Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-25


recover after two or three months OF Sc
we're illness. Whenever he expressed
wish TO send some message to his iriends
apprising them OF his condition he was
informed by his attendants that they
we're unable 10 allow him TO do go.
ID was only by degrees that he di-
vined their reasons for this PROHIBITION
When his companions had been hurled
headlong over the precipice, having sep
aratcd himself from them by cutting the
rope. he had been thrown down by the
shock OF their falling against him and
had rolled over the edge in q somewhat
different direction. The surviving guide
watched the catastrophe and saw that
Mansell was deposited on ledge at
some distance from the foot OF the
gorge. Judging from the manner IN
which he had fallen it seemed possible
that he might be still living. in that
case he might he rescued ard give owl
dence concerning the cutting OF the
rope before the culprit should have had
time to make his escape.
Murder apparently had not been the
mans object. though he had been very
ready 10 make sure of his own life and
was not above profting by the catastro-
phe. Having given notice Of the Occl-
dent he had in all probability persuaded
some Of the natives to accompany him to
the foot Of the gorge for the purpose OF
rihing the bodies. and in exchange for n
share in the plunder had induced them
TO carry off Mansell. Fear lest their
theft should be discovered would guar
anteo their keeping him hiding till the
affair had blown over. Being conducted
TO the scene Of the disaster by the native
guide himself they would naturally &C.
complish their object long before the sr-
rival of the expedition in search of the
bodies, which had no one to direct 1t to
the exact spot.
As soon as Msnsell was allowed to
leave his place OF refuge he travelled in
great haste to the nearest town, where he
hoped TO be able TO dispatch n tele
graphic message TO England. But this
imprudence brought on q return of the
fever and he arrived at his destination
in too helpless a condition TO fulfil his
purpose. Another long illness followed
When he again began to recover he
found himself attended by q young
English doctor who had just
come from England to establish
himself in the town, and who, singularly
enough, was in constant correspondence
with relatives at Druiiield. The first time
Mansell was strong enough to converse
he disclosed his name to his new friend,
whereupon the doctor remarked 1t as
coincidence that be bore the came name
rs "a Druffield man who had recently lost
his life in the Himalayas, and whose
widow was now consOling herself with
the society Of Lord Undercroft.
After this Mansell refrained from be-
traying his identity He determined to
return home with all possible speed and
ascertain for himself what was going on
there The voyage restored him to
health, and he actually succeeded in
reaching his own door while Fanny was
still in ignorance OF his being alive.
Little remains to be told. In the hall
Mansell encountered Saunders, who was
so terrified at the sight of what he took
to be a ghost that some minutes elapsed
before his master could convince him of
his existence in the flesh, and learn from
him the whereabouts of his mistress. AT
that moment Fanny was on the lawn
taking the first Of the two photographs.
Mansell, III bis eegerness to catch
glimpse of her unseen, ran out into the
garden through the kitchen and APP
preached her from behind the clump OF
rhododendrons just as she had inserted
the dark slide for the second time. His
appearance in the kitchen sent the terri
fed cook into a fit of Mysteries, in which
she remained for a quarter Of an hour
in spite of all efforts TO restore her.
1t could never be ascertained positively
whether Mansell was really so ignorant
Of the art OF photography as to be una
ware that he was taking his own likeness
when he put his head in front Of the
camera. Saunders, remembering the
feverish anxiety with which his master
had afterward begged him to violate the
sanctity Of the dark room, ventured to
have his doubts on that point His
own private opinion was that Mansell
had been tempted to take mischievous
revenge on Fanny for the readiness with
which she had consoled herself during
his absence, and chat he had then sud
denly repented his rashness and feared
lest the consequences should be serious
This whole affair had several important
results. One was that Mansell solemnly
promised his wife to abandon the pursuit
of mountain climbing for the future. An
other was that he consented to have his
photograph taken on the first favorable
opportunity. Moreover. it became known
in the neighborhood in the course Of
few days that Lord Undercroft had al
ready grown weary Of his country resi-
dence and was contemplating starting off
immediately on a second foreign tour.