of
joy.

From the deepest abyss of hopeless despair Helen, during the next few
days, was raised to the highest pinnacle of human felicity. Kenneth
was safe, that was all she wanted to know. Whether he had succeeded or
not in saving the diamonds she did not know or care.

Nothing more had been heard from him. Cable dispatches reported the
_Zanzibar_ to be making good time on her way to Southampton, but, until
the steamer arrived there, no further details were to be expected.
Much, however, had been gleaned as to the fate of the _Abyssinia_, and,
as the accounts of disaster began to come in, she could only thank God
that he had succeeded in escaping such a fearful fate. The ship had
mysteriously caught fire the first day out from Cape Town, and, in the
excitement, the crew, as well as the passengers, lost their heads.
Only one boat could be lowered, and in this Kenneth got away, together
with Francois, his valet, and some other passengers. A news item in
connection with the affair, which was of particular interest to Helen,
ran as follows:

"The loss of the _Abyssinia_ brought to a tragic ending a remarkable
romance in which Mr. Kenneth Traynor, one of the rescued passengers and
a prominent New York broker, is one of the principal figures. Mr.
Traynor is one of two twins so identical in appearance that no one, not
even their own mother, knew them apart. One of the children
mysteriously disappeared when a mere child and was believed to be dead.
Mr. Kenneth Traynor went recently to South Africa on business, and on
the diamond fields found in starving condition an unlucky miner who was
a perfect counterpart of himself. It was his lost brother. Mutual
explanations followed and the identity was established. Overjoyed at
the reunion the two brothers sailed for home on the _Abyssinia_.
Suddenly came the alarm of fire. While the panic on board was at its
worst, the broker lost sight of his brother, whom he never saw again
and whom it is only too certain went down with the ship."

"It's almost unbelievable, isn't it?" exclaimed Helen, as she read the
paragraph for the hundredth time and handed it to Wilbur Steell, who
had dropped in to hear if there was any news.

Ray, who loved a mystery better than anything else in the world,
clapped her hands.

"Isn't it perfectly stunning?"

"Not for Kenneth's brother--poor fellow," said Helen reprovingly. "He
did not live long to enjoy his bettered condition."

"Tha