The Amethyst Box

limmering amethyst, I stared at the empty vial and, as a full realization of all his words implied seized my benumbed faculties, I felt the icy

flask in its old receptacle, and then thrusting t

Remember, under all circumstances a

h those?" I demanded when I r

not

oing to do with

could see his fingers w

ew minutes ago. When they have pronounced the old woman dead we wi

mple expectation. Uncons

seen with our heads together-not yet. I am sorry that we two were foun

," I murmured, as muc

w off and hastened into the hall, where the now thoroughly-arou

e. As Sinclair approached, she turned her tirade on him, and as all stood still to listen and add such words of sympathy or disappointment as suggested themselves in the excitement of the moment, I had an oppor

or girl, it was a g

of all discrimination. As I realized my own condition, I concluded that my wisest move would be to withdraw myself for a time from every eye. Accordingly, and at the risk of offending more than one pretty girl who still had something to say c

he went to her room. That is why Dorothy is so overcome. She says it was the violence

quite against my will, I found myself thinking of Dorothy's changed position before the world. Only yesterday a dependent slave; to-day, the owner of millions. Gilbertine would

ghted from end to end, and some effort had been made at a more respectable appearance by such persons as I now saw; some even were fully dressed. All were eng

e able to take their hone

nt, so much worse than either of us anticipated, had awakened in his generous breast, had called out all that was best in his naturally reserved and not-always-to-be-understood nature. A tow

was with perfect confidence I saw him approach and address Gilbertine. She was standing fully dressed at the stairhead, where she had stopped to hold some conversation with the retiring physicians; and the look she gave him in

ne gas-jet and see that the door to the conservatory is unlocked. I require a plac

Somehow, the familiar name of Dorothy would not pass my lips. "Do yo

es

rm line before, yet I had always know

ut up in her own room, under the care

will carry her. I shall wait in the hall till she is seen to enter it

so painful, nay, so serious and so threatening? It wo

r Dorothy, either.) "I shall ask Gilbertine to accompany us, so that appearances may be preserved. I wan

to stay i

will be

ck stru

exclaimed. "Why not

n hour, a moment. I must hear what this young girl has to say in response to my qu

died from swall

olut

hastened down stai

ll partly lighted, b

t I could safely leave Sinclair to hold his contemplated interview without fear of interruption. Then, dreading a premature arrival on his part, I slid quickly out and moved down the hall to where the li

the little spiral staircase which, earlier in the evening, Sinclair had heard creak under some unknown footstep. Had this footstep been Dorothy's, and if so, what had brought her into this remote portion of the house? Fear? Anguish? Remorse? A flying fro

that night, save such as responded to dread and horror. Before going back I paused to look at the detective whose business it was to guard the room. He was sitting very quietly at his post, and if he saw me he did not look up. Strange that I had forgotten this man when keeping my own v

w the two girls descending, followed by Sinclair. He had been successful, then, in inducing Dorot

rendered both so pale and fixed of feature, then their emotion was similar in character and intensity. But if in either breast the one dominant sentiment was fear-horrible, blood-curdling fear-then was that fear co

self and she passed in and the door closed upon the three. I was left to p