The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-18
AT NINE O'CLOCK
BY James ". Unite.

Lady Margaret, am here this steamer
to-day because knew you were to sail on it.
/ am here to say something to you, and you
| cannot go until I have spoken
| The girl had snatched away her arm and
/ faced him proudly as she drawled with slow
i-insolence:
! Did you not receive payment in full for
your work?''
! A look of such poigant suffering crossed his
mobile face that a flush of shame rose to her
/ own cheeks.
/ His voice was fun of reproach as he re-
! Piled
lis it Kind to taunt me with the fact that
| I had to sell my genius for shillings and
| pence? You were not when you were my
| model. You were not only pleased with my
| work as an artist, but fondy hoped that
| had found favor in your eyes man.
l. Perhaps her heart responded to his words.
| but only pride of race showed in her voice as
she answered holly ! ..Sir, have you lost your
| senses?' and walked away like an injured
queen.
! Half an hour later the wrathy Sir William
| hunted UP the sculptor and said:
| SHOULD you speak to my daughter again
| while this voyage lasts I will appeal to the
Icaptain to have you locked up in your state
room: -
i..sir william replied signor Albano re-
| spectfully but imploringly, do not drive me
I to DESPERATION
l
For the next few days Lady Margaret often
! felt his sad, imploring, eyes fixed upon her,
| but he did not again venture to approach
| her
| The fifth evening note delivered at
her door Almost Immediately following Sig
| nor Albano made his appearance in the
| smoking-room. He carried a revolver in his
hand: His face pale and his eyes blazing.
T. Gentlemen he said to the dozen loungers
! in the room. Il must trouble you to go out.
| In the next half hour l may receive note.
| If do all will be well; if I do not, we will
! all go to the bottom together at exactly 9
| o'clock.'
| There was hurried scuttling of the smok
! ers. The whole ship was soon in commotion.
discussing plans for his capture. But he was
armed and evidently mad and hence must be
cajoled rather than forced.
At quarter to he called to the whispering
group outside the saloon door: Gentlemen,
we have fifteen minutes left. warn every
one not to hasten the calamity by tamperng
with my stateroom door. If you open that
door, you will explode thirty pounds of dyna-
| mite at once.
| There was something theatrical about it all,
and yet the menace in the Italians voice
brought a stliver The captain made a sign
| to the ships carpenter, and they silently went
| below Avoiding the fatal door, the carpenter
! fevershly; began work on the room partition.
| 1t seemed hours before he had cut hole
large: enough TO allow his body to slip
| through. Just clear of the door was the sig
| nor's steamer trunk. Two wires ran from the
| door to the trunk. and from the interior came
noise like the ticking of clock When the
| wires had been cut, the captain said:
| v''Softly, now. Up with the cover. All!
| Here is the clockwork, and a handkerchief
among the wheels does the business
At the same moment the report. of a revolver
| rang out. Upon the saloon the clock was
| Dointing to O. The mad lover had pressed the
: weapon to his temple, pulled the trigger and
fallen back corpse. The whte-faced passen-
gers waited tremblingy for another report,
but instead they heard a woman's cry. The
Lady Margaret had fallen, fainting, in the
! doorway.
Was there dynamite in the trunk Truly.
ninety pounds of it. But for the GOODNESS Of
the captain 400 lives would have been sacri-
| feed to the disappointment Of a mailman
And did the Lady Margaret yield at the last
moment? That is the secret locked in her
! own proud heart.