The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-17
ct place crowd was collected round
,me one or something apparently OF spe-

ket-place crowd was collected round
some one or something apparently OF spe-
cal interest.
Eve and Waverley went towards the
group, the girl unaware that her father
and Lady Drayton had now been lett far
behind, the young man, agreeably conscious
of the fact.
'.Why, what an extraordinary looking
creature!' Eve exclaimed. when they had
come near enough to see what was going
on inside the circle.
"oh, it's only sidi Mahrez, the mad bell
Dancer exclaimed Waverley; "hes q
great character in Tangier."
Until the young man spoke the air had
been sibilant, with an unoeasing sound OF
little jingling bells, whose delicate notes
rang out shrilly above the roar and hum OF
the market place. Within the circle an
old man-black as a berry and half-naked,
with cows horns on his head, his enla-
Gated body hunger from throat to thighs
with strings Of bells-had been jumping UP
and down, performing strange antics with
his thin legs and arms, his great eyes
rolling, his thick lips chanting barbartc
air in time with the jingling Of his thou
sand bells. But at the sound Of Waiver
ley's voice he stopped as suddenly as II he
had been shot. the bells still vibraingt
His eyes, which had been rolled up under
his wrinlSled lids. so that only the whites
showed, same down and fixed themselves
on the Englishman, then turned to the
lovely girl in white. With an Imperative
gesture he motioned the crowd aside, and
the Orientals scattered before him as II
struck with awe, collecting again at a
little distance to see what would happen
next.
They're afraid Of tho old fellow" said
waverley: they think he's a wizard, and
that he can 'oonjure' their children II he
chooses. But he's harmless old fool,
really, only rather sharp In some ways.
rye given him money for his queer dance
onoe or twice. and Of course he was quick
to recognize my voice. Are you afraid
of him or would you care to stop and
see him go through his dancer
Eye laughed at tho idea Of being afraid.
and said that she would like to see the,
dance. Accordingly it began, and con-
sisted Of extraordinary writings Of the
wiry black body accompanied by strange
croonings, and tho Standardization Of
many bells. AT the end tho old man. ap-
parently GREATNESS, darted forward and
caught Ewes white serge dress.
4: Here, here. mono Of that! exclaimed
lWaverley sharply, confident that his tone
IT not his words would be understood
rive got something for you. Let the
young lady alone" a
But; already Eve. greatly intersBted,
and not in the least frightened, had
Moorish silver which she had got from a
money changer In the bazaars, and held
1t for the old man to take. He grasped
the ooln, but left something In It's place
In Ewes hand. V, E&'G,.. IS
Dlok Knight stood with the ivory knob
OF the stateroom door In his hand, unable
TO believe his own ears. For as long as
1t might take a man to count ten, per-
haps, he was spellbound with surprise;
then he flung the door wide open and
walked into the cabin.
Who's there?" he asked sharply, think
Ing it possible that one Of the watchers
sent on board by the captain of the port
might: have been tempted to do a little
exploring on his own account.
No answer came. The sly, rustling
sound had ceased. The unlighted cabin
was silent with a silence that seemed
deathlike, after that mysterious, unex-
pected stirring, but Dick noticed, or fan
cied he noticed, that the delicate fra
GRANGE which had hung about the cabin
as about all the vanished woman's be-
longings-was stronger than before. His
blood began to run more quickly as he
found his way to the electric light switch
and turned IL on. simultaneously each
full-blown rose In the wreath round the
mirror, and the garlanded hanging from
the white swans beak over the bed,
blazed with pink diamond at it's heart;
the room was suffused with the soft, rosy
radiance intended to enhance a woman s
beauty.
e.. Dick knights eyes travelled rapidly
round the cabin. 1t was empty, and
looked, at superficial glance, exactly as
1t had looked when he had visited it last
cept the wardrobe and the bathroom.
Dick walked straight to the latter,
switched on the light, saw that no one
was there, and returned to search the
wardrobe. With his hand, on the door
which slid into a groove, he had suddenly
an impression that some evil'lfving pres
ence lurked behind the thin wooden bar.
rier, waiting to spring at him when the
barrier should be removed. A chill crept
through his veins, and though he had
proved himself brave man in circum.
stances which try mems souls, he knew
now that he was afraid. Angry, ant
ashamed Of what he mathematical al
cowardice he gave the door a sharp pusl
which sent 1t gliding along its groove
to the very end.
1t moved jerkily at the last, with 6
slight metallic sound, and 1t seemed t.
Knight that there was smother sound
too, like a rustling Of silk. But there wa,
nothing in the wardrobe except the row
{ of dainty dresses, each hanging on
separate hook, the skirts and bodice o
the same costume placed together. Still
the impression of horror remained; SOM
malicious and hideous thing. threatening
evil. There was surely no sound now
and yet Dick imagined the coming an,
going OF a breath. If there were ghosts
he said to himself. 1t was Imaginable tina
they might make their invisible presenc
known in some such eerie and irdehnabl
way as this. BUT, then, there were NJ
such things as ghosts, in this world a
least, and he was a fool to be unnerve
for nothing. He thrust his arm deep Int
the wardrobe. pushing tho delicate dresse
to right and left, determined to make sur
that no ono was hiding in the narros
space behind them. Nothing was there
and yet Dick drew his arm baok suddenl
with an exclamation of establishment
Something cold had touched the bac
Of his hand, and he had received q dis
tinct electric shock. .'s...~ -
ITO be continued Monday.) .-.-
8 AU6UAY. ..