The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19

and there aren't many people staying
there, only two lady actresses. and then
there's Miss Hampden-she's a palmistry
person."
Was my beautiful lady al actress?
Thanking the woman for her trouble, I
went home and composed myself to think.
An idea occurred to me.
Why not go and consult the palmistry
woman? 1 should at least get inside the
house, and / might get some mi
from her.
In the evening, with many doubts n
misgivings, / started for K%ensington. 1
knocked at the door of No. Is and they kept
me waiting for a long time before they
opened tia frequent habit with the dwell
ers of Kensington.
could i see Miss Hampden?"
Miss Hampden was engaged just then,
but would I step in?
/ sent in my name. asking IL she would
see me professionally, and the maid re-
turned with the answer:
Miss HamDden will see you in twenty
minutes"
Those twenty minutes were the slowest
/ had ever lived or ever wish to live again.
Twenty, thirty, forty passed-the door
opened and the maid servant appeared. /
followed her across the hall into a small
room cozily and charmingly furnished and
daintily lighted by softly shaded lamps.
A tall figure rose from an armchair. 1t was
my lady.
That was the most uncomfortable minute
1 have ever spent or ever wish to spend
again. Was 1 dense above the average
mortal? Somehow the idea that ''the
palmistry woman" could be my lady had
never for a moment entered by stupid head.
1 suddenly woke I'D to the fact, though,
hat in hand, in the middle of the room.
With an effort I pulled myself together.
II have come to ask you If, in your good
ness. you will unfold to me some of your
mystic power. 1 have heard wonders about
you from som of my friends"
She smiled bewitchingly.
well. yes" she answered. II am very
successful generally in what am able
to tell my friends who consult me-"
We sat down, and she was soon exam
lining my palm with a very learned frown
on her pretty forehead-so earnest was she
that 1t might have been a matter of life
and death to both of us.
1 eagerly looked for the ring. Yes! there
the ruby was on her finger, flashing in the
lamplights-the exact color, shape and size
of those in the necklace.
/ am not quite clear as to what hap
pened then, but somehow in a few minutes
I found myself telling her all about Uncle
Silas and the rubies. and the whole story,
and then / drew out the little velvet case
which held her mothers miniature.
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked
at it, and she bit her pretty lips to keep
back a sob. It was not a long story she
had to tell me. Some time before the For.
tescues had left Beach Manor Janet had
been secretly married to a Major Hamp-
den, who died not many years after, leav.
ing his widow and his little daughter very
badly off.
M mother. just before she died, wher
she gave me this ring, and made me prom.
Use never to part with 1t. told me abou,
a ruby necklace. 1t had been in our fam.
lily for two or three generations, she said
and had disappeared in some strange way
nobody ever knew how-aRd it had never
been heard of since"
About Uncle Silas her mother a told
her nothing. How had the rubies come
to be in his possession? Well, perhaps
for the peace of my dear old uncle's spirit
1t was better not to inquire too closely int
the matter.
We never solved the problem, but we die
settle another question, in a satisfactory
manner, very soon after my visit to my
lady.
In the autumn Janet and / were married
and our most treasured possessions ar,
those blessed rubies."
downright. 1902