"Of course I'm not."

"Then you shall look into the crystal and try to see what I saw. I

will not tell you. You shall try to see for yourself. You may succeed,

if I help you. Now, try to free your mind from every thought, and look

earnestly. Look!"

I drew the globe towards me from under her fingers.

"Rum!" I murmured to myself.

Then I strenuously fixed my eyes on the glinting depths of the

crystal, full of strange, shooting fires; but I could see nothing

whatever.

"No go!" I said. "You'll have to tell me what you saw."

"Patience. There is time yet. Look again. Take my hand in your right

hand."

I obeyed, and we sat together in the tense silence. After a few

minutes, the crystal darkened and then slowly cleared. I trembled with

an uneasy anticipation.

"You see something," she breathed sorrowfully in my ear.

"Not yet, not yet," I whispered. "But it is coming. Yes, I see

myself, and--and--a woman--a very pretty woman. I am clasping her

hand."

"Don't you recognize the woman?" Again Emmeline's voice vibrated like

a lamentation in my ear. I did recognize the woman, and the sweat

stood on my brow.

"It is Rosetta Rosa!"

"And what else do you see?" my questioner pursued remorselessly.

"I see a figure behind us," I stammered, "but what figure I cannot

make out. It is threatening me. It is threatening me! It is a horrible

thing. It will kill me! Ah--!"

I jumped up with a nervous movement. The crystal, left to itself,

rolled off the table to the floor, and fell with a thud unbroken on

the soft carpet. And I could hear the intake of Emmeline's breath.

At that moment the double portière was pulled apart, and some one

stood there in the red light from the Japanese lantern.

"Is Mr. Foster here? I want him to come with me," said a voice. And it

was the voice of Rosa.

Just behind her was Sullivan.

"I expected you'd be here," laughed Sullivan.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024