The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-12
/ was little puzzled now, so l said:
"Well, but who do you say the young

"Her name-if you mean that-was
Miss Naughton, Rose Naughtou when 1
knew her; but l confess I don't see that
because she happens to be friend of
your wife's you are warranted in refer
ring thus abruptly to my acquaintance
with her."
"My dear fellow" I cried, II had no
idea of this, believe me. hadn't no
tion that you knew her name, and we
are evidently little at cross-purposes.
But bear with me a minute longer.
Admitting that this is portrait of the
Miss Rose Naughten 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
circumstances"
He bends forward to examine the pho
tograph, and presently says:
mo"
Then say:
"Will this help your memory?' and
while he is still looking at the portrait, !
put down on the ledge Of the easel, just
under his eyes, an earring.
Good GodP' he cries, "what are you
up to? What have you taken this out
of the cabinet forp
II 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 ear
ring, walks with it across the room to
bis treasure store.
| can not help, with my dramatic in
stincts, watching him eagerly; and it is
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 a revolv-
wheel. -
''Now look at the portrait again." 1
say, when he stood for minute regard
ing me with blank amazement. II don't
say that you will, because it is mere
speculation, but do you not see in the
portrait Of Miss Naughton something to
remind you Of the young lady, your mys-
ferrous travelling companion?"
He is examining the photograph
again.
,'"Well, it is very absurd, but really,
now you put it to me, there might be
something of the same look in. it, and"
He ponders.
"Was it she, then--Rose-after all,
that in measure was reminded OF that
night? On my honor I seem to think
it must have been"
Then, turning to me, he asks:
''But what Is the meaning of all this
why do you want to know whether can
see any resemblace in this photograph tc
that girl, and where, above all, did you
get this other earring from2 Explain
yourself, for Gods sake!"
Because, as / say" I replied. "it
seems to me just possible that, if there
be such thing as ghostly influence, OF
spiritualism, or clairvoyance, or whatever
one may choose to Call such mysteries
because, say, if such things exist, you
may have received the warning to leave
your seat as you did through the mys
terious influence Of Miss Naughton her.
self, for she was in that railway train
that same night, and those earrings be-
longed to her."
Again the wonder in his face would
have been amusing had it not been min
gled with an expression of pain.
Incredible, preposterousp he said at
length. "You say that Miss Naughton
is friend Of your wife'sY'
"Yes; and will explain how I came
upon the fact forthwith. Yesterday, as
my wife was dressing, she asked me to
fetch her brooch from the drawer of her
dressing-case. On opening it, the first
thing which caught my eye, amongst a
lot OF little trinkets, was that earring,
and a moments examination showed it
to be the counterpart of the one you
had SO mysteri6usly come by. The de-
vice was not easily forgotten. You may
Judge my surprise, and how it led to my
telling her OF your strange adventure.
Then we went into the matter, and she
on her part told me how the earring had
belonged 10 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 evening while on her way from Pc
terborough to ball at Grantham-how
two of the party 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 one
OF her ear-rings-one Of pair which
had been given her that night by the
man to whom she was engaged, and who
was himself killed"
/ My friends face, with strange per
versity, seemed for a moment TO lose itl
panied expression IS I uttered these last
words.
resumed:
| "When. Miss Naughton went abroac
she gave my wife her photograph-tha1
on the easel-and amongst other souve
Mrs that odd earring; for it appears the
tragieaI accident brought abuot one gooe