The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-15

| he was defeated-that | was coming In his
perplexity he hit upon the desperate scheme
OF shutting me up in my own rooms, and
with this success.
All this he told me. So wild did it render
me that tried to take the key from him by
main force when he rose to so. The woman
| pulled me back, and sobbing bitterly with
rage and grief | flung myself upon my bed.
Slowly the weary hours of night wore away.
Now l would leap restlessly up and try the
door; now would strive to move the woman,
persuade, bride brighten her; but all in vain.
Now | would moan as ] conjured up the pic
ture of my dying grandfather only few
| rooms away calling upon my name. 1t was
frightful night indeed.
Early in the morning James came again;
this time he stayed merely to ask if my reso-
luton held out; and finding that [ loathed
him he went sUllenly away again. He w2s
haggard and perplexed; could my grand
| father have taken 4 turn for the better? My
heart leapt high with hope and then sank;
| would Sir Martin be safe in my unscrupu-
lous Cousins hands? And this added an
other terror to my position. Through the
! baize door came no sound OF life.
At dusk he paid us a third visit. 1t was
| fruitess, though he told me that Sir Martin
! was worse; and more dark-eyed and haggard
than ever, went away again. This time L
made up my mind that l would escape. My
| passion had worn itself out by this time. and
! fear had taken its place, In the dark | sat
| ana watched my passive Keeper and turned
| from her to glance round the room for the
means of escape. l could, perhaps, let my
self down from the window, if I could get
rid Of her. If! All, that if The riddle was
to be solved in a different way.
About o'clock l heard the swing-door fall
! to with bang quite unlike the stealthy way
in which my cousin came and went; then
hurried footsteps along the passage; and then
the noise of some one searching for the door
| handle in the dark. | sprang up, wild with
! excitement-perhaps it was with fear My
immovable companion even looked alarmed
! We stared into one another's eyes.
amber! Miss McMichael, are you there?
0 joy, it was Ainslie's voice. My heart
leapt high with the sudden revulsion. How the
| fear and dread that were overwhelming me
passed away at the sound! He knew our stu
alton; for without losing time he warned me
to stand back from the door, and throwing
| himself against it, at the second attempt
| burst it in. In moment he was inside and
| mis- arm around me.
Take me to him, Ainslie; take me to him."
cried
| He knew to whom meant yet he paused
as we were leaving the room and looked in
my face.
| "Are you prepared for great shock, dear?
! viii you be very brave? 1t is good news,
my darling; better than you can imagine.
| There is some one with Sir Martin who has
at present better right to you even than L
| have"
| / nodded anxiouSly, not compromising
| what he was saying but only eager to be by
my grandfather's side. We FASTENED through
| several passages, all deserted, and indicating
! the confusion into which the house was
| thrown. In the corridor outside Sir Martins
| room all the servants were collected. They
made way for us, but seemed in no degree
| surprised at our sudden appearance together
Ainslie opened the door, and led me softly in
The old mans sight was failing, and to suit
it the spacious dark panelled room was lit
with numerous candles, which yet failed to
| dispel the gloom. My grandfather was
greatly changed. His face was wan and
| drawn; but the shadow of death seemed to be
| held at bay by the painful look OF anxiety
| aud doubt that possessed his features. There
was some one standing by his bedside away
| from u.s. whom l took to be the nurse At
the foot OF the bed was my treacherous
cousin, in an attitude, as we entered. of
indignant denial. He did not see us or the
| servants who, over our shoulders, peeped in
with looks of scared wonder. AS we entered
| he took step nearer to the bed, as if to
| separate the other two.
| Il have told you, sir, my cousin has prom
| ised to marry me. In a few hours she will
{ be here and will tell you so, sir. Let the will
| wait until then. Can you not trust me,
| grandfatherP'
Yes yes," said the old man, with diff
| fcultyi but let me see her. Why isn't Am.
Der here?"
'She is at Ludford Sir Martin. She has
| been sentfor, and in few hours will be
here" answered James, pretending to look at
| his watch.
you lie, James McMichael! She is not at
Ludford, She is here, in your power"
The speaker advapced out of the shadow
of the curtain; at the same time that James
| sprang back with establishment as much at
! the voice, so wonderfully resembling Sir Mar
| tins, as at the sudden attack
who are your" he cried
| "Your uncle, your uncle, come back from
| the grave to contound your vlllainy. Where
| is my daughter|'
1t was the stranger whom had met in the
railway carriage. Only as one in a dream
| had | gathered the meaning of what was
said. l felt Ainslie push me forward; l
! heard rising murmur of surprise among
| the servants | saw James's blanched and
| beaten face and my grandfathers eyes
turned painfully toward me. The room
seemed to turn round and as my father
clasped me in his arms tainted.
Left for dead by the mutineers. my father
had been found still breathing by an old ser
! want who concealed him in little low caste
! village of the Rajpoot country. There, it is
as wonderful true, he regained his health
| of body; but his memory was gone. For
| seventeen years he lived, harmless indeed,
and venerated by the Hindoos of the village
as a sacred person and jealousy guarded and
! supported DN lnetl us Itle source OF Lnelr
prosperity. AT the end of those long, dark
wears an army doctor fell in with him, be-
came interested in what he heard from the
| villagers about him, and by an operation re-
stored him truly as from death to life. The
seventeen years was blank but all that
went before, down to the fight at Kolapore,
was as the events OF yesterday He made
himself known and was recognized by many
at Bombay; funds and every assistance
| were supplied, that he migh regain his posi-
ton. You know how opportunely he re-
| turned.
My grandfather died few days later with
my hand in his, and his head ON his sons
shoulder OF course his will was altered; but