The Mystery of the Clasped Hands

g upon which was of a neat and legal character. He did not own a halfpenny in the world, so what this could mean he was not able to imagine. Animated by a feeling of curiosity he opene

t when Fensden entered the room. He glanced

matter? You

urned Godfrey. “You have heard me

use every season, and asks when you are going to give up being a

y that I am his heir, in other words that Detwich passes to me, with fifteen tho

r upward of a quarter of a minute

days are over now. For the future you will be able to follow your art as you please. You will also be able to patronize

Future to decide,

written to him. They corroborated the news contained in their letter, and wer

so, however, the former purchased a neat little gold watch and chain which he presented to Teresina, a

w dismantled studio. “Let me know how you get on, and remember

ide, bidding him hurry, or he feared they would mis

have prevented it, a lump rose in his throat as he said it, an

into the street, and jumped into a cab, which next moment started off for the stati

ks in Rome, and found themselves, in the middle of November, at Luxor, looking upon the rolling waters of the Nile. Their sketch books were surfeited with impressions, and they themselves were filled with a great content. They had both visited the

ng the ball of fire descend to his rest on the western horizon of the desert. “The colours have not ye

ave been possible, but circumstances have changed with you. You are no longer the erratic

nate to do with the question

all probability, will also have a stake in the country. She will have great ideas, moreover, connected with what she will term the improv

ession of money — and, by Jove, it’s a very decent thing to have when you come to consider it — must necessar

ise,” Fensden replied. “I think I can de

Godfrey, “I’ll smoke another ci

the girls who live in the country. She will be handsome rather than pretty, for the reason that your taste lies in that direction. She will not flirt, because she will be in love with you. She will be an admirable hou

“and yet, when all is said a

ther was thinking about. Godfrey was recalling Teresina’

ing that you received a letter bearing an Italian post-mark. W

any mystery about it,” Henderso

id the other, with

should she leave England she would let me have her address, and, if she were in need of

consisted of only a few lines and gave the writer’s address with the hope that the

it back to Godfrey, who replaced

e dust of the city, and Fensden because he averred that the sneer on the face of the Sphinx soothed him more than all the luxuries of Cairo. As it was, he sat in th

,” he said. “The work

in the verandas of the hotel, and enjoyed himself immensely in his own fashion. Then one day he received a tele

e added, regretfully: “I suppose our tour must now, li

-morrow week. But look here, Victor, when you come to think of it there’s not the least necessity for you to come, too. It would be no end of a shame to rob y

u, my dear Godfrey,”

ed. “It’s all arranged. When you come home

mail steamer that was to take Henderson as far as Naples. Fensden was beginning to realize that it was by no means unpleasant to have a rich and

nd assuring himself of her comfort in her old home. He had quite convinced himself by this time that any affection he might once have felt for her was now dead and buried. For this reason he saw no possible danger in paying her a

rch of Teresina. Producing her letter from his pocket-book he made a note of the address, and then started upon his errand, to discover that the signorina Cardi’s home took some little finding. At last, however, he succeeded, only to be informed by an intelligent neighbour that the signora w

inquired, when they had greeted each othe

ernoon,” he answered. “I

y name of that country conjured up sad memories. “It is cold and wet

used them both to laugh, but their m

expect that for the future I shall do my work in t

eeks past she had been eating her heart out for love of him? If the whole worl

w wrong of me not to have inquire

rento to-day, but she may be back at any minute. She would have liked to

ce, Teresina, my picture would never have been such a success. Do you know that several ladies, great ladies in England,

was now glaring angrily at him. Teresina had also become aware of his presence, and was visibly affected by it. Whereas

Godfrey asked, in English. “He se

, as if the explanation were sufficient. “

if he would like to eat me. If I may hazard a guess,

ush spread over her face. “Some day, if he i

ll surprised to hear

uth seemed inclined to refuse, but presently he thought better of it, and marched off down the street, l

to England, and therefore, shall only be able to spend to-night in Naples. From the announcements I see they are playing ‘Faust’ at the Opera-House. Wh

delight. In her love of the Op

. “My mother will come, I feel

on to the Opera together. Having settled this, Henderson returned to his hotel, whiled

e both attired in their best, and, so far as colour went, the signora herself was not unlike a bird of Paradise. Teresina was more soberly clad, but Henderson noticed that a necklace with which he had once presented her, as a memento of a certain piece of extra work she had done for him, encircled her slender throat. As he looked at it, he thought of the day on which he had given it to her, and as the remembrance occurred to him, he wondered whet

hen, remembering the circumstances connected with the latter portion of their stay in London, she added, pathetically: “

na to look up at him in surprise, and then to look down again with equal celerity. “I am sure Teresina could get plent

t that moment, could they have seen him, was fast asleep in a railway carriage, on his way from Jaffa to Jerusalem. The signora had never been partial to the impressionist artist and poet, and she had a vague idea that it was to that gentleman’s agency that they owed the flight of the owner, and the consequent cessation of Teresina’s employme

ime. “It would make another great change in our affairs, but Teresina is young, and there is nothing for us to do in Naples. I could wish that she shou

assistance without delay by twitting her mother as to the number of sweethearts she herself had had, much

existed for making a fuss about it. If the silly young man were jealous, the morrow would remove the cause; and after that it would not matter very much whether he were aware of their visit to the Opera or not. With Teresina beside him and the signora on the other side, they entered the theatre and took their seats. The house was crowded, and the Opera itself was received with that critical appreciation so ch

ndon. Do you remember the little place where I first saw you? I think, when

the English fashion. “It was kind of you to think of us,

he had become acquainted that afternoon. He had scarcely entered this, however, before he became aware of a light footstep behind him. Turning quickly, he found a man, whom he immediately recognised, within a few feet of him. Muttering something in Italian, he raised his arm, and Godfrey saw that he held a poniard in his hand. With the quickness of a practised athlete, he seized the uplifted wrist with his left hand, while with his right he d