The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-08-30

the nOLt anu Lr1nquu ocean. ne WAS en-
veloped in an Indian shawl, and his face
was partly hidden from view. We sat at
the bow of the boat and conversed, and
could not help wondering at the strange
change in his voice.
He WAS very brief in his replies, so
much 80 indeed that began to grow sus-
picious In India there is 80 much in
trigue, 50 much underhanded villainy that
q man Is ever on the alert. Sitting alone
there for some moments, strange ideas
hoated through my brain. l became sus-
picious, and then arose, with distrustful
air, to return to the cabin.
''In the semi-darkness which surround
ed US, | saw the man rise, also. We were
alone in that part of the ship, and / mis-
took the movement, involving, think, a
rsncontre, which would not have then oc-
Cured
''lou are not Sidney Vivian cried, in
alarm, as caught full view of the face,
strangely the same, yet to my familiar eye
not the same.
He had me by the throat in moment,
and had torn my pocket book from me.
Then l remember q blow on the head, q
falling, sinking, plunge, and then
81 was on board an English vessel-the
Marten- commanded by Captain Carter.
Then strange forgetfulness; London; the
assumption Of false names, through hear
ing them and having them fixed on my
memory last. Then you, Mr.. Yorston,
and then the present time.
Through all this dresry maze of fancy
and reality, through all the dead sea fruit
which a lost past has tossed upon the
shores of my existence, life holds but one
object now. To the old and kind father
who adopted me | owe all of love and
goodness l can bestow. To that other,
may she still remember ns--fondly, low
ingly / must 90, even as l am, an hours
delay would be wrong"
lone word, Mr.. Darer said the CORES
pondent, laying his hand upon his former
assistants shoulder 81 have news for you;
your adopted father is dead.
The young man faltered for moment,
and sank back with pale face and closed,
weAried eyes.
He had not expected this, and it came
hard upon him.
He sank into q slumber and slept
the day.
do not disturb him" Ajalma had said
81 will get at the root Of all this myste-
ry."
"Where would you gol"
To await his recovery. Tomorrow |
will be here again. In the meantime |
have an important mission to execute.
"And that mission =
lis to see the man who lies in Dorset
prison under charge Of murder, and
the name of Sidney Vivian"
For what purpose y
ITO hear his version of this strangely
story" replied Aialma, as he
CHAPTER XXI.
BOLD GAME.
In all the great excitement which had
the past few months of DIR. and
Bella Rodney's lives, not until the former
had been freed from the shadow Of guilt,
and re-entered the old house, did happiness
again seem to reign within. Freed from
an imputation which had well-nigh caused
the old doctors entire system to give way
to prolonged grief and sorrow, and once
more undisturbed by the false Sidney
Vivian, there seemed to have come the joy
and gladness Of life after all their vicissi-
tudes and sufferings.
1t was the second night after the tBial, that
Bella Rodney sought her room, somewhat
wearied with the days duties, for a large
number Of friends had welcomed their re-
turn, and injured innocence always elicits
sympathy She had undergone far more
suffering than her features indicated, yet
she was still mentally in distress. Now that
she was alone, abe allowed her thoughts to
revert to the beach scene, where the Indian,
A jalma, had struggled to overpower her
former lover, Cecil Dare She had walked
home that night, wondering if it were not
all q dream, and she the victim of some
fanciful hallucination Of an overwrought
fancy She had attempted, hundred
times since, to convince herself that it was
not him, verify, and in person. But all of
no avail. The pale, white face of the
Cecil Dare had been toe real,
and she had, ever since that moment, been
haunted by his spirit, which seemed re-
proachfully calling upon her to come to
him.
To come to him how abe prayed that
she might-how she wrestled with her
spirit to quiet its urgings to 90 and seek
him, far and wide. How she longed for
but for one moment to clasp his hand, to
tell him of her unalterable fidelity and sf
lection, and know him living, her osO,., re-
stored to life
Restored to life.
She could realize this, s,-how feebly did
she believe it had come, or would come to
pass. 1t was but his ghost that soothed
her arms-bnt his spirit which disquieted
her soul. Was he hving-was he dead
Better the latter than the anguish of ex-
pectation and disappointed suspense.
She turned out the light, and crept to
wards the window, laying her hands under
her facs, and gazing in fearful, melancholy
meditation at the full and glorious orb Of
night, watching
The pale siren, with wild eyes drinking,
The light Of the sun ~ he passeth by.
She thought of how her first and only
dream of love had vanished, and wondered
" if the dream with the dreamer perish,
whether tbs idle to dream at all r. Like
some phantasmagoria, her minds imagery
supplied the long past. She unused deeply,
her eyes closed, and she slumbered.
How long, and how deeply, shs knew not
When she awoke dizzy feeling of fright,
the binding glare Of dark lantern, and
the presence Of two men, Arrayed in habI-
iments as sober a. the darkness of night,
told her that some nefarious plot was in cp-
Grafton. Inher momentary terror and bewild-
erment, she strove to cry aloud, but she
could not utter q word, for q tight bandage
held her words back, and prevented the
utterance of q sound.
Neither of the men spoke. a. one climbed
over the window ledge, and lifted her un-
willing form after him. With tied hands,
and her utterance prevented, a. q suspicion
crossed her mind that this was some new
plot of Sidney Vivian, her terror gave
way to q sense Of peril, which caused her
to struggle violently in the arms Of her alb
ductor Her efforts in this direction were
all unsvailing, however, and she wss borne
swiftly and noiselessly across the grounds
of the estate, and conveyed through the
gate to close carriage, evidently awaiting
her arrival. and that of her abductOrs.