The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-26
CHAPTER xIII-contInued,
Dick Gives His Word.

He could not deny, and dared not slight
| it. To save Eve he must do a thing which
babe fair to close and lock the iron gates
of the barrier that held them apart
| 1.-The moment that Miss Markham has
been safely returned to her father Dick
said. heavily, II will leave the Xenia and
Gibraltar and let the secret of the dere-
lict Alone -@ @.."
Good" answered the woman Il ask
no more. Tomorrow morning very early
there is boat I will go away by 1T.
And you shall hear before another night
that the time has come to keep your
word You are English. you are gen
tleman, and you will keep it." .~-.:'
Dick did not answer. He was thinking
that there were twenty-four hours IN
which he was still free to tear out the
heart Of the mystery-if he could. -
1t was no longer necessary to keep the
woman in sight. She must now produce |
Eve, well and unframed, within twenty |
four hours, If she expected to win the |
game she had been so skilfully playing, |
and as Dick had had proof of the kid |
| mapping, the woman might. provided she
3 did not try to steal on board the Xenia
for further exploration, dispose as she
pleased Of her time.
: hours!' The words kept repeating them
selves over and over in knights head
+ when he had let the white figure fit out
Of his sight. In twenty-four hours this
Z
|. be over in one way or the other. In
4 twenty-four hours he might without
I breaking his promise, turn the tables
1 upon the enemy.
0 That in itself. even If there were not
J. 80 much at stake would be a keen sat-
isfaction. He had been outwitted, prac-
tically brought to his knees, by woman
i who Though he had torn the material
veil from her face) kept her identity and
= her intimate surroundings still hidden
= as behind a veil Of mystery. To outwit
= her in his turn would be sweet, and he
= would have bartered his right arm for
- the brain of a LIE Coco, the exchange to
!; be made within the hour
~ He remembered, in the midst of his
~ anxiety for Eve that he had not yet
written his letter Of inquiry to Madame
Lucette ct Gle. at Naples. Now since
n the need for haste pressed desperately,
~ it occurred to him to telegraph fully-de-
~ scribing the dresses he had meant to
send, and asking for reply to all his
questions, also by wire. He wrote out a
telegram almost as long as a letter. Cal
culating the cost. he found that it would
y; be close upon three pounds, and he pre-
~ pared an answer of the same length.
=. After this followed another long inter-
10; "a val of waiting. Dick returned to the
20 Xenia, having arranged that any tele-
w. w. gram which arrived should be sent out
~ to him.
~ Evening fell, and he was busily trying
~ to work out a new theory which he had
10 begun to test in the dead owners state
al room, when one of the new men knocked
~ at the door announcing telegram. Dick
IN took 1t. and tearing it open as he spoke
h. directed that the bearer should wait ir
case there were a reply to send back
to shore. - - "-".s.
The man disappeared and eagerly Dicl
h. read the answer from Mime. Lucette O.
u Naples:
Lrt Costumes described made about tw'
is, months ago for young American lad.
zee named Arnold. said to be great heiress
o. as part Of trousseau for marriage witt
Don Stefano Dorrebianca, gentleman o
great Roman family. The marriage di
= not take place. Miss Arnold left Maple
- suddenly before time arranged for wed
u ding. Reason for breaking engagement
III and disappearance unknown here, blu
cause Of much gossip at time. There wa
some suspicion Of elopement with for
eign nobleman, name not known, but Mis-
Arnold had been seen talking at door {
hotel and walking with extremely hand
some, distinguished man Of middle ag'
dressed like yachtsman She was an OF
phan travelling with lady companion, ais
American, who went away quietly q
same time as Miss Arnold but probabl
not same destination, as companion WE
supposed to have sailed alone on shl
which goes between Naples and Bosto
u. S. A. Unfortunately, have no furth'
X Observation-Disclosures
Dick did not stop to think over the 81
uation seen by this new light, but ra
10 up on deck to tell the messenger who he
ism brought the telegram that he need NJ
in wait The hour was early, but the mig
"a ca was prematurely dark, for a storm W;
gathering and the moon was not yet Il
The messenger was given Tip tn
dis pleased him. and returned to the sms
me boat, in which sat single rover who
fr.a form was dimly visible as Dick leant
the rail and looked down. The two m
were also watching the departure of t
. boat with an air Of languid intere:
4. Funny thing" Knight heard one say
the other. II thought I saw third pc
son in the boat as it alongside
somebody wrapped in a big black clio
Al lying in the stern. But I must have ma
ASs mistake, I suppose, for there's or
. the two now-the chap rowing and
telegraph chap
ap- "That's all there ever was, accord
that to- my reckoning answered the, 9th
for II didn't see no figure in a black clos
but The queer things you've heard about t
seat mere little craft nave Upset yo''i o1eeS'
rse a. bit. mebbe.'
ROT growled the first. Il amt
: , more upset than you are 81.
a..J Dick moved away. attaching no imp
49, lance to the argument. his whole mind
.eee the moment on the telegram, and what
-les, would mean in his investigation. Z
anu gossip it reported concerning the love
air, fairs of a young American heiress thr
any no light upon the dark mystery of
the derelict. but it confirmed Dicks opin
q ~, that the unknown lady Of the Xenia
,,,o1- mot been Sir Peter Markhan's adored
- - Desmond. lost seven and-twenty, We
>, " ago. Between the case of Eve Desm
ltns. and that of the American, Miss ARM
with there was. however, one curious coir
.aves dence. Each had vanished on the eve
oorer her wedding. and left no trace beh
the Could it be that the owner, of the Ike
r. are had been responsible for both these dis
ming pearances WIN al 'h's A+ w H thoIsht
the centuiS 20 49, re- nas-,ond.s nl,,
SUN graph in his watch and who used 70
seal the motto so baffingly familiar
tting Dick Knight, doomed more than ever m
the terious in his mind. Most Of Dicks $
puri- misses and deductions had been brough
trial bear upon the dark personality OF a Pc
aud BILE murderer. Now the dead owner
g.. the yacht suddenly stepped forward
~ took his place as the leading figure OF
,ylnS strange drama, played behind a concea
REM curtain on the stage Of Dicks fancy.
neral man whom he had never seen. capt,
ferer his imagination. and fired his passion
ring, seize the elusive mystery.
Because Of this new incentive ne
hen. turned with keen zest to the work Y
,ra Il which he had been engaged when the
w. mI,x~