The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-21
By MRS. C. N. WILLIAMSON.

knows that you have search to make,
and she wishes that you may have sue
cess. Many strange events are coming to
pass with her, and am TO beg you to
write In your letter the details Of what
you are doing, because though she cannot
tell you yet why or how'll you do this,
she will then be able to help you towards
the end you have In view. Also, I am
to tell your fortune and let her know
whether have seen in my topaz that you
will succeed. But If you viii begin your
letter now and write what the lady asks
I will be gazing into my topaz and seeing
! things IN your future which can put into
words by the time you are ready to hear
them Sometimes at first, can see
nothing in the topaz, but always, If have
time and patience, the vision comes
Dick showed no surprise, but he felt it,
Such message from Eve was almost un-
believable. Sir Peter had not wished her
| to know OF his late secretary's mission on
the derelict, and even If she had coaxed
the truth from him. which seemed unlike
~, it was odd that she should entrust a
| stranger with so private confidence. STILL
if the message had not come from Eve
how could this Moorish woman-this
yelled creature from Tangier-have got
hold of the affair?
He began to write, and when he had
| told Eve many things which We're Of in
| terest to himself and her alone, he sat for
a moment or two with his photographic pen
poised hesitatingly above the paper Then
he wrote:
RI believe I am on the way to discover
! Ing the mystery Of the Xenia, though there
is some uphill work before ME yet, If am
| to succeed 49,
Such a. hint as that could do no harm
| in any case, he thought. To give it, was
not to break faith with Sir Peter; and if
| the Moorish woman were an 1mposter-a
SPY, perhaps-sucf scant Information
| would not help her much.
He finished his letter, and sealed II.
Scarcely had he done 50 when the brown
hand of the woman was laid upon it.
us it ready, monsieur" she asked,
| YES" answered Dick.
! She hid it in her breast. II have seen
| some strange visions in my topaz" she
said.' Twill you hear what I have to
tell?' 49,.
| But the young man did not answer.
His eyes had fallen upon the woman's
treasured fetch.
what is that?' Dick asked, pointing
to the topaz, which lay on the table at
little distance from him.
1T is a magic mirror, in which see
future events reflected answered the
Moorish woman
| II should like to look at it moro close
| ly." said Dick, stretching out an insistent
| hand.
He thought that she started; and in
!
! with curled, brown fingers. "Oh mon
sfeur, it is very sacred she protested.
But Dick was merciless. . He had caught
a glimpse of something which gave him
startling suggestion, and he was deter
mined to make sure. II shall have no
faith in your predictions he said quiz
retly. UNLESS I know what your magic
mirror is like
/ The great dark eyes between the folds
Of white gazed piercingly into his, but
I Dicks face told nothing: He was learn
Ing the important lesson lately of con /.
trolling his features and his voice. For
a moment the brown hand lowered over
the topaz, like bird over it's nest, then
the big square of yellow light was obedi-
entity pushed across the table.
l. Dick took 1t up. and still his face YVES
stolidly blank; but his heart was beating
fast .' x
Yes, 1t was as he had fancied. The to-
raz bore the motto: my honor is nv
life"-the same motto which he had seen
, and found so hauntingly. elusively ia
miliar on the seal in the state room on
the Xenia. This woman was a spy.
He kept his eyes cast down, as he
} pushed back the topaz to it's anxious
} He could guess now what had been the
struggle in the woman's mind when he
r requested to see her magic mirror al
close quarters. She had been afraid to
refuse, yet suspicious as to his motive
; Probably she had hastily asked herself
whether the motto would convey any
meaning to him. had finally decided thai
it was unlikely, and that between tive
evils she must choose the lesser. He
could guess many other things, too
1 among which was the reason why this
yelled creature should have desired to se
on board the derelict; why also she haG
begged In Ewes name for details of his
search: why she had hastily taken pos
session OF the letter before beginning
upon his "fortune"; why she had become
Eve Markham's messenger. But insteae
Of being alarmed at these discoveriel
and these surn11ses Dick rejoiced, with .
quick puls1ng, excited delight Here wa,
a tangible clue at last-a woman corneret
In the secret which he meant to master
\ But more than ever was it vitality i'm
: portant to keep his head, to give, n,
hint OF his suspicions, lest tho bird shout,
take alarm long before the salt was on It
tell. As for the details he had put ii
his letter to Eve he did not regret them
although he was morally sure now that tn
bearer did not intend to fulfill her mis-
sion. >-
That's = topaz. isn't it?'' he inquired
indifferentaN IT should think it wa
rather g. good stone. and you ought to re
a high price for it If you wanted to sci
it," II e~S~
! A>ue. AA1oASiSui, l 10 HOT want Sc
it, replied the yelled woman. .'Throust
1t 1 make my living. Let me tell monsie,l
the visions have SEEM
by all means answered Dick, coollv.
Il have seen q beautiful Young LADY,
who loves you. You will say it is easy 10
me to tell you that. But there is more
monsieur. see a great danger threaten
ing your happiness a dark cloud waitin
ia overwhelm YOU both. Yet you can ayof
the peril. To do SO, YOU have only to leav
Gibraltar, and the yacht on which .vo
live. see there an evil presence whic
N menaces you"
6 The woman's voice and eyes had sud
=, denly become, SO solemn and inpressiv
that Dick could not remain completely col
to their magnetism hFIe knew that sh
was acting with some hidden motive. an
o. that for some purpose Of her own sI
=. wished him to give up the work to whtc
)" he had set himself. Probably. she feare
IL discovery for herself and others wit
lie whom she was connected and it was hi
IL object to lure the amateur detective O
the track Of the secret: still, even KNOWN
this, the strange voice, the strange gag
and the memory Of certain inexplicab
or events of last night combined to produt
Id in Dicks nerves a distinct thrill. Whs
;, could this woman know? How had ST
induced Eve to send her here to hin
ls Perhaps she had read the dear, innocel
i'd little girls letter. just as she meant
q read the letter which she had offered
:. take in return.
~ The thought made Dick hate the brow
ts treacherous hands which were now claspe
g. around the topaZ fencing 1t in as ii Ia