“That’s interesting,” remarked Kent. “Casual female wayfarers aren’t given to quoting _The House of Life_.” “Nor casual ships to visiting this part of the coast. However, there was no ship. I looked for myself, when I was trying to find the woman later. What are you smiling at?” “Nothing. I’m sorry I interrupted.” “She walked away from me a few paces, but turned and came back at once. “‘I follow my star,’ she said, pointing to a planet that shone low over the sea. ‘Therein lies the only true happiness; to dare and to follow.’ “‘It’s a practise which has got many people into trouble and some into jail,’ I remarked. “‘Do not be flippant,’ she replied in her deep tones. ‘Perhaps under that star you move on dim paths to an unknown glory.’ “‘See here,’ I broke out, ‘you’re making me uncomfortable. If you’ve got something to tell, please tell it, kindly omitting the melodrama.’ “‘Remember this meeting,’ she said in a tone of solemn command; ‘for it may mark an epoch in your life. Some day in the future I may send for you and recall to-day to your mind by what I have just said. In that day you will know the hidden things that are clear only to the chosen minds. Perhaps you will be the last person but one to see me as I now am.’” Kent pulled nervously at the lobe of his ear. “Is it possible that she foresaw her death?” he murmured. “It would look so, in the light of what has happened, wouldn’t it? Yet there was an uncanny air of joyousness about her, too.” “I don’t like it,” announced Kent. “I _do_ not like it!” By which he meant that he did not understand it. What Chester Kent does not understand, Chester Kent resents. “Love-affair, perhaps,” suggested the artist. “A woman in love will take any risk of death. However,” he added, rubbing his bruised head reminiscently, “she had a very practical bent, for a romantic person. After her mysterious prophecy she started on. I called to her to come back or I would follow and make her explain herself.” “As to what?” “Everything: her being there, her actions, her—her apparel, the jewelry, you know, and all that.” “You’ve said nothing about jewelry.” “Haven’t I? Well, when she turned—” “Just a moment. Was it the jewelry that you were going to speak of when you first accosted her?” “Yes, it was. Some of it was very valuable, I judge. Wasn’t it found on the body?” “No.”