Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-01-26
vaguely and with which they connected

Those who knew something OF such mat
ters asserted without hesitancy that they
believed him to be a mahatma, theosoph-
ical adept, one of the sage brethren of those
remote Thibetan converts whence issues
what is left in the world today of the wis
dom of the east.
These men were understood to he able to
do strange things. They could transport
themselves with their astral body to dis
tant parts, even while their material body
remained motionless.
They had attained, by process of long
initiation and training, such control over
the occult psychical forces of nature that
letters written by them at one end of the
globe would fall at the other end into the
lap of those for whom they were intended
Dark and silent and deep eyed as was Bhao
Mira, it was not difficult to find ones self
ascribing the possibility of such transcend
ent powers to him.
/ But to Ethelind what he might be, what
he might do, mattered nothing. If she was
happy that he spoke to her of himself, it
was that he had thus spoken to no one else.
And she loved him. As she raised her
eyes they gave up all their secret to him.
She had forgotten all else; she had no
memory for other ties, once dear enough;
no thought for her troth plighted but a
month ago, almost on this spot, to one who
was her own countryman-a stalwart, hon
est English youth and one who adored her.
She was in thrall. So perfect was her
young passion that no thought of conceal
ment came to her. She was like a young
! Naiad wooed by god. AS he looked down
on her now, his breath coming fast, she
opened her howerlike lips and smiled out
of her heart at him.
Then the man forgot everything, and
stopping he caught her to himself. The
wide hat fell backward from her hair. Her
lovely face, in its rosy innocence, was close
to his. But even as he bent over it film
appeared to pass between his eyes and this
J vision of all his soul found desirable. He
hesitated. Then abruptly he passed his
hand above the girls eyes Her lids droop-
ed, her head sank upon her shoulder.
Bhao Mira lifted her bodily in his arms
and placed her on the bench Her delicate
form was motionless, her face locked in i'm
mobility.
The afternoon light was waning The
fete was about to close. The sounds of mu-
sic that had reached the terrace now ceased.
The man stood looking down at the white
figure He had come literally to the ends
of the earth to find this last terrible temp
tation, for he loved this young girl and she
was the promised wife of another man. The
Hindoo had Il rapid vision of that others
face. He had seen it once, a month before,
and he knew it was the face of one posses,
ING the rare nature to which death alone
could he Dossible if it's hearts faith were
betrayed.
And was this to be the elimination of
that long discipline of the ascetic, of that
long pursuit of wisdom, by the sacrifice of
all the impulses of the flesh, which had
led him. Bhao Mira. to that stage where.
indeed as the vulpar OWNED occult
psychical forces were subject to him. and
where mysteries were omen to him before
which the world was blindY
Was this TO be the end of all. that he
sbould lose all his ascendancv nv the
donnie moral fall of love for n woman and
of Injustice to a helpless fellow beinpf
Ftheliud under this new supreme Influence
was as a bird ensuared.
Who shall tell the battle of that mo-
ment? He had saved himself, dashed the
cup from his lin at the moment of fruition.
livious? Yes, and so she should remain.
Bhao Mira bent his dark face downward
His piercing eyes were fixed for a motion
less instant on the sleeping features. He
raised his hand and touched her eyes ard
brow. Then, without looking back he
walked away.
He left the grounds of Wildwood Hall un
seen of hostess or guests. His absence had
not been noticed. Nor would Ethelind's
absence he remarked. Within few mo
ments she would awake and return to heI
friends She would do so calmly, scarcely
remembering that her mothers strange
guest had walked with her that day.
For Bhao Mira had consummated his