Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1897-11-11
With a profound sigh

~ ~
With profound sigh.
"No use in thinking Of such prize
Val, till you can prove you are worthy
of it. The only thing can think of a
present is to give you letter of intro
duction to my solicitor. He is shrewG
man. / will tell him 1 am convinced
of your innocence, and you must tel
your own story"
She rose and went over to the writing
table. Carew stood gazing disconsolate
ly through the window.
1T is dreadful aggravation of ou1
difficulties" said Lady Hastings, look
ing up from her writing, "this disap
pearance Of James and his nurse. Of
course he can be found Nothing is hid.
den long nowadays, but time is of i'm.
mense Importance. l wonder Khodja
his native servant, has not found means
Of communicating with us.
"Khodja has been dismissed and sent
back to Bombay
Is it possible! I never thought
James would part with him. Why, he
has been with him ever since my step.
son was appointed commissioner at
H"
"Ah, it looks very bad!''
Pray impress upon Mr.. Heartwell
the extreme Importance of tracing James
as soon as possible" said Lady Has
tings, rising and giving her note to Ca.
rev. AS he put it in his pocket the din
ner bell rang, and at the same moment
the door was opened by Ruth.
have ordered the dogcart, mother, -
she said. "val must drive to Nuttield.
There is no up train after 7:45 at GU,
little station"
"a thousand thanks, cried Carew.
f"Come, theit, you must want your
dinner" And Lady Hastings took his
arm. "Stop," she exclaimed, suddenly
pausing before she reached the door.
II have an idea. Suppose I go to the
Oriental bank people and offer to guar.
antee the amount of the check? am
good for $780,"
ooh, yes. Do, mother, DEAR" cried
Ruth.
"No, certainly not. I will accept
nothing of the sort" returned Carew
firmly. besides my decided objection
to your risking the money, every one
would see in your action proof of my
villainy. Mynear relationship to James
my intimacy with the general and your.
self are well known. You would be
credited with q sacrifice to save me.
No, no, the matter must take its course
have been rather poluoon about it
but your kindness has reused my droop
ing courage. will use the time that il
left me diligently. I don't think any
steps will be taken for few days"
"Steps! Law proceedings!" exclaim
ed Ruth.
II SEQ the force of what you say
said Lady Hastings, moving on to the
dining room, "but remember am not
afraid Of trusting you with $780,"
Dinner passed silently, though Lady
Hastings was careful in her efforts t.
make Carew eat. When it was ovel
and the sound Of wheels was heard a!
the dogcart came to the door, Carew
rose and took leave of his kind hostess
StAi ilCNC1 y Ol Ut
said in low voice full of feeling.
do not thank me, Val The memory
Of your help and devotion to my OWE
poor boy when he was dying far away
from us all is ever present with me-
God bless you! Goodby." Ruth SHOOK
hands with him silently, and he hastily
left the room, but the next moment he
oa11a1 har o,,J .,lo f,11o,,aJ
ooh. Ruth, l forgot to say I'll tele
graph the moment find any traces. .
