The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-29
THE PRESS.
The Ghost of a Chance.
[London Times.l
[CONCLUDED.1


en- the easel in front of his picture, which it
exactly covered. Returning with the mount
and talking volubly about what he was 60
ing to do in painting, he automatically put
the hollow centre of the white cardboard
just ever the photograph, not for moment,
noticing the change l had made. Suddenly
he saw it, aad with an exclamation of Won
der, started back.
"How came that here?" he went on, pale
and agitated, as he looked inquiringly from
the picture to me. ''Did you put it there?
Do you know the lady?'' "You recognize
it?'' Eyes, certainly. I haven't seen her
for some years now; but should know that
likeness anywhere" He bit his lip and
paused, and then added, 81 didn't know you
knew her." II don't, answered; 'tand
never knew that such a person had ever
come by her portrait? and why do you bring
it to me"' ''To ascertain if i. really was
the same person." ''Same person as who?
WHAT l don't underestimate
'Why, whether, by any strange coincl-
dence, this lady-ny wife's old friend and
schoolfellow-might happen to be the lady
you once-well, shall say once knew under
very peculiar circumstances" He looked
at me now somwhat angrily as he said:
'See here, old fellow, there are matters
sometimes in mans life that he doesn't
care about having raked up again. l tell
you honestly this is one of them, and don't
quite like this kind of a joke" mo joke,
on my word" 1 continued; land if 1 am
SGuen,ng ON Hny1r11g nnr'.asstIrt, yivaey fet-
give me, for l have purpose. Not that L
imagined you were so sensitive on the sub
Ject, especially as you contemplated turning
it to literary account"
'T?-lterary account? What do you
mean%' he asked Indignantly. 81 should as
soon think of turning cannibal as of turning
anything connected with that young lady to
account, as you call it." 1 was little puz-
zled now; SO l said: 'Well, but who do
you say the young lady is?" ''Her name
if you mean that-was Miss Naughton,
Rose Naughton when knew her; but 1 con-
fess l don't see that because she happens to
be friend of your wife you are warranted
in referring thus abruptly to my acquaint
ance with her."
"My dear fellow cried. 81 had no idea
of this, believe me. L hadn't a notion that
you knew her name, and we are evidently a
little at cross-purposes. But bear with me a
minute longer. Admitting that this is por-
trait of the Miss Rose Naughton whom you
seem to have known, though l never could
have guessed that, just look at it carefully
again and see if it does not remind you of
some one else-some one whom you once
saw, repeat, under very peculiar circum-
stances"
BE bends forward to examine the photo
graph, and presently says, mo" Then
say, "Will this help your memory" and
while he is still looking at the portrait, 1 put
his eyes, an earring "Good God6' he cries,
"what are you up to? What have you taken
this out of the cabinet for?" 81 have not
been near the cabinet if you mean the place
where you keep your jewels" ''Then what
on earth" He hesitates, and, taking up the
earring, walks with it across the room to his
treasure store. cannot help, with my dra-
matte instincts, watching him eagerly; and
it is as good as play to see his surprise and
wonder when, opening the cabinet, he takes
forth the earring he picked up in the railway
carriage, and finds that he has the fellow to
it in his other hand.
Yes; there they are, clearly the pair-two
birds claws, each holding revolving wheel.
''Now look at the portrait again. say,
when he had stood for a moment regarding
me with blank amazement 81 don't say that
you will, because it is a mere speculation,
but do you not see in the portrait of Miss
Naughton something to remind you of the
young lady, your mysterious travelling COM
panionT' He is examining the photograph
again. ''Well, it is very absurd, but really,
now you put it to me, there might be some
thing of the same look in it, and" he pom
ders. ''Was it she, then-Rose-aft all,
that l, in measure, was reminded of that
night? On my honor seem to think it must
have BEEN" Then, turning to me, he asks:
But what is the meaning of all this? Why
40 yol ,sant to know SShether I cam see any
resemblance in this photograph to that girl,
and where, above all, did you get this other
earring from? Explain yourself, for Gods
saker'
Because, as say" replied, cit seems
to me just possible that, if there be such
orrIn l., -
clalrvoyance, or whatever one may choose to
call such Observation-Disclosures. say, if such
things exist, you may have received the
warning to leave your seat as you did through
the mysterious influence of Miss Naughton
herself, for she was in that railway train
that same night, and those earrings belonged
to her." Again the wonder in his face would
have been amusing had it not been mingled
with an expression, of pain. Incredible,
preposterous" he said, a. length. "Yousay
that Miss Naughton is a friend of your
wifeP' =.
Yes; and 1 will explain how came upon
the fact forthwith. Yesterday, as my wife
was dressing, she asked me to fetch her a
brooch from the drawer in her dressing-case
On opening it, the first thing which caught
my eye, amongst lot of little trinkets, was
that earring, and moments examination
showed it to be the counterpart of the one
vice was not easily to be forgotten. Youmay
judge of my surprise, and how it led to my
telling her about your strange adventure
Then we went into the matter, and she, on
her part. told me how the earring had be-
longed to schOolfellow of hers, Rose
Naughton by name, who had lately gone
abroad; and how, two years ago, she had
been in fearful railway accident one even
Ing, while on her way from Peterborough to
q q q T. nrnfh IA,v frx,A &c
had been killed while sitting beside her; how
she escaped, by a miracle, uninjured; and
how, amongst the trifing events connected
with the terrible circumstance, she had lost
,.pne OF her earrings-one of pair that had
been given to her that night by the man to
whom she was engaged, and who was him
. elf killed."
My friends face, with a strange perversi-
ty, seemed for a moment to lose it's panied
expression as uttered these last words. /
resumed: ''When Miss Naughton went
abroad she gave my wife her photograph
that. on the easel-and amongst other souve-
Mrs that odd earring; for it appears the
tragical accident brought about one good re-
suit for her-it cut short an engagement en-
tirely distasteful to her, and into which she
had been forced-well, didn't hear exactly
how; at any rate, she never loved the man
disliked him, in fact, my wife says, and so
uau uO ColupuuCIlOu ABOUT giving the earring
to my wife, who was struck with the quaint
ness of the device. You will readily under
stand how this story instantly associated it.
self with you in my mind. A comparison of
dates and other circumstances left no doubt.
was bound to come and tell you; and |
hope, my dear fellow, you will acquit me
now of an idle intrusion upon your affairs. 1
assure you hadn't the faintest idea that
you knew Miss Naughton by name.
thought you might have seen her, as believe
you did; for assuredly her presence-either
in the flesh or in the spirit, whichever it
was-saved your life." My friend, full of
amazement, held out his hand, and, in shak-
ing mine warmly, evinced more feeling than
l had ever given him credit for.
'Of course, of course, old man. he said.
81 know you didn't mean anything; only l
was taken by surprise, as well 1 might be,
for was tremendously fond of Rose Naugh-
ton once-am so still, for the matter of that
and the sight of her face rather took me
aback. We were half engaged once, cnly |
her old mother broke it off and was angry |
and hasty, and-and 1 dropped them, and |
have been sorry ever since; and then | was |
too proud, and, in short, have made an ass
OF myself. Do you know where she is now? |