The Mystery of the Clasped Hands

ted as to what he should do to help her. That the girl was in serious trouble, he had not th

me he reached his hotel he was quite worn out. The nigh

he said, sympathetically; “is t

, I should be very much obliged,” Godfrey said,

e in search of the refreshment, which he very soon brought back. Godfrey d

s he wound up his watch; “poor little girl,

Teresina’s troubles were over, that she

h he had only been absent from it a little more than twenty-

y,” said his mother, as the

I had a hard day’s running about yesterday. That is all. Yo

with Fensden, and informed her that the latte

ut him up in the south wing in order that he may be near you. The wall-pa

id Godfrey, with a laugh. “He declares that he is so tired of travelli

ur honeymoon, the mere sound of the French language gave me a headache. I never hear it now witho

you that she would be very pleased to come over to meet Fensden on Sa

er shook

o be married to the man of her heart, the collection of her trousseau becomes a labour

the compliments you pay him, he would become insufferably conceited. And n

only been parted for a day, they seemed to have a hundred things to tell each other. There were, moreover, certain important matters to be discussed connected with the internal arrangements of the house of which she

o have done?” he asked, when they had made the tour of ins

her lover. “I very much doubt if ever there was a girl so spoilt as I. Yo

,” he said seriously. “I hope I shall

my own sake, you must not be. I do

” he said. “To me you wi

think we must make it a rule to avoid every sort of c

ill try,” he returned. “And now come with me to

is t

ay through the conservatory to the room of which he had spoken.

referring to the picture he had reve

ood of you! What a

his engagement had been announced. He had intended it as a surprise, and in the plea

said, and rewarded him in a manner that wo

want you to show me a photograph of your friend, Mr. Fensde

. “I have a photo which was taken in Rome,

rom it a packet of cabinet photographs. They were, for the most part, likenesses of old

said, seating herself in wha

it attentively. Then she repl

do you think of him?” Godfrey asked, as he turned

to say what I think, there is something in it, I can not tell what, that I do not care about. I fancy the eyes are set a little

e a little too close together. But you must wait until you have seen the man

he answered, taking it up and looking at it

,” said Godfrey. “I am goi

the man who was to be responsible for his absence. It is not always that a sweetheart is any too well disposed toward her lover’s bachelor friends. For some reason, Fensden’s photograph had prejud

that he might show him how great was the difference between the sketch the other had drawn of his future wife that night in the desert, and the reality. I fancy if England had been searche

r would be able to suggest a way in which he might assist her. By the time he had arrived at this reflection, he had reached the station, and the groom was standing at the horse’s head. Having placed the reins under the patent clip, he descended from the cart and went on to the platform. The station-master saluted him respectfully, and infor

le of the door. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you! I am afr

ection of the gate. Victor was attired in a magnificent travelling ulster, and a neat deer-stalker’s hat. An orange-coloured tie peeped from the opening under his beard,

saw you?” Godfrey inquired as they

avel,” Victor replied, somewhat ambiguously. Then

e you. She has read your poems and has seen your portrait;

almost a sneer in his voice. “Since she is with you, I presume your mother

ed. “As a matter of fact, I don’t know that they altogether mind. They both prefer London, and when they return from the

e, and if I had fifteen thousand a year and a fine estate I might be tempte

tha

. “One who might have done and who did not — who dro

abuse himself in this fashion. “If you are going to talk lik

rs they had met, which lasted until they had passed through the lodge gates and were well on their way across the pa

ew of the house. “I can very well understand your liking for a country life when you po

that during his lifetime he was disappointed in me because I took to painting instead of becoming a country gentleman. I wonder what he would s

olent start, fol

ontinued: “I am afraid that if your idea were possible our human affairs would become somew

teps and the two men descended from the cart. The

g forward to meet him. “It is a long time since we have

do you do, Miss Kitty? Events advance too quickly with all

e which is only crossed by a girl when she performs the mysterious operat

ad been annihilated, “let me have the ple

other, and Victor offered

said Mrs. Henderson, hospitably. “You must

e substantial,” put in Godfrey. “I noticed

“After the warmth of the East our Engl

ining-room and placed the sp

ured out an amount of brandy for himself that made Godfrey open his eyes in aston

irst?” Godfrey inquired, when the other had tossed

irst,” Victor answered, glancing complacently a

atter’s luggage had been conveyed. It was a pleasant apartment, looking out on what was called the Ladies’ Ga

about to marry a beautiful girl; you have wealth, success, and everything

ke others so. And that reminds me, Victor, I want to have a talk with

e. As he heard what Godfrey said, the brush fell from his hand upon the

u must have been mistaken. I t

peated. “I could not have been

ime did yo

dnight,” his f

signora is dead and th

ade her good-bye in your studio before we went abroad. And so the pretty model is marr

from it. Her husband as w

that fact to be not altogether a matter for sorrow.

uld not tell me anything further. The

ctor. “That is usually the way one soothes t

er. “I wanted to help her, but she would not let me. Every time I offered my assistan

?” said the other. “Do

d I not ha

into their case, “circumstances have somewhat changed

girl to object to my doing what I coul

iful girl the situation becomes slightly changed. However, don’t thin

hat you take no more interest in Teresina’s fate t

er, and which eventually resulted in our leaving England for a time? Had you not taken such an interest in Teresina then, I doubt very much whether I should have seen Cairo

on the other’s shoulder. “We must talk it over some time and see w

suppose, of the ori

e me believe that she had plenty of work, and that she did

re is sh

d. It is a miserable place, mainly occupied by

ck to town I will look her up. It will

stairs together and en

a hundred?” said Kitty, pointing to a table on which some twent

“What new virtue have

for you just after you left for the station, and yet she would not open them herself or allow me to do so until you

satisfied,” he said. “But we must begin w

s, serviette-rings, or silver sweet-dishes,” said

ing flasks, silver sandwich cases, cigar and cigarette holders, and articles of a similar description. At last they came to the curious-looking box to which Kitty had referred. It was oblong in shape,

dagger paper-knife, which he took from a table close at hand. An unpleasant odour immediately permeated the room. A folded sheet of newspaper covered the contents, whatever they were, and this Godfrey remove