The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-19
Superstition.


HAD gone upstairs for my wraps
my uncle having insisted upon my
Il withdrawing from a scene where
my very presence seemed IN some de-
gree to compromise me-.
Soon equipped and all ready for de-
parture, was crossing the hall to the
small door communicating with the side
staircase where my uncle had promised
to await me, when 1 felt myself seized
before leaving the place in which were
concentrated all my deepest interests.
A wide landing, breaking up the main
flight Of stairs some few feet from the
top, offered me an admirable point Of
view. With but little thought OF pos
all Of my poor, patient uncle, I slipped
down to this landing, and protected
by the unusual height Of its balustrade,
allowed myself a parting glance at the
scene with which my most poignant
memories were henceforth to be con-
/ nected.
! Before me lay the large square Of
the central hall. Opening. out from
this was the corridor leading to the
front library. AS my glance penetrated
this corridor, I beheld approaching
from tho room just mentioned the tall
figure Of the Englishman.
He halted as he reached the main
hall and stood gazing eagerly at a
group Of men and women clustered near
tho freplace-a group upon which l no
sooner cast my own eye than my atten-
tion also became fixed.
The Inspector had come from the
Foom where had left him with Mr..
Durand and was showing to these peo-
pie the extraordinary diamond, which
he had Just recovered under such re-
markable, if not suspicious, circum-
stances. Young heads and old were
meeting over it, and I was straining
my ears to hear such comments as were
Mr: Grey made quick move and l
looked his way again in time to mark
his air Of concern and the uncertainty
he showed whether to advance or re-
treat.
Unconscious Of my watchful eye, and
noting, no doubt, that most Of the per.
sons in the group upon which his own
EYE was leveled stood with their backs
towards him. he made no effort to dis
guise his profound interest in the stone
His eye followed it's passage from hant
to hand. with a covetous eagerness Of
which be may not have been aware, ani
q was not at all surprised when, afte1
a short interval of troubled indecision
be impulsively. stepped. forward ant
q begged the, privilege Of handling th'
~ gem himself.
W Our host, who stood not far from tn
Inspector. said something to that gen
tleman which led to this request being
complied with. The stone was passel
over to Mr.. Grey, and saw, possibl,
because my heart was in my eyes, tha
touched his palm. Indeed his Who'll
frame trembled, and / was lookin
eagerly for the result Of his inspectio
when, on his turning to hold the jewe
up to the light, something happened g
abnormal and so. strange that no on
who was fortunate, or unfortunat
that instant will ever forget it.
This something was a cry, comm
from no one knew where, which, u1
earthly in it's shrillness and the powe
1t, had upon the imagination, rang RI
Herbrating thru the house and die
away IN wal a wall 50 & W1erd' SO thr5llln
only my own nerveless and weakene
heart, but those Of the ten strong me
eongregated below me. The damon
dropped from Mr.. Grey'ss hand, an
neither he nor any one else moved
pick it up. Not till silence had con
again--a silence almost as unendurab
to the sensitive ear as the cry Whic
had preceded 1t, did any one stir
think of the gem. Then one gentlems
after another bent to look for it, b1
with no success, till one of the waiter
who possibly had followed it with h
eye OF Caught SISuC VI iIS SpdIhI6 I
the edge Of the rug, whittier it hs
rolled, sprang and picked it up al
handed It back to Mr.. Grey.
Instmctively the Englishman's hal
closed on it, but it was very evident
me-, and I think to all, that his intere
In it was gone. If he looked at it
did not see it, for he stood like O.
stunned all the time that agitated M
and women were running hither al
thither in unavailing efforts to loca
the sound yet ringing In all ears. N
till these various searchers had all COZ
together again, in terror Of q mystic
they could not solve, did he let /
hand fall and himself awake to t
scene about him.
The words he at once gave utteran
to were remarkable as all the rest,
Gentlemen said he, "you MI
pardon my agitation. This cry
need not seek it's source, is one
which I am only too we'll accustom,
I have been the happy father Of
children. Five T have buried, and,
fore the death of each, this same
has echoed in my ears. have but c