The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-07


rlving at his lodgings he examines his prize
and finds costumes OF various nationalites all
marked with the Maltese cross death mask
taken from some person who seemed to have
come to violent end, photograph a coil of
golden hair and five sheets of paper covered
with mysterious illusions to various localities
dates and sums of money.
~. CHAPTER II.-(contlnued.)
What 6reakspear Found In the Portman-
teau.
The month was April, but the day was
cold, and Breakspear sat down In a big,
shabby easy chair by the remains Of what
once had been his stting-room fire, and
with an ancient but beloved briarWood
pipe between his white teeth, endeavored
to, think out the situation.
BY this time he had lost all interest In
the trip to Brighton. He had not only
forgotten that he had imagined himself
on the point Of falling in love with Vivien
Oakley, but. had he been accused of such
thing, would strenuously and with abso-
lutte belief In his word, have denied
it. He no longer wished to go to Brighton.
There would be far more pleasure to be
got from staying in town and watching for
developments in the affair of the port
manteau, and this pleasure he decided to
indulge himself in taking. But, of course,
he must write to Miss Oakley, who would
be expecting him--if she thought OF him
at all-and tell her that he was ''un-
avoidably prevented" from coming.
In spite Of Jim Breakspears extreme
good looks, which would have made many
men unbearably conceited, he was a mod
est fellow, and that was the way he put
the matter to himself In regard to Miss
Oakley. She would have a right to eX-
pect him-if she thought about him at all.
And he hardly believed that she would
think about him much" She was SO pop
uiar and handsome. and had so many
other chaps dangling around her, every
one Of them more important In the social
scale than an eX-coWboy and volunteer
Of Yeomanry. Still, he would write let
ter this evening, and she would get it In
the morning. Perhaps he would send her
some flowers, too.
Having resolved upon this course, Jim
could not resist taking out the photo
graph and curl and looking at them again.
1t seemed to him that the girls face was
even more divine than he had considered
It at first Life would hardly be worth liv-
ing unless he were doing all he could
moving heaven and earth-to find her.
When he had thought and smoked for
a time. he packed the contents of the
portmanteau in their old places, with the
exception Of the photograph and the
memoranda. Even the grim death mask
went back into it's napkin and It's paper
wrappings. Then he pushed the port
manteau into a deep wardrobe built into
the wall and locked the door The key
until after all this was done that he
wrote the letter to Miss Oakley-a short
letter, hypocriticaly saying how sorry he
was not to be able to see her as he had
hoped.
it was dull dining In even the best lodg-
ings alone, and Breakspear was in the
habit OF going to some restaurant wher
he had no invitation for the evening; but
tonight he felt that 1t would be more
congenial to his mood to stop at home
4 y0,Ic, Ill
usual dinner hour, and he had given nj
orders; but his landlady and his landlady':
cook were accommodating souls (the!
really admired him immensely and woulc
have done anything for him. had he beer
aware Of that), and he would ask for NJ
more than outlet or something simple o
the sort.
So he rang, and made his request to tn
servant who answered the bell He woul
like dinner at eight-anything would do
meanwhile he was going out on an errand
The GRAND was to post Miss Oakley
letter and buy her some flowers. He di
not know what her favorites were, bu
she was an expensive looking girl, tn
sort Of girl who made man feel sh
would like best the things which cos
the most money, whether they were tn
prettiest things or not Owing to the colo
lilac had not yet begun to blossom |
England; therefore it was not to be ha
cheap. Jim bought quantities Of whit
lilac, and dozens Of pink and pale pull
pie orchids. If a peace Offering were re
CURED. he hoped that the big box h
sent off. to the country house near Br1gh
ton would be accepted as such.
He liked dressing for dinner whethe
he was to be alone or in company, and h
dressed tonight with the photograph {
the unknown propped up against the mil
ror before which he tied his necktie. An
when he had bought Miss Oakeys flow
ers, he had been sentimental enough
bring home some for the picture, TO +
placed as If before shrine. 1t had bee
comparatively easy to choose for Mis-
Oakley, but nothing seemed good enoug
for the beautiful unknown, whom he pre-
tended, in a boyish way, he was enter
tanning as his guest. She was not Of til
type who would like things because
good deal Of money had been spent upo
them so at last he had selected for hi
shrine the flowers which he himself like
best-fragrant. moon-white day lilies sue
as she held in the photograph.
When he was dressed. he filed a vas
with water and put the lilies in ait. TT
vase he placed on the table already 81
for his dinner; and when the depresse
imam servant" had brought in the d,
sired outlet and departed, Breakspes
poised the photograph among the lille
where 1t shone out fairer than they.
IT shall get a good frame for it t.
morrow he said to himself. Zone
those pretty things with turquoises stu,
ded all over them that saw in Boz
street the other morning. It wouldn't
too large for my pocket in one of tho
keep it there. I wouldn't stir out of tt
house unless took it with me. One car
tell after to-day, what might happen"
With his eyes on the photograph,
raised a glass Of wine to his lips.
drink to you, beautiful princess" he e
claimed, aloud "and to my own luck
luck to find you. Luck to win you,"
was about to finish, when knock car
on the door. Hastily he set down t
winegass-so hastily that few red dro
were split on the tablecloth, and involu
tarily his hand went out to snatch aw
the photograph, which was far too sacr
to be seen by the eyes of a stupid Sc
want laundering In when he was n
wanted.
But the impatient one outside did n