New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-09-10

have sorrow enough already without YOU
adding TO it. You, from when l hoped fo
comfort he added with emotion. After
moment he recovered himself and went on
moments notice, against the Sikhs, ant
we start this evening
Indiana's face grew pale, but otherwise
she gave no sign of emotion. as che hande(
him the paper, and said: ut may appear
jest to you, but it certainly is none to me
Read that"
Willoughby read it as desired, and the1
said. Il never signed this paper. 1t ii
true l was at lndOre about the time wher
this marriage is said to have taken place
but surely, Indiana, you can not believe
such o story az that about me. O, Anne
she can not really believe it!'
Miss Keith shook her head sOrrOwfully
butdid not speak, and Indisna, without look
ing at him, said: "Meensh Baee, can you
swear TO this man as your husband!" and
the woman nnhesitstingly answered, "Yee. =
related that her husband had been obliged
to leave Indore few days after the mar.
risge, but that che had lived on there till the
birth of her child, when her father, in ignor.
ance of it all, and of her change of faith,
was anxious to give her in marriage to one
of her own nation; and to escape his impor-
tunity she had fed to Agra. and while
making inquiries respecting her husband
she had seen him on parade, and bearing
that he was about to be married, had come
forward to assert her own claims
In answer to all this, Captain Willoughby
could give nothing but an emphatic denial;
but he owned that appearances were
against him; and Sir William. whom Anne
had summoned to the conference, looked
disturbed, and eaid that it was Just az well
that Willoughby should have to leave Agra
now, before the story got abroad. He
| would cause the matter to be thoroughly
gifted. and the witnesses sought out whose
names were appended to the document, and
for the present, anyhow. the engagement
had better be considered at an end,
| Captain Willoughby. whose pride was
deeply wounded at his word being doubted,
acquiesced. and approached Indiana to BID
her farewell; but his offered hand was re-
| jected: and haughtily bowling, she turned
away; and when that evening the One Hum
dred and Thirty-irst left Agra, in high
spirits at the prospect of an encounter with
the Sikhe, perhaps the saddest heart among
them was that of Henry Willoughby. whose
only hope now was was that he might fall
in battle, and that Indiana might then re-
pent her injustice But he was disap.
pointed, and passed through all the battles
a scratch; and though riskng his life on
every occasion in the most reckless and
daring manner, and performing feats of the
heroic bravery, failed in finding the death
that he desired.
After Willoughby left her fathers house,
Indiana still preserved the same stolid com.
posure; her pride was deeply hurt at the
indignity that had been offered her, and
yet, with strange inconsistency, she in.
sisted on Meenah Baee's taking up her
abode in the house. and showed the great
an IN I'd hav L.
Perplexed by her sisters conduct, Anna
Keith knew not what to do, Or how to rouse
her from her unnatural calmness; but this
was suddenly ended, for as the troops left
Agra they had to pass by Sir Williams
house, Indiana tainted away, and it was
some hours before she recovered her senses.
A long illness ensued, and left her 80 weak
that the doctors assured Sir William that
his only chance of saving his child's life was
to send her back to England; and "a his
own health was giving way, he decided on
reslgning his appointment, and returning
with her.
he had not forgotten his promise to Will
!oughby, and every inquiry was made, but
IN vain. The Rev. Mr.. Jones had been dead
for year or mOre the Dewan, though he
had discovered that his daugh Ter had mar.
rled an Englishman, was either unable or
unwilling to give further information; and
the two native witnesses whose names were
appended had left their country during
some troubles and could not be traced: and |
even Anne keith's faith in Willoughby was
beginning to give way; though she still |
chung to the belief that some fatal mistake |
had occurred.
Indiana's long illness had DESTROYED the |
freshness OF her beauty, but she still pos
sessed sufficient charms to attract numer- |
ous admirers, and one Of the most per-
lnacious was Mr.. Sturgeon, who had
been long devoted to her, and who, on Viii.
oughbys departure, and, it was reported,
dismissal, again took the field, though with
40 more success than before.
Sir william had stayed too long in India.
md after leading an invalid life for q wear
n Bath and Tunbridge Wells, he died, ieav-
ng fortune to his two daughters, who
'hereupon established themselves in our
'quare, and led the useful and secluded life
hat we have described. Meenah Baee.
who, though she had been baptized, was
'tiii known by her former name, and the
little Leila, accompanied them: and the
,nlld was the object of the warmest affec.
lon OF both sisters, and more especially of
ndlana, whose resentment had long since
9een extlnguished by Anne's kind and
Inrlsusn counsels, and who now felt only
N occasional feeling of pride when She saw
lis name mentioned with praise in the |
dispatches, and of regret at the thought
hat such brilliant qualities Should he
United with 80 much baseness.
One. day, ten years after the Misses
Aesth's establishment in our square, Anne
vas confined to the house with q cold. and |
indiana went alone to the hospital where
hey were accustomed to pay weekly visits.
q one of the wards she missed familiar
ace, and in answer to her inquiries was
Did that the poor sufferer had died onlv
be day before her last visit. He talked q |
reat deal about your kindness to HIM,
la'am," said the nurse, land was very
uiet and gentle to the last. But the pa =
emit who has his bed now is very trouble
'me. He was brought in nearly q week
90, having been run over by cab, and
as hurt so badly that the surgeon
Oesn't think he'll get over it; and l am q
Iraid ma am, that he isn't IN q right frame q
mind: for he used dreadfully bad Ian {
mage when they brought him in, though q
tely he has been quieter."
When Indiana had gone the round of the .
ard, with a few kind words to each ps. .
ant, and the reading aloud of psalm and j
prayer to such as could bear it, she an q
cached the bed Of the man of whom the =
lrse had spoken, and though rather i'm y
cad of what he might say to her, sat j
wn 0y nim, and gently expressing her E.
mpathy IN his misfortune. asked if she | Il
0uld read to him. The man, whose eyes b
followed her with interest, ever since | d
came in, assented with q readiness and q
'ility that surprised the nurse; and as she 9,
ID on in her sweet, low voice, his groans D
q restless movements gradually ceased, o.
he gazed on her still beautiful face with v