FICTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2691, 14 December 1895, Page 1 (Supplement)

FICTION.

The whole affair had been a plot against an innocent girl—base enough in conception, but happily it failed. I was congratulating her on her escape from the clutches of a villain, when Athol returned. When he saw Letty his face brightened with a look of unspeakable relief, but it deepened into concern when ho saw something serious was the matter. The whole thing was clear to me, but would it be so to him ? I hit upon an expedient, and spoke too rapidly to give him time to protest. ' Miss Ford has been very unwell since last night/ I said,'and must go home at once. It is not serious now, and she will soon be well—if you'll excuse her to-day. I'll put her in a cab—return at once, and tell you all about it/ So saying, motioned to Lotty, who followed me mechanically, and said, as she passed Athol, with downcast eyes: ‘ Give me until to-morrow, Mr Athol/

THE MASK OF FRIENDSHIP. Bt J. L. Owen. I stoud entranced before it, ono of a little group of picture-gazers at Burlington House, a few years ago. It was perhaps not the picture of the year, for It was the work of a comparatively unknown artist, but it attracted a considerable amount of attention, and first brought my friend, Athol Bayburn, into notice. Kayburn and I had been college chums, but our paths were sundered at a parting of the ways which marks the entrance into professional life. I commenced practice as a country doctor, Athol came to town, and, after painting * pot-boilers,' took a studio and engaged models. But it was his picture of * A Country Girl' that first gained him a prominent place in the Academy. It was then I paid him a long-promised visit, and went to see the painting. Surely ; he had idealised his subject, for never did a more perfect figure nor a prettier face seem to make a canvas appear endowed with life.

' ery well—Letty/ ho replied, using her Christian name with a slight emphasis, as she had used his. I gave the driver his instructions, and Letty bad me adieu, with a grateful look in her sad eyes. Then I hurried back to my friend.

It was a portrait, a study from life, of a young girl in the first flush of womanhood, leaning over a stile and gazing across a stretch of golden meadow land ata glorious sunset, the light of wltioh flushed her fair face, and shot gleams of gold upon her Titianesque hair. 1 What perfect grace!’ or ‘ What a poem in colour !’ were some of the expressions I overheard. ;

*What is the meaning of it all?' ho asked. * Toll me the truth—whatever it may be. She has never been home since she loft yesterday, and it is the first time sho has so absented herself. Tell me all you know, Robert/

The same night I went round to Athol’s rooms and congratulated him. ‘Ah!’ he said, with a smile. ‘ But it you come to-morrow you shall see the original. You will not wonder then at my inspiration.’

Next morning I went early to Eayburn’s studio, but his model had not arrived. ‘ She will be here presently, for I am at work upon a new picture to be called “ A Country Dance," in which, as you see, she is the principal figure.’ As be spoke he swept back a cloth from the easel, and displayed a half-finished study, with that pretty country-maid again prominent in the foreground. ‘ And where did you find your divinity ?’ I said to Athol, as ho lit his pipe, reflectively. ‘ It was quite by chance I came to know her,’ he replied, ‘in this crowded Babylon of ours, whore she seems a being apart. She had come to town in search of a situation, I believe, but some day I will tell you her story.’ We were interrupted by the entrance of the model. She smiled at Athol, and blushed modestly when I was introduced by the artist ns ‘ au old familiar friend.’

No wonder Athol had scored such a success with his ‘ Country Girl.’ The original had every attribute of an ideal model—native grace, a perfect figure, and features which, if a little irregular, were full of expression, and crowned with a glorious nimbus of hair, from beneath which looked out a pair of the loveliest,and most luminous eyes I ever remember. I am afraid I stayed at tho studio longer than I ought to have done at such a time, but Athol was absorbed in his work, and tho picture grew rapidly. •; I repealed my visit day; after day, for my stay, in town was indefinitely prolonged. I had purchased a liondon practioe, and so I saw much of Eayburn and Letitia, or Letty Ford, his charming subject. 1 During these sittings'-in Athol’s studio I mot, time after time, a man I liked but little—an intimate, but scarcely a friend, of Rayburn’s. His name was 'Marsden, presumably a gentleman, passing as a connoisseur, and said to be possessed of means, who followed art as a pastime. In reality he was a man about town, of a somewhat unprincipled typo. I soon saw that Marsden, under the guise of friendship for Athol, envied him his genius/ and, above all, his pretty model. Spectators see most of the game, and it was patent to me that Marsden’s admiration for Letty Ford was thinly disguised. That tho man meant mischief, and that his unwelcome attentions to the girl boded her no good, I felt certain. He was a handsome, unscrupulous, dissolute fellow/letting nothing stand in the way of his pleasures. On tho other hand, Athol was nobleminded, generous to a fault and chivalrous were women Were concerned.

