Neither Mr. Clifford nor his daughter said anything after he had gone.
Benita appeared to occupy herself in fixing the broad gold coin to a
little swivel on her bracelet, but while she did so once more that sixth
sense of hers awoke within her. As she had been afraid at the dinner on
the doomed steamer, so again she was afraid. Again death and great fear
cast their advancing shadows on to her soul. That piece of gold seemed
to speak to her, yet, alas! she could not understand its story. Only she
knew that her father and Jacob Meyer and--yes, yes, yes--Robert Seymour,
had all a part in that tragedy. Oh! how could that be when he was dead?
How could this gold link him to her? She knew not--she cared not. All
she knew was that she would follow this treasure to the edge of the
world, and if need be, over it, if only it brought her back to him
again.
VII
THE MESSENGERS
The door opened, and through it came Jacob Meyer, followed by three
natives. Benita did not see or hear them; her soul was far away. There
at the head of the room, clad all in white, for she wore no mourning
save in her heart, illuminated by the rays of the lamp that hung above
her, she stood still and upright, for she had risen; on the face and
in her wide, dark eyes a look that was very strange to see.
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