The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-08

on a secret mission to Calcutta ana re-
turned three weeks later, after having sel
cured by my i%ntrigues a change of resident.
line overseer of a neighboring raiah was
accredited to the sovereign. In this way l
became the intimate friend of the nabob of
Cawnpore."
lana probably did not expect this result,
for she could not forbear an exclamation of
SURPRISE ayds 3 .ou uu. ",
you little know these primitive folks; they
carry everything to extremes. The nabob,
who before had smiled at the sight of tor
ments. had become sensitive as a woman.
he vowed for me a friendship warm and
deep. de observed my sadness. I was
homesick for Europe. or at least thought
SO. confessed it to him, and also told
him that I had been outlawed by most
European nations. for I had piilaged.
killed or %conspired in almost all their
colonies. I was. and am still, immense
ly rich. l had conquered-but they
would say stolen-more than a hundred
millions of roubles. But landing in Europe
! ran the rlsk-if / was recognized-of be-
ing hung by England. sent to the mines by
Russia, exported to Cayenne by France. SO
l became more and more melan-
choly. | visibly pinned away, and my imagi-
Eation, though so fertile, suggested no ex-
pedient: for the idea Of concealing my
identity under any disguise was ~repugnant
to my pride. The nabob's friendship came
to my aid. This man offered me q royal
disguise. Without saying a word to me he
sent to the lord governor to ask for pass
ports. When they came he had me summoned
n said to me: "Sahib, you have saved my
throne; it is only right that in my turn I
Europe. You will everywhere be inviolable,
for l create you a king; yon shall be to
every one the nabob of Cawnpore, and YOU
will have q right to this title. Az for me,
a,dRH promise eon meanwhile to disappear. l
wish to see the sky and the Sass Country !, i shall 1
become a fakir and adore Brahma. l shall
announce my departure and appoint my
son regent in my Absence" ! thought him
testing. but he wat sincere. At first l re-
fused. You will depart anyway" said he
sadly, land if you depart you viii never re-
! turn. But l want to see you once more.
Now. if you think my happiness depends
on your return, you will come to absolve
me from my PROMISE" accepted his sub
lime devotion. You told the truth, madame,
am the nabob Of Cawnpore, but l am
Muller all the same"
But" murmured lana in a~stonishment,
'how could you mako every one believer
1.-THE nabob's kingdom is almost I'M
known. No Englishman has ever set foot
there except the dismissed resident. It was
only necessary to go to Calcutta and kill
the resident. / went and killed him."
OH murmured lana, 'how frIghtfulr'
II have alreody said, madame, that oul
ethics differ from yours. He was q bad
mar n possessed the power to harm me
l had no c~ompunctions about putting him
out of the way. Once on board the steamer
l WAS regarded by all az the nabob. The
further 1 removed from India the greater
WAS my security. The people at Cawnpore
are not of a rowing disposition and at Liv-
erpooi had nothing more to fear. I con-
tInued my travels for q year, visiting Lon
don. Paris, Vienna and Berlin. but was still
melancholy. 1t was not Europe that
lonRed to see; it was Russia, and aoove ali
else. be not displeased, madame, it wal
you"
She faltered.
II am moi displeased. we were bound to.
gsther by the ties of old acquaintance"
Then looking him in the face:
"Why w.ud Y u havs me Q displeased
Your friendship is not Dlameworthy.'
He continued:
II came to st. Petersburg and was re-
ceived will the greatest eclat. / went &c
court, the greatest persons solicited the
honor of a presentation to me. But as fol
you. fortune gave me no opportunity oil
meeting you--at this time-it was in the
year 1862-you were living with Vladimir
in a remote province. / knew not wheI
You would return. and l could not say tc
were dom me. this Difference which WAS III
tended for another became odious to me
Besides, though no one at st. Petersburg
knew the nabob of Cawnpore, there were
men here who might recognize Muller.
need hardly tell you that there il no re.
semblance between my face and that of the
actual nabob. Plung'ng still deeper into