Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-05-31

c'eDAy tndnF you. 1nOugn PERM pS you
won't think NE unprste' ul If Isay that
J fear your 1eroism viii. in the end
| avail me nothing." .ss5s1.
NO. no. Cecilr' cried her mother 1T
is wicked Of yon to say such things In
| the face of Gods goodDess.'' q \ ~
",Apd Your courage" said she. turn,
Ing toward me with sad smile. but
cannot expect always t. have this
gentleman near me- Ii the hour of
danger" - .:f4@ " =:
1t was an opening Of which dared
not avail myself, but l managed to say
something net entirely unsuited to the
occasion. And then l boldly asked
what this danger was which seemed to
threaten them, for already seemed
to think that her joys had become
mine. her sorrows mire also.
Il think we owe you an explana-
tion." began the girl. land with your
permission l will begin at the begin
ming and make you acquainted with
what no one on board for a moment
suspects. Hurst is not our real name.
A short time ago my father was MUIR
dered in London under conditions Of
horror and mystery which excited con-
siderable public interest. and as pro-
lection against the curious and the in
quisitivc we adopted another name"
! perhaps ! recollect the occurrence"
! replied, feeling deeper interest than
ever IN these two poor women who,
like myself. were forced to such con-
temptible subterfuge, I'm what part
of London was the crime committed?"
eat the Hotel Victoria. We had just
arrived from Australia. with every
prospect in view of a happy time. when
this cruel deed plunged us into the
very depths Of grief and despair"
"Pardor me-" | said, for now my
pulse was going like mad. worked by
the thoughts which rushed tumultuous-
ly through my brain, but your name
was Hilbury:"
| Yes. Hilbury. You remember the
murder?''
"Only too we'll. And now" contin-
red. warming to my subject ut is only
right that should return confiden e
| with confidence. Not alone do remem-
Der the murder. but l know who COM
mitted it."
"You know?''
Both women uttered the exclamation
in the selfsame breath, and as | looked
at their white. scared faces saw that
the Terror had as strong a grip upon
them as it had upon my father in his
worst days.
Ives, ! know The mark. upon his
forehead was that of the Society. Of the
Hidden Meaning"
The ladies rose painting from the set
tee and confronted me with faces
which were now ghostly in their pallor
know?"
II will tell you. l saw it once upon
my mothers forehead, l saw it later
upon my fathers. 1t would have been
seen upon mine long before this but
for the love Of Providence 1t is called
the writing of Kung and is the symbol
of DEATH"
How do you know? Who are youY'
The girl. pronounced these words
tremblingly and yet defiantly. as
though even l were not above suspi-
cion. thought, though it might have
been only my fancy, that she even, per-
haps unconsciously. crept nearer the
door. Certainly she eyed me in a way
that was anything but complimentary.
Her mother, poor soul. sat pale and
trembling, too much amazed to speak,
Il will tell you. My name is not Gray
at all, but Kingston. and changed it
for precisely the same reason that you
changed yours. | look upon myself as
marked man, and l fear that if any
one heard my name he might remem-
Der the great Windsor mystery or the
Chichester outrage. They killed my
mother first, then my father, and they
have followed me with like intent ev-
err since. That is why am here aboard
this ship under false name"
80 .7Ou are the son Of Captain
Kingstan!"
Eyes You knew him?"
HE was an old friend of my hup-
band. They first met each other fr
China many years ago. He was mixed
up with the Well. we'll, how very
strange it all isv'
Then we went into explanations, and
learned how among the late Mr. Hill
bury's papers letters were found which
connected him with the society. He, it
seems, like many other men in this
world, had had strange, eventful his
tory of his own, and no doubt he and
Bob Kingston had INDUCED in many a
weird carousc on the, China coast.
They were wild days 80 years ago, and
men led strange lives in those outposts
Of civilization. But it seemed strange
shove all things that my father and
the father Of this girl should have met
and caroused, walked the same path
and died the same death. -
We talked for some time longer. I
telling succinctly much Of what had be-
fallen me, and at length We touched
upon the letter which had been deliy-
cred to Miss Hilburys (for Of course the
name Hurst had now become hing
of the past) in the streets Of Port Said.
She 1T once opened her dressing bag
} and, EXTRACTING an envelope therefrom.
handed It to me. s5 5s s.$