The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-22
PROVIDENCE, X. j

fully falls when happily he returns. The
sun was going down in a soft suffusion OF
color as we entered the strait, casting a
glamorous iridescent light on the recedine
land and the sails of the many stately ships
that were bearing gallantly up and down,
some, like ourselves, outward bound, 9TH
ers, their wsnderings for the present over,
borrG~sor the home we had left. stood
on the deck gazing backward till the land
melted into darkness, then Captain Rogers
quietly slipped his arm in mine, and we
went below TO supper.
The Pearl Of the Orient made quick and
prosperous passage, landing US in Bombay
in q day less than the time reckoned for
the voyage before starting. You may be
sure did not allow Sir Thomas business
TO lag.
Having presented my letters of introduc
tion and undergone brief but fiery course
of hospitality, set vigorously TO the work
before me, assisted by the numerous friends
of my patron. had no difficulty in dis
covering that Donald Gordon had been
In Bombay some Is months before and had
suddenly disappeared. But whittier be had
gone whether he had departed by land or
by sea, or been dispatched by the hand Of
the assassin, no one had the least idea.
There were of course conjectures in plenty.
He might be hunting in the jungle, or TAX
ing the cool air among the hills, or traffick-
ing with oily natives in another town. He
might be in China or japan or Australia
or the South Sea islands or Peru, or in the
interior Of some enterprising shark. The
possibilities were endless, but there was
only one certainty--that he had completely
slipped all his friends in Bombay.
In my first report home. then. had
nothing better TO send than hope, Of which
i was no niggard. / stated, truthfully
enough trust, that had already learned
something about Donald; also, fear not
quite so truthfully, that was not without
reasonable ground for thinking that he and
] should shortly have a dish Of curry to-
gether did not tell them that as a last
resource had employed the cleverest pri-
vate detective in the city to help me, and
that he had failed TO find so much as a
single clue. Had written what was in my
mind should have said frankly that so far
as could then be seen there was not the
remotest chance of being able to trace DON
aid Perhaps the better course would have
been to say that. l saw this more clearly
when the letter was gone, and had strong
er reason to conclude he must be really
dead.
i argued In TINS way; Donald 6ordon mas
n multitude OF friends in Bombay, and IL
he wished TO leave he would certainly have
told them of his intention, and the direction
he purposcd 10 take, and what he intended
TO do. There is ample evidence that he new
er breathed a syllable to one of them of any
plan for the future. Moreover, there is a
considerable sum Of money standing to his
credit with his fathers banker. He knew
it had been lodged there for his use. and
considering his extremely precarious and
slender means Of living and the almost abb
solute necessity of money to European In
the east. Is IL probable that he would do
cline to take advantage OF this provision
which had been made for himi Then there
Is the curious circumstance that he was
last seen few hours after he must have
received the bankers letter apprising him
OF the deposit which had been made to his
credit.
Supposing this letter was seen by others,
would not the money be great temptation
TO needy villain who might take the risk
Of attempting to secure II by getting rid Of
Donald, but, finding the thing impossible
as he proceeded, abandon the project ere
any one became aware OF its existencei
All this reasoned with myself over and
over again. and the more l reasoned the