The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-08

He finds by incidents on the way home that
some person or persons are eager by any means
to procure possession Of his purchase. On ar
irving at his lodgings, he examines his prize
and finds costumes Of various nationalities, all
marked with the Maltese cross death mask
taken from some person who seemed to have
come to violent end, photograph, coil Of
golden hair and five sheets of paper covered
with mysterious illusions to various localities.
that of a girl SO lovely that Breakspear feels
irresistibly compelled to follow up the mystery in
the hope Of finding her, The same evening he is
surprised to receive visit at his lodgings from
Miss Oakley, who induces him to accompany her
on an errand, which, she says is of danger
CHAPTER lll.-contlnued.
The key and tho Label.
The cabman who drove them seemed
| scarcely to appreciate the necessity for
speed which Miss Oakley had urged so
strongly on leaving the house, for, tho
Breakspear more than once urged him to
hasten the same jog-trot pace was kept
up with the exception Of a squirt or two,
from Seymour street all the way to the
Bottoms. And what was rather odd,
Vivien did not appear now to feel the same
nervous Impotence which had character
lied her manner before the journey was
begun.
At their destination it was Jim who
left the cab and delivered at the door
Of the house in front Of which they
! stopped letter given him by his COM
panion. A servant took it from him, ex-
hibiting no surprise, and Breakspear re-
turned to Miss Oakley without having
learned-or even wished to learn-the
| name Of the person for whom the mys-
FERROUS communication. which had cost
| so much trouble, was intended.
| Instead Of seeming happier now that her
object was successfully accomplished,
Vivien's excitement died away. She be-
came visioly depressed, and was appar-
| emily no longer able to struggle against
some hidden trouble. Breakspear heard
her sigh once or twice, and was genuine
~ sorry for her-so sorry that, being a
warm hearted fellow, he forgave her once
| and for all for the anxiety which her whim
| had caused him.
| The house Of Vivien's uncle, Sir Rich
ard Kennedy, with whom she had lived
| for several years. was in Manchester
| Square, therefore the two had q long
drive together after leaving the Bottoms;
and then Miss Oakley kept Breakspear
| talking with her for some minutes at the
door before she would let him ring. She
had to thank him all over again, many
times, for what he had done for her. and
reassure herself that he did not rnisunder-
stand; that he was not shocked; that
he really, really did not like her any the
less for what she had done. Then she
Idu u Oc6 IudI uc WOulu TcCOllSlueI
and go to Brighton the next day. They
might travel in the same, train-the 1890.
If he would not do this, she would be
Iquite blue, and unhappy, and afraid that
after all he thought poorly of her now.
At last, in despair lest otherwise he
should never be able to get away, Jim
had to say that, if he could possibly ar
range to do so, he would meet her at
\ Victoria in time for the 1880 train to
Brighton. Not that he actually intended
to arrange 1t, for everything unconnected
with certain divine creature unknown
appeared to him uninteresting and irrele-
want. He could send a messenger to meet
Miss Oakley, with regretful note.
Manchester Square and Seymour street
are near neighbors, but Jim decided t.
keep the, cab rather than walk, for tc
do so would save a little time, and he
was foolish enough to feel that every
minute counted. It was as If he had left
his love waiting for him.
At his own house he jumped out quick.
ly, handed up a generous fare, and was
getting out his latchkey, at the door, wher
the cabman called to him:
you've dropped something, SIR
The hanson was a good one, with {
small lamp inside by the aid Of which
the driver was peering down thru The
trap.
Jim could not think what he hat
dropped, but he did not waste time ii
asking questions. He walked back to tn,
cab, looked in and saw q key attached
to paper label, lying on the floor.
No such key had ever been in his pos
session, but 1t probably belonged to Mis-
Oakley, therefore Breakspear picked i
up without hesitation. The blank sid
Of the label was turned towards him, AM
as the hanson drove off the instant tina
the lost property had been retrieved, jim
s could not have examined the latter eve1
s IL 10 10 a
light once more.
Holding the key in his hand, he opene,
the door with his own, which he had al
ready fitted into place when called by tn
cabman. AS he entered, one OF the maid
employed in the house was in the act o
putting on the hall table candles for tn
late-returning dodgers.
"Oh, sir, what a pity you wasn't il
twenty minutes sooner" she exclaimed
with the admiring gaze which all women
Of whatever class, bestowed upon hand
some Jim Breakspear. "You wouldn'
have missed your friend. He waited eve
so long for you, but finally he had t
go away. It can't be more than twe,t
minutes since he went
my friend?' echoed Jim, blankly
What was his Manner
'Mr. Brandon Payne replied the CIR
glibly. For she had been too we'll tippe
not to remember the name of the Upper
= Brakspear certainly knew Mr.. Brandon
Payne, and it was rather a coincidenc
that the name had been mentioned be
tween him and vivien Oakley this yer
morning, for it was not often in hi
thoughts. The Brandon-Paynes-a ga
young married couple-had taken him u
and been mice" to him since his retur
from South Africa, but they were &C
quaintances, rather than friends. Still
there was no reason why Tom Brandon
&; Payne should not have called upon hin
and waited.
by Jove!'' thought Jim, che must hay
seen the photograph, and the curl, to,
What a beastly bore!'
II WAS Mr.. Brandon-Payne here Ion,
did you say?" he added, aloud, to Sallf
the maid.
ooh, yes, sir, that he was. He WASH
ten minutes behind you. and seemed
disappointed. William had gone out Q
4? an Grand SO let him in, and took hi
up to your sitting room"
HAD William given my message abo,
the tablet" Breakspear asked, almo
wishing since there had been a Gale
that sallie had been allowed to remove tt
things-the curl and the picture amor
others.
Eyes, sir. Nothing's been touche
I'm afraid you'll find 1t rather unite
looking. It's notivery late-not much pa.
10, sir; would you like me to come in ar
clear away now, or would you rather wa
till come In the morning to clean up IL
CRATE and lay breakfast 2"