in the forest, where he had
an appointment with model He
carried his easel, paint box and cam
vas. He never returned TO the inn.
Jonifer's men fell upon him. And that
was how he came to the valley TO paint
Louise. Now the StrangeSt feature of
the story lies In the fact that not only
had he seen her many times in Vienna.
but actually had met her. AT first he
was obdurate and refused to obey the
commands of Jonifer. In the end, how
ever he succumbed. The portrait was
the result. He put his heart and soul
into its execution, for he fell in love
with his subject.
There came a day when he tempes-
tuouSly blurted out his love. Louise
spurned him. He snatched up a knife
and, in a frenzy OF despair, rushed
over to slash the portrait. With arm
upraiSed. he stood gazing at the beau
tlful thing he had created-his master
piece. The knife dropped from his
hand He could not destroy 1t.
1T is alive" ne sobbed. 1T lives. II
Is a living thing, a beautiful, living
tlling!"
Then he turned on his heel and
rushed from the house. Outside the
door he met Ellie, the servant. He
shouted to her. II love your mistress
Now, 90 and tell her husband, you--l
Tell the scoundrel! Tell him love his
wtfel" And Ellie told Jonifer.
Jonifer went in and looked at the
portrait. 'It is f1nished?" he said ston-
ily TO Louise. Yes" she replied, Ill
is finished. Jonifer.' There Is nothing
more for him to do to it," he went
on griYnly. Nothing. But, oh, Jonifer.
I am sorry for him. Be merciful."
That night the artist disappeared. He
was never seen again. There are men
n the valley who could speak of duel
IN the shop of Julius Broadaxe. but,
I'D to now, not one Of those men has
spoken. There is grave somewhere In
the forest that has no headstone.
And now, as he waited for Gerane
TO Unbosom herself, Jonifer's gaze
sought the painted face OF her mother.
as If for guidance or inspiration or.
more than either Of these, some sign
20 show that she consented TO his TAX
ing Gerane by the shoulders and giving
her q sound shaking Then he would
look fuYtively at his daughter and
shake his head. As serene as May
nnoruingl Women were beyond him.
He got UP and opened the door to