The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-04-07

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tho matter over with my sister; and
it was with very heavy heart that ]
prepared to give her to q stranger
and to consign myself to lifetime
of loneliness without her.
1t was the morning after Frank
arrival, and again Sunday, that We
snt in that same saloon where MY
story opened Frank Wilton, Mac.
Donald, and myself smoking oui
matutinal cigar Kitty having just
left us, and Jack occupied in whit.
tling and wbistling "1en little In
dians" very softly to himself at q dis
tant window.
| "Will you allow me to look Mt your
ring, Captain MacDonald?" said
Frank, in one Of the pauses of the
conversation; "It is very curious
ring, and fancy have seen one like
it before"
"Ah," said Macdonald, quietly, as
he slipped the ring off his finger and
handed it to my friend. "It has
been in our family many hundred
years; and / can tell you very Gu
rious story connected with it. AT
the massacre of Cawnpore that ring
| - -
eight little Indians. on tho wsy to heaven {;
One yot thero Grst--then there was syenn
chanted Jack from tho other end Of
tho room.
l gave Jack whitening look,
which meant ''leave the ROOM" but
which, mot seeing it exactly in that
light" the graceless boy took no no.
tice of whatever.
"Ah, You were at Cawnporc, then?''
said Frank, rising MS he spoke and
takink n seat directly opposite the
Captain.
Certainly I was" replied Mac
Donald, with an air OF surprise.
The Ninety-third were on active
service during the whole time OF the
lnutiny. We relieved the garrison
Of Lucknow, and were the first TO
enter Cawnpore after that frightful
massacre. can scarcely think Of it
now with any composure, Mr.. Will
ton; the mutilated remains of We
men and children-the blood ankle
deep-it makes my hair stand on end
to speak OF il"
A strange look came over Frank
Wiiton's face, and he Gxed his steel
blue eyes upon Macdonald with m
expression that curdled tho blood in
my veins, and caused me to spring
to my feet and approach nearer to
them both. Then he said, slowly
and deliberately:
5.r. you are Il l.ar and an impos.
teri You have never been in India:
or if you have, you held no henora-
bic position there. Captain Mac
denald of the Ninety third Highland
ers was killed at the storming OF
Lucknow. / have seen his mother
within tho last ten days, aud heard
from her own lips the story Of her
sons gallant death. This ring is
the signet-ring Of tho Macdonald
clan. Who and what you are, and
how the ring came into your poses
sion, In known best to yourself
What have said / repeat, and am
prepared to prove-that you arc a
liar and scoundrel. Now, sir, what
have you to say in your own de-
fense:"
Tho Captain had risen at Franks
first startling announcement, with n
look of indignant defiance on his
face; but when he felt his whole ed
ifice of deceit and imposture crunab-
ling beneath his feet, he sank back
upon the sofa and buried his face in
his hands. There was profound ST.
lence for few seconds, during which
Jack crossed the room on tiptoe, and
seated himself where he could stare
comfortably unrestrainedly at his
fallen enemy.
The presence of Jack, whom he
had always disliked, seemed to act
rs sort of tonic upon Macdonald,
for he arose, and turning to Frank
and myself, said, with an amount of
straightforwardness / hardly expect
ed from him:
Gentlemen, / have nothing to
say in my own defense, but that, like
many better man, / have been the
victim of my own ambition. I was
the confidential servant of the late
Captain Macdonald, and when he
fell at Lucknow, dug his grave
with my own hands and laid him in
it. Some devil prompted me to ap-
propriated his worldly belongings,
take his name, and pass myself off to
the world for what 1 had always
longed and burned to be-a gentle
man. In the flight and confusion
that followed the indiscriminate
slaughter at Cawnpore, it was never
rightly known who had escaped and
who had not. am not without ed
ucation, as you may have obtained,
and daily intercourse with my master
and his friends had accustomed me
to the manners and usages of soci-
ETY.
| "And entitled you to impose upon
Ian unsnspecting gentleman like my.
self, and ask the hand of his sister
in marriagep / exclaimed, my
whole soul in q blaze of indignation
as / thought of Kitty and what she
had SO narrowly escaped. "Begone
sir, and be thankful that I do not
send the police to escort you te
where you properly belong. And
now, Frank" I continued, as the
door closed upon my quondam
friend, "tell me how in the devils
name you made all these discover
ies?"
J, "Through the queen of imps ant
fairies, your sister Kitty" replies
, Frank, throwing himself into an arm
] chair with sigh of relief. nSh,
/; saw more than you did. my dear fel
, low, and declares the Captain hat
:. IL L.,