The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-09-14

eyes The silence invited dreams
Voices from the garden reached
her ears. She had forgotten the
tourists GlanclnE swiftly about
her In tho forlorn hope Of escape.
she made a decision.
Along the length OF the Hall she
hurried Toward the statue a.
Pandora. stlll holding her Hateful
marble easket. she gave passing
glance.
Across the farther end Of the
Baronial HAL ran a heavily panel.
ed oak partition. Tho upper pan.
els In this partition we're open.
like a church screen. glying look.
out from the gallery behind Al.
tho oclayia had not visited this
gallery In recent years. Hho rcmem-
borcd we'll tn. secret door that
opened upon tho narrow stairs.
She pushed a little iron button.
partly hidden between two mold.
InEs. Easily tho door opened
since her last visit. a dozen
years ago. this gallery. lighted by
row OF narrow. Saxon windows.
had become n refuge for discarded
things.
OctRvla started. For an instant
shc thought she was looking into
the living eyca OF Ethan Lovejoy.
Upon tho wall in front OF her hung
once familiar portrait II was
The portrait % a woman Bn; the
eyes were the eyes OF tho absent
architect This portrait. IN its
oval frame. had hung In GETAWAY
chamber until Auntie George came
to live NJ the castle.
Meanwhile. about n dozen tour.
lists. guided by Baylisa. an old serv.
ant OF tho castle. had entered the
Hall
Octayia looked ahaentiy thru the
screen. down upon tho tourists
She discovered. gradually. that her
eyes were following the movements
OF one OF the ylEitorH
When BaylisH. followed By his
audience. moved away from this
end OF tho bail. the lady In dark
blue remained behind And when
all backs were turned abe quietly
pressed the hidden bolt and opened
tho panel thru which Oc,avia her.
self had entered the gallery. DC
tavia, IN amaxcment. held her
breath.
Looking thru the screen she saw
tho woman walk rapidly across the
ball TO the statue OF Pandora And
OctRvia's eyes opened yet wider In
astonIshment as che saw the won.
an reach up and insert n hand in
the marble casket. For an instant
the fingers CROPPED about as II in
search OF something. Then they
drew forth folded piece Of paper.
The lady walked rapidly to the
great window. opened with culver.
Ing fingers this bit OF paper and
bent eagerly over e., then Octavia
made swift decision. She ran
down the stairs. pushed open the
panel and advanced toward this
onigmatic being. Tho woman look.
ed MP in surprise. and took a back
ward step
DO you wish to speak with me?"
asked the lady.
II was an unusual voice. smooth.
low and most agreeable TO the car
But even then octavia did not
answer. The more she studied this
strangers face. tho moro pulling
her memories. until at last. she ex.
claimed I'm suppressed excitement:
"Ah, how stupid | know YOU
now know who you are, think
you were my grandfather's second
wife-tho Countess OF Drumworth.
And now" said Octavia. have
you read the note YOU Just took
from Pandora's box. and was It the
one you expected?
II am not asking what IL in the
note merely II II is what YOU ex.
pected. For !. too. took a note from
that box some months ago, and |
cant help thinking there has been
"A mistake--of some kind"
You took a note from Pandora's
box7"
Octavia nodded, and drew forth
tho tateful verse. The ex-countess
bent eagerly forward, looking quick. !
ly from the paper In Octava's fin |
gers TO the one in her own. then
back again.
May | read IT," she whispered |
Octavla smiled. How imperti.
nent VIC both arei"
Il beg your pardon Here" She |
unfolded her paper and gave IL up. |
Octavia, In exchange. delivered |
her own.
The two women. both turning /
slightly away. their backs 10 each /
other, read their respective notes. |
The ono now IN Oc,avia's posses |
sion was written in pencil. What /
she read was this,