HOW THE VAN DYCK WAS FOUND.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 151, 20 March 1908, Page 4

HOW THE VAN DYCK WAS FOUND.

_ A strango chapter" of accidents, it is now known, led up to tho recovery hear Bruges of Van: Dyck's great painting, "The liaising, of the Cross," stolen; by night: from tho Church of Notro Dame, at Courtrai. Tho old carrier in whoso cart'it" was hidden, ■ seems himself likely to win the £800 reward , offered by the town'of Courtrai.

He, made the acquaintance at the Courtrai recreation hall of a mah who called himself an antiquary, and who offered him a good paying journoy to Bruges with a case that must be carefully packed away. He accepted the task; but from the start his errand met with mishans.

Ho arrived punctually; with, his cart at tho rendezvous—a cross roads—outsido tho town in tho dark of tho morning; but had to wait there alono. It was somo timo before a handcart camo up, wheeled by a man who was not tho "antiquary" of tho first meoting. On tho cart was a round package 10ft. long, wrapped thioldy in sackcloth. J Tho stranger excused himself for, tho dolay, and' explained that ho had como instead of his principal, a rich collector, who would, be waiting /at tho Cathorino G'ato at Bruges in tho afternoon. Xho carrier took over-tho packago, got his fee, and set put. To make, up for lost, timo he hurried on his old horse, "which very soon cast a shoo.

Ho stopped at n ; blacksmith's forgo, and winlo tho liorso was being- shod he started to Bpoak of tho curious commission'that ho had undertaken. Very soon.tho ,smith and he mi to open tho mysterious package. Ihoy found they woro unrolling a largo c ni which .soon disclosed a figure Pi C ;! risfc ant ! tho forms of soldiers around the Cross.- So much had been talked on tho cquntry-sido of tho Van Dyck robbery that with ono accord they cricd, "Wo havo found it. .