The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-27

it. away with me. II had right to it. |
Come below where we can have plenty OF |
light. All, if could only tear away that
Veil Of mystery that has hidden her from |
me for so long and find my daughter Eve
at the same time!' i35I
Is Sir Peter took Dick by the arm to hurry
him to the companion. All was dark on
the yacht, save for the usual riding light
aloft. The two> men were standing to- 4
gether near the bow, talking in low voices, |
as Brown and, his mate had talked last
night Dick wondered, as he and Sir
Peter went below, whether they had had
any experiences resembling those of their
predecessors to discuss. The electric
light on the Xenia was generated by a 1
petrol motor OF a. rather peculiar make.
and such a quantity Of electricity had
been stored up that, with the short hours
during which lights were required, Dick |
had not found it necessary to set the en-
CINE to work since he had been on board. I
But now, when he attempted to switch
on the lights in the saloon he got no re-
suit. and he and Sir Peter remained in
darkness. .&% - r
1.-THE accumulators are exhausted, ex-
pect.' said Dick. 1.-THE men have got
the lanterns. but know there are plenty
Of candles in the storeroom, for I've seen
them, and if you'll wait here for a few
minutes, Sir Peter Ill fetch some.'
He CROPPED his way along through the
dark. and it was impossible not to recall
his old experience of the night before; the
silky rustic and the feeling Of something
slippery that moved from under his fin
gers. He had not mentioned this matter
to Sir Peter, nor had he repeated the
story told by the man. There had been
other, things of far greater Importance de-
manding all his attention. ~
Luckily, he had come this way SO. often
that every step was familiar, and after
two or three minutes of cropping he had
reached the storeroom door. He knew ex-
actly where the packing case stood, and
was avoiding it as he took the direction
which would lead him to the shelves, when
a figure, blacker than the darkness. sprang
out of a. corner and rushed past him
through the door. - -
Dick followed, but the figure eluded
him, and was almost instantly swallowed
up in the gloom. He tried the electric
light switch in the larger gallery, hoping
that, after all, something had gone wrong
in the saloon and the power was not ex-
hausted. But no light came. and he was
obliged to go back to the storeroom and
search until he found the candles, as it
would be futile to attempt a further chase
in the dark. He took half a dozen, which
he put in his pocket, lighting one with a
wax vesta from his own match box and
holding 1T up before him as he went back
to the saloon. ,.'t = -'f- ..a
In the doorway he found Sir Peter.
What was it - the latter exclaimed in "a
sharp. excited voice.
II don't know said Dick 1T was in
the storeroonl. Which way did it go?'
II can't tell you,'' returned Sir Peter.
Il only know that it brushed past me.
1 saw it., black for an instant in front Of
an open portfolio, and then it seemed to
vanish
According to the men the Xenia's
haunted, but I don't believe in the ghost
theory" said Dick "And yet this yacht
has been searched from stem to stern.
Well, we must search again.
| They did as we'll as they could by the
aid Of a faring candle apiece, but found
| nothing. and Sir Peter was half inclined
| to think that one Of the men must have
played them trick. Knight had no al
tentative theory to offer, and impatiently
they abandoned the hunt.
1T can't be anything else" exclaimed
Sir Peter, impatiently IF I were you,
I should complain to the captain of the
port. The things not worth arguing over
| Let us go back to the business that
brought us here. Fetch the candles
closer. That's it: hold them up-so! I
I couldn't bear to let any eyes but mine
look at her picture at first. know 1 am
a sentimental fool, and wonder at my
self because for a good many years SEN
4 tinlent and have been strangers. Now !
realize, though, that I made a mistake.
You were here to find out what I wanted
/ to know, and I ought not to have let
i you be handicapped" He took from a
pocket Of his waistcoat the gold watch
which Dick had seen on the owners
| dressing table the first night on board
!; the derelict. Half-reluctantly he opened
the case, gazed for a. second or two at
something inside, and then held out the
watch, open, for Dick to see the photo
graph of Eve Desmond.
The light was dim and uncertain The
younger man brought one Of the candles
nearer; he bent his head over the watch
and then drew back with cry of in
! credulous establishment.
You recognize the Photographic ejac-
ulated Sir Peter. Eve Desmond is the
woman who was on board. this yacht
Let me see the picture again." said
Dick, in a low, strained voice putting
out his hand for the watch. Il want to
make sure. lit seems almost too
strange to be true and yet-and yet -
He looked closely at the. photograph and
seemed to have forgotten everything else,
until the other brought him back to him
| self with an abrupt question:: -.
i why too strange to be true?' he asked
sharply. rs anything too strange to be
true in this queer world?'
"Sir Peter Dick said, slowly, "wheth-
err this is picture Of the Eve Desmond
you once loved 1 can't tell. But if that
is true Eve Desmond-was my mother!
| Your mother Impossible!'
The words rang out sharp and clear,
with a note Of anger in them. And there
were anger and incredulity in Sir Peter
Markham's eyes as we'll
Go be continued Tomorrow r.,
| 49,.
Have You Made Arrangements
| Pa