The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-27
ASeCret Of the Sea
A MYSTERY STORY.
By MRS. C.. N. WILLIAMSON.
Copyright 1902 by the National Agency
T. eserved.) q. =
By MRS. c. N. WILLIAMSON.

the idea, you might have spirited her
away and demanded any sum you liked
as ransom. 1t would have been rather a
smart way Of making a fortune ir twenty
four hours F.. ".EENs ~
You know Won put me down as lack
ing in genius said Dick, 80 1 am sur
prised you credited me with being up to
such smart ways. confess they're be-
yond me, and + shouldn't have had the
wit" to try that last scheme il you hadn't
given me d present of it, Sir Peter. I'm
afraid I'm not quite as grateful for that
present as I might be; nevertheless, am
very glad that you are here. tt helps
me out Of the difficulty l spoke of, for
there are things which 1 can tell you
which couldn't well be put in "a telegram"
"You have something to tell me, them
asked Sir Peter. quietly ,s"sSome thinS
which concerns Evef2?''' ~, MI 49, =
YES" answered Dick. Ii was difficult
to know how to begin; and to make the
queer, junlbled story sound credible, But
when Dick (only keeping back the fact
! that Eve had sent him a letter. had got
even so far in the narrative as the yelled
Woman's first threats, Sir Peters shrewd
| face took. on a. frown of attentive gravity.
! He listened, without Interruption, until
| Dick came to his one proof that the wom-
| an had not been lying from start to finish;
! the message supposed to have come from
! himself to repeat that message to the
| girls father. but merely said, stammering
! little, that it was. some thing which no
one could have known, except through
her. The woman read me out the tele-
gram" said Dick 'She wouldn't give
1t to me. But the words must have come
from Miss Markham"
What did you do then?' asked Sir
Peter. - :.
Il promised to throw up the whole
business If Miss Markham were handed
over to you. safe and sound. to-morrou.'
BY Jove"' exclaimed the millionaire
| What else could I do? 1 couldn't
doubt after that message that some un-
scrupulous brutes had got her in their
power; and for nothing in the world
would risk harm coming to her. The
woman had me completely under her
thumb, confound her!-and she knew it,"
so you have given your word to stop
| playing the detective?'
Yes; and to leave not only the Xenia
| but Gibraltar"
"All for Ewes sake. Well, I suppose it
was the only thing to be done Had YOU
| got on the track of the mystery? Yet
| you had scarcely time for that
| Nevertheless, I had found some things.
and thought I saw my way towards find
1ngs out more .,. ,~=
III m! Since you're giving up the job,
there's no reason why you should mind
/
being off,
1T isn't off yet Sir Peter" said Dick
when l parted from the woman after
| making my bargain, l had twenty-f -four
hours left me in which I was free to work
1t didn't occur to her, evidently to make
any stipulation about so short an inter.
val Since that time, though it isn't very
long ago, l have made several rather
valuable discoveries, So valuable, indeed
that I'm not quite hopeless of finishing
the whole work tomorrow, being able tc
tell you all you want to know, and-if the
woman keeps her half of the bargain by
returning Miss Markham to you-beins
also in a position to claim the reward"
i You mean the twenty thousand
pounds?' sand Sir Peter.
THAT isn't what I have been workins
for, you may remember. If you recall oul
talk. It was for the chance to win your
of the same mind
"A few days are hardly fair. though
you would be months at work.
| Il believe there was no limit set how
ever. And no doubt a long delay in get
ting at the secret would be annoying fol
you, Sir Peter -.-. :,
No doubt. But it seems incredible tina
you should have got at it So soon
can't believe it, Knight. If you're not
ooastlng, at least you are deceiving your.
SELF
1T remains to be SEEM
| What! You'll tell me nothing now?"
| Il can't, for the best reasons. But
hope they may have ceased to exist by to.
morrow
"You-have learnt something about
Eve Desmond?''
That is one of the things I may have
to tell you after Tomorrow"