"And sometimes have the attentions of men fairly forced upon you, I imagine?" said Nick, inquiringly, with a brighter gleam lighting his earnest eyes.

"Yes, sir; sometimes," Violet demurely admitted.

Nick drew forward in his chair, and Chick saw that he had caught up the thread at that moment suggested to himself.

"Miss Page," said Nick, more impressively, "I now want you to answer me without the slightest reserve."

"I will, sir," bowed Violet, with a startled look.

"Has any man of the late vaudeville company, or one connected with the theater, endeavored to force his love upon you?"

"No, sir; not one."

"Or any visitor admitted to the stage?"

"Well--yes, sir," faltered Violet, quite timidly. "Since you press me thus gravely, I must admit that I have been obliged to repel the affection of a certain man. Yet, please don't infer, sir, that he has ever been ungentlemanly. He even has done me the honor, if one can so term an undesired proposal, to protest that he wished to make me his wife."

"What is that man's name?" demanded Nick, quite bluntly.

Yet both Nick and Chick already antic.i.p.ated it.

"Must I tell you his name, sir?" faltered Violet.

"You may do so confidentially, Miss Page."

"His name, sir, is Rufus Venner."

"One more question, Miss Page," cried Nick, quickly, "Was there any member of the vaudeville company who knew of Venner's proposal?"

"I don't think so, sir. At least I know of none."

Nick glanced at Chick and dryly remarked:

"All under the surface, Chick."

"Not a doubt of it, Nick."

Violet looked surprised and alarmed at this, and hastened to ask:

"Oh, Mr. Carter, is there something of which I am ignorant? Or have I done wrong in any way?"

Nick turned to her and gravely answered:

"No, Miss Page, you have done nothing wrong--far from it! But there is considerable of which you are ignorant."

"Oh, sir, what do you mean?"

"Wait just one moment, and I then may be able to tell you," said Nick, rising. "I have something here that I wish to show you."

He went to his library desk and took from a drawer the silver jewel casket which he had brought from Central Park.

When he turned he held it in his extended hand, and the eyes of the girl suddenly fell upon it.

Instantly she leaped to her feet, as pale as death itself.

Then a scream, as of sudden, ungovernable terror, rose from her lips and rang with piercing shrillness through the house.

"Catch her, Chick--she's fainting!" yelled Nick, with eyes ablaze. "By Heaven! we've struck the trail at last!"

CHAPTER X.

ON THE TRAIL.

Nick Carter was a little perplexed.

Miss Violet Page had recovered from her sudden swoon, and although still very pale she sat gazing calmly at the silver jewel casket, which Nick was again displaying.

Somewhat to Nick's surprise, considering the girl's abrupt collapse upon first beholding the casket, Miss Page had just declared that she had never seen it before that evening.

"You never saw it before?" exclaimed Nick, almost incredulously.

"Never until you produced it from your desk a few minutes ago,"

reiterated Violet.

"Why, then, were you so overcome upon seeing it?"

"I will tell you why, Detective Carter, yet I fear that you will think me very weak and foolish to have been so seriously affected."

"No; I think not."

"I had a terrible dream last night, sir," Violet now explained. "I dreamed that I was alone in an enormous graveyard at midnight, with a full moon revealing the dismal surroundings, the dark tombs, the staring, white headstones and the silent graves."

"Not very cheerful--certainly," smiled Nick.

"What followed was infinitely more terrible," continued Violet, with an irrepressible shudder.

"What was that?"

"I dreamed that I saw a grave near which I was standing suddenly begin to open, as if a living being were pushing up the ground from within.

Then I saw a fleshless hand appear above the disturbed sods. Then a sightless human skull thrust itself forth, and presently, filling me with a terror I cannot describe, the entire skeleton emerged from the partly open grave, and arose and approached me."

"A grewsome dream, indeed," remarked Nick. "But what of the casket?"

"This of the casket, sir," concluded Violet. "In the skeleton's right hand, which was extended straight toward me while he approached, was a silver box--the exact likeness of the one you hold, and which you so abruptly showed me a short time ago."