The morning call., 1892-02-06
HER UNCLE
HIRAM'S LEGACY.
By D.


II size refuses 10 we'd The b aforementioned
Chester Duncan lie whole shall revert to MIN,
and size shall receive as Ter poilton NE iIIalu
silver caskel which is already he The hands OF my
attorney.
Thus read the will Of Hiram StOckbTidge,
who in life had been accounted one OF the
richest merchants in Calcutta.
Twelve months had elapsed since the de-
mise of the testat0r and the apartments 0
Helen Stockbrdge, IN the City Of Palaces.
were well filed with the friends who were
interested in the welfare OF the young lady
who, since the death OF her only relative,
had lived quietly with her faithful servants
and a loving nurse.
Helen, do you realize that but an hour
remains Of the time set by your uncle LOT
YOU to consent 10 marry me?' asked TALL
siuls}eT-lC0kIng man.
We're there only sufficient time Tor me
90 pronounce the word No my Ups Woulu
breathe that syllable"
las YOU Will. But remember, when you
begin 20 experience poverty you need never
look 60 me for assistance, and he glarcd
triumplanty upon the lovely face before
Helen Stockbridge deigned no reply but
paced her hand conhdngiy within the arm
Of an English officer who at that moment
stepped To her side.
Z" Come with me out on the veTanda, Rob
ert," said she, turning her back upon her
prosecutor.
The lands upon the watch Of the execu-
tor Of The singular Will marked the time TO
be five minutes before midnight and the
legal gentleman sought Helen on the We
Tsuda. where she was seated By the side OF
tile mau she loved.
Miss n ckbrdge, the hour is come for
yea o. decide whether YOU viii follow the
dictate, u Your relatives viii OF not"
"Nr Eaultn, you knew my mind
year -. i is The same now. NeYerthe-
less, l Viii plainly express IL before my
guests
Inc young lady seated herself at the
table win all the dignity Of a queen, aud
Was. Cu.ward.y, The Calmest Of the group.
The lawyer read the VIII and as be I'm
ished there remained but sixty seconds 10
tie hour OF midnight During that brief IN
terya If time the silence which reIEned in
The room was oppressive.
When the sllyeTy tones Of the clock upon
the mantle. broke the stiffness q sigh Of re-
lief was heard from nearly every one
As Tie last note of tile gong died away
Helen St0ckbri1ge arose and IN clear, firm
voice sad:
'My friends, heartily thank you for the
kindly Interest which you have taken in
THIS affair / am proud 10 say In every case
but Cle j was awakened by affection for
me. VI TIE SINCE exception / Will say
nothing &, Gle present tine and she cast
q look u s--rl a. tie darA features Of
Chester Duncan.
left yCu netting here is the casket,'
aad AT. II milton took from the hands Of
his servant small, silver box, which was
carefully wrapped round WIKI tape nd fss-
tened .tn a sea. This be placed upUn tie
fable before its fair owner. saying as he
al is yours. Mss Helen, to open when
you 81. Bat with a smile, / will admit
that I for ne an extremely curious as TO
..r ~. t.a nv, 90, borDv- ~ rrs4fFt- ,-o,,
all replied Helen, as she burst the frail
bands, AMI then with a golden key attached
to TIE handle UPON The lid she opened the
e2sEeI.
Within. fastened to a cushion Of crimson
SATIN by a diamond brooch, was a slip Of
paper on which three Or four lines OF writ
Ing were visible.
at Is in tile Bsngalese language" OBJ
served he young ia1y, and concerns me
alone. But l Wll assure you al that the
message contains nothing that tends TO set
aside the original viii, consequently the son
Of my uncle's partner may enjoy his fortune
IN peace"
The latter portion Of the remark was de-
hveTed in a tone in which contempt and
lOathIng were blended.
Six months elapsed. Gliding over the
placid waters Of the haTb0r of Bombay was
small lateen-gigged craft Ton the deck Of
which stood q young man in the undTess
UNIFORM OF q BLUSH OIUCeT.
IL was Robert EsteTbrOOk. His whole at
tentiOn was occupied with slip Of paper
which was the same that had been seCreted
IN the silver casket.
Drop weighted line from the cobra's
head in the hand Of SILVA Eleven PAGES
southeast from the spot which the Dlummet
touches will be found legacy BETTING roy
atty itself 10 is the gift Of an Indian prince
to his friend Hiram StOckbridge, in return
for the saving Of precious life"
Beneath were few words in English,
which read: The abOve-men toned treas
ure OF tie rajah I bequeath to my beloved
niece, Helen Stock bridge"
As Robert folded the paper and put 1t
eaIelrssly away IN the breast pocket Of his
coat he muTmuTed: 1T is strange that the
Indian was not more explicit Ia his direc-
lions. Who Is TO tell which Of the many
Idols Of Shlvs is meant? | have now visited
over twenty places Of native worship and
found nothing. II Elephanta does not con-
tain the treasure l shall be obliged 10 90
back 10 Helen no richer than when started
on the quest for her fortune"
just as the sun was setting the boats keel
ran upon the muddy fats which surround
the Island, made famous throughout the
world by the devout Brahmins
The native sailors lifted the European
and his single servant upon their shoulders
and carried them to where tie ground was
firm, there they waited for the return of
their employer.
UDthe hundred stone steps Robert climbed
until he reached the entrance to the cave
Here he found an old Sergeant was custO-
dlan Of TIE place, and the young soldier was
delighted when lie discovered he had been
in his own regiment. Without hesitation
the officer made known his erTsnd.
Il have been stationed here three years
Lieutenant" remarked the Sergeant land
never heard that the cave contained any,
thing but the Idols which look down Oh a
fellow from the walls. Nevertheless we
Will investigate"
Here's SILVA, and there's the cobra's
head" continued the keeper Of the temple
From a spot directly beneath the open
jaws OF the stone serpent Robert marked
eleven PAGES, southeast, and at the last step
the Tagging gave hollow sound.
1T must be here, he exclaimed excitedlv,
Quick, an iron bar and help me raise the
slab"
The Sergeant responded with alacrlty,
and soon the stone was removed, showing
beneath cavity, In which rested a stout
teakWOOd chest.
cit is the Princes treasure" declared
Robert, almost beside himself with Joy.
Help me with it to the boat and III be
or"
Begging your pardon, sir but If those
coolies who sail the craft got an inking Of
what you nave, you'd never reach Bombay
alive. Wait until morning, and l will find
some means OF putting the chest On board
without any ones suspeCting its value"
AT daylight it was done, and when the
natives carried the heavy box ashore to the
hotel at Bombay they little dreamed that
they were the bearers Of an immense for
tune.
Bot when the chest was opened IT was
found to be filed with rare jewels and in
Rots Of gold.
A few months later there was brilliant
wedding ia Calcutta. and not until Robert
EsierbrOok led Helen Stockbridge to the
altar was society made aware Of the fact
that tie rich merchant did not Intend TO
tufu his beloved niece penniess upon the
world, bat had left 10 her legacy ten times
a. large as that which he had bequeathed
10 bis partners sOn.-GlObe.