Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-02-04
DEMOCRATIC NORTHWEST NAPoLEoN.o. FEBRUARY a. 1897

ana py Fr0nrada himself. He put on &
naughty and defiant air at the sight Of
the cleaning arms Of the little company
pressing around Ross and asked what
this outrage meant ''It means" said
Ross sternly, that you must give up
instantly and uninjufod the Mem sahib
KaFney. She was to be found, T" he add
ed, Sin the hall Of idols at the foot Of
Vishnu."
Prohrada heard him to the end with
n sarcastic look, and it was impossible
to tell from his demeanor how startled
he was at the exactitude Of Ross infor-
nation, who finished by saying, "Re-
fuse and you will be ruined, and your
temple too"
The Brahman paused for breath for
two or three seconds and looked intent
ly on the ground. Then he raised his
head proudly. "You shall see, /" be said
haughtily, show you wrong us. Wait
here minute" Ross signed to his fol-
lowers, and all crowded in, while the
Brahman, without deigning to look be-
hind him, Immediately disappeared.
Ross felt somewhat uncertain what to
do He did not wish to involve himself
and his followers in an attack on the
temple if he could possibly help it, al
though to the Brahman his attitude had
been one of. the utmost resolution. But
a minute or so passed ere they saw Proh-
rada returning, leading Lillian by the
hand. She was still evidently insensible.
A few of the flowers that clung still to
her skirts showed that she had been
raised from the couch by the idol. Her
eyes were closed and she moved stiffiy
in obedience to the priests guiding
hands, as an automaton might be ex-
pected to do. The trident mark Of Wish
nu was on her forehead still.
'Seel" said the Brahman. "The mem
sahib bears Vishnu's mark. She strayed
into our temple, entered the hall of idols
and lay down at the foot Of Vishnu.
What could we do? If you must have
her, take her." And his eyes added as
his tongus stopped abruptly, "Take my
deadliest curse with her too"
Ross did not choose to argue or in
quire into details. Lillian was his at
last, and, closing round, they gently
bore her, still in somnambulistic con-
dition, to the bungalow.
1t was long while before Lillian
could be made to understand all that
had happened, and it was plain that
her nervous system was terribly shaken.
She shuddered at the sight Of native
and trembled at hearing the native Ian
guage. She was haunted withia a fearful
idea of being again irresistibly impelled
to enter Hindoo temple and became
utterly incapable Of continuing her mis-
sionary work.
Ross dissolved his partnership with
Karney, and, having persuaded Lillian
to give him the right to protect her
night and day, they were married, and
it did not require much further persua-
sion on the part of Ross to induce his
wife to leave India and her brother, for
whom she felt the same contempt as her
husband. Lillian could not explain how
she was irresistibly impelled to walk in
her sleep into the temple, but it was
long before she could Danish from her
mental vision the cobralike eyes of Prob
rada, the Brahman, and, truth to tell,
naturally human as he was, Ross could
not resist uttering an exclamation of
profound satisfaction when, few years
later, he read in newspaper that Prob
rada had been ignominiously hanged for
his share in one Of the fell massaeres of
the Indian mutiny.
THE END