'■ T ken 1 explained, as best I could, what had befallen poor Letty. Man to man it was an awkward' task, and, usually calm and collected as he was, Athol seemed like a caged lion when he heard of Marsden’s cowardly conduct.

By this time I had taken up my quarters in a.London square, and onenight KaybUrn came round to my place to supper. I noticed that Athol was more absent-minded than usual, and as we sat smoking after-, wards I rallied him about his depression. ‘No; I am,not depressed,’ho said. .‘I have no cause to bo, and yet 1 feel a premonition that a shadow.is hovering.over my path,’ ; . How. curiously, .such thoughts come at times! ■: ; . ■ '

' Athol roused' himself,-arid said, * Robert, I have been thinking.* . ’ ,- ’ /■, ‘ About the picture ?’ I suggested.. ‘No! about tber original/ he added; ‘about my beautiful model. I promised some day to toll you her story/ v ;It was not much the artist know, but it was sufficient to prove that she was pure and, good as she Was pretty*^and had -.only left home to be a burden to her parents/.' .'/c * And no w/ he ■ continued, ‘ my, mind; is made up. To-mprrow will see., the completion of my netv picture, or, rather, it will be the last day that X shall need my model at present. I have determined to “ put it to the itouch/’ and.. ask .her to ■ be my ’ " ! ! ' '• This was what I had anticipated, for I had long known that Athol was in love with Letty, and I felt almost sure the girl loved him. Who could help it? Everybody loved Rayburn who knew him well, and ho might have married r a lady of high degree ’ after his Academy success.

Wo sat and talked of the future until the night vjwaned* and my friend said, ‘ Come round to. the studio to-morrow, bid fellow, and perhaps you may wish mo joy/ I purposely went late to the atelier next day. Lovers are best left alone during the most momentous crisis in their lives.

Well !M said, as l saw Athol standing alone,-with arms folded, before the picture, and with a sjiadowmpon his brow.i ‘How speeds the. wooing,, and, whore is Lotty ?*- - ‘ That’s more than I know/ ho answered. ‘ I told hor this would bo the last day-of the sitting, and that I. had something to say about the- future. Perhaps I wits too impulsive, and ■ she guessed . something. Women have suob;quick perception; but she bis never broken' an appointment be-. fore* ' -A-/ //':/ ’ 1 - ’ * She may be nnwell, or have'met with an : accident. Dp you know her address ? Why ; not go there, or, if you wish, I will ascertain lor you/I-Buggested. ‘Good penod? It never occurred to mo —sho looked so woll yesterday. I’ll go myself/ ho said. .‘ Wait my return, I*ll, take . a cab/ 1 ‘ ‘ J ' " * Rayburn had notriefb his studio-throe minutes before Letty Ford came in; pale, agitated, and .with, grief-stricken face. ; ‘ Whatever is the matter, Miss Ford V I exclaimed, taking her trembling hand, and leading her to a chair. -.{‘ Raybufn has gone in search of you/. , * How can I tell you ? I can never sit here again/ she sobbed. ‘I have been persecuted and detained by that villain, Marsden. How I detest him!’she added, 1 fiercely. ‘He sought, to degrade me, and to compromise me in Mr Rayburn’s eyes—.. the manl . hbnour and esteem. And yet his false friend would have betrayed me, because I would not listen.to his hateful proposals/ Then she broke down again, and told me in tremulous tones the pitiful tale of Marsden’s attempt, to - sully her fair name, because she -would not him as a: lover. Tt was only another version of tho old story of man’s perfidy and intrigue to Wrong the innocentarid cobfiding under the mask of friendship. , - ;: ‘.When I left;the studio last night/.: she continued, 'X: found Marsden i again: lying in ;wait for me, for I had him tho night before. • 'He 1 had waited an hour, ho said, and was determined. to see -me and accompany me home.v I would notconsenfcto this, and then he called a cab, saying he would dri;o me there, and afterwards take irio to a theatre- where hoAvaa to join yoq and Mr Rayburu.v I docliriedVto go homo in his Company, as L live vy;itli ,plain, kind ‘old people;s- who. knowvriiy parents;, and think as much-of -meas a daughter. I was not permitted to leave tho cab until it drew up at some hotel, where, he said ho expected to meet Mr Rayburn. Meantime he ordered some refreshments, and I was induced to partake ofailittJe, for I was faint and weary. I felt a''giddiness seize mo soon after, and then a .drowsiness, but I struggled to keep awake'to my surroundings, for I know I was in peril, and the victim of some plot I was almost powerless. to frustrate. I. was ,conscious wo were driven through many street’s to a .remote part of London, and at length stopped at. a strange house, by which time I had become so ill that it must have moved even Marsden to pity. Saying I was a relative of his from the country, who had "been taken ill on the journey, he handed me over to the care of a woman who proved land to me. He also left -this note, which" wah given to me this morning/ .. . Amid many protestations it expressed regret for what he had done, and ended ‘ I have done you no barm. My only intention was to compromise you in Athol’s eyes. It was a mad freak; I admit, actuated by jealousy and a desire to avenge myself on both of you. X shall never see you again, (xctod-bye.—E. M/

‘I will hunt the hound down!’ he exclaimed. ‘l’ll denounce him at his club—■ everywhere. I’ll thrash the coward as he deserves. Come with mo! I’ll wipe this insult out at once. He know how I respected—yea! how I loved the girl.’ It was no uso trying to thwart Athol’s resolve. Quiet men are always the most persistent when their passions are aroused, and his will was stronger than mine. So we started on our quest.

The man was not at his club, nor to bo found at the hotel he frequented; but, aa wo passed a busy crossing, we saw a crowd gather like a swarm of bees round a prostrate figure, and the ambulance was being hurried up,, There . had been a serious street accident—a rapidly-driven hansom had knocked a gentleman under the wheels, of a passing van, and ,a. crushed "and mangled form was being carried ’to the nearest hospital. It was Richard Marsden, and Hetty’s would-be betrayer. The anger died out of Athol’s eyes as he caught sight of the pale face of his false friend, and in a low tone ho said, ‘ Como, let us follow.’

‘He cannot last long,’ said the house surgeon. ‘We cannot save him; so you had better see him now.’

Wo entered the ward where he lay, and as the dying man’s eyes caught sight of Rayburn ho buried his face in the pillow’ with a groan. Then the nurse oaihe up with restoratives, and raised his head gently; and he must have read Athol’s thoughts in the latter's eyes. ; ‘ You’ve come!’ he gasped. ‘ You’ve come to—to—. I was mad—. Forgive!’ , His mouth quivered—he mumbled something abbrit^-',that good girl,’ and then his voice failed him.. i

■'l; looked 1 at .Athol, and awaited his answer....

‘Yes!. T forgive and pity you, Marsden,’ he skid, in a low, clear voice. -

.-.■ :The grey-robed,nutsa looked on. pityingly; but understood nothing, i! Then she made a signal to the doctor,’who came forward as Marsden closed his eyes, never to open them again on earth. ‘lt is all over, ppor fellow,’ he said, and presently passed onito' other patients, while we wended our way back to Athol’s studio.

Tho following year a new picture by Athol Kayburn was hung upon the lino at the Academy. , It was ‘ A Country Dance,’ and elicited universal praise. But it was the principal figure in it—that of. a dancing, girl—which most attracted admiration: it was said to be a study of the artist’s wife. And what a devoted, and lovable wife Letty is, who thinks her husband the greatest genius in all the world! —Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper.