The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-04-28

Uuv BIu 6lTdlu IL Was III nO bPlTlt VI
Christian meckness that she read Miss
Honoria's communication.
"DEAR Kate: I inclose check on Drum
monds bank for twenty pounds. This must be
considered rs closing our interest in your Of
fairs. Lady Scarborough, however, suggests,
and heartily indorse the proposition, that IL
would be o mark Of good taste II you were to
adopt some other name than Grahame, which,
with Miss Balderstone's connivance, you can
very readily do; and in case you are willing to
accede TO this very reasonable request, fur.
ther sum Of fifty pounds will be placed at your
disposal Very truly yours,
"Sit down this moment, Kate, and
answer this insulting proposition" Miss
Balderstone insisted. "There, are you
ready2 Now, begin"
"Miss Kate Grahame returns Miss Grahame's
check and declines any further correspondence"
''But, dear Miss Dalderstone," Kate
| pleaded, but, nevertheless, writing as
she was bidden, ''you forget that she
| is Sir Harry's sister, and that it ill-be-
comes one who owes so much to the
family to show such temper"
Temper, child! Do you mean to ac-
cuse me of temper? When did you ever
know me in n temper? never was
calmer in my life, and-I should just
like to box that woman's ears. Tell me
one thing-ilo you wish to act with the
spirit of independence that Sir Harry
would approve of? You do? Then
send that letter.
So the check was inclosed and the let
ter mailed.
But there was another letter to dis
cuss-the one from India.
II do not like to pry into your affairs,
my love-" the schoolmistress said; but
did you not receive communication
from India to-day?"
'Ah, yes! here it is And to think
that the hand which wrote it is cold in
death. 1t is from him, dear friend, and
comes to me as voice from the grave
Will you read it. too?"
"What q charming epistle 1t isl Oh,
Kate, you have indeed lost friend in
this man." Miss Balderstone calculated,
as her eye ran hastily over graphic de-
scriptions of life in an Indian village,
amusing gossip concerning mutual ac-
quaintanccs, and occasional words of
tender solicitude and gentle admoni-
tions, with here and there clever PEN
and-ink sketch Of some grotesque figure.
| buU III IlC NSIy Va AClStlbSs
Miss Balderstone made a dead pause,
looked for a moment with puzzled ez-
preston at the page before her, and
burst out with little cry of surprise.
"Why, Kate, child, the date! Quick,
give me Honoria Grahames first letter to
you. All, thought so. This is indeed
the strangest thing ever saw"
''Oh, what is it?" Kate cried, with
feverish anxiety, as the schoolmistress
paused in her hurried CALCULATIONS and
sat gazing with blank look at the
two letters before her.
"Am / out of my senses, Kate
Grahame, or does that woman really
write that Sir Harry died at Kistmun
on the 9th of January?"
''She certainly does say So" the girl
replied, with round, wondering eyes.
"And this letter of his is dated the
tenth of the same month. Give me the
envelope that may see the postmark.
Thank you, my love; but am afraid
this is not of much help to us, for the
earliest stamp upon it is that of the
post Office at Hyderabad, dated January
81, and we must make allowance for its
coming down the mountains probably
by native carrier"
perhaps he misdated his letter,
Kate said, white with suppressed ex
citement, "or, Miss Grahame may have
, made mistake"
HE may; but the letter could not
have been written long before his death
and you see that he says nothing about
his illness. Do you know if jungle
: fever is protracted or quickly con
S suming disease. Kate?'
r "Oh. yes; it prostrates men very sud
: denly and they often die in q few days
: but If they manage to get to the pure
9 air Of the mountains they generally re
/ cover"
4 (Which Sir Harry did; that Is q con
I, fessed fact. AS for Honoria G-ahamt
making mistake, we can soon set tha
: at rest, for the Illustrated London News
Q hos long obituary notice and ther
would be no blunder there"
= And the ladies found in the columns
Of that popular journal full corroborn
I ton of Miss Grahame's statement tha
"this distinguished officer breathed hi
e last at Kistmun on the 9th Of January.
t my dear" said Miss Balderstone, ..
? do not think shall go to Brighton to
d day."
s CHAPTER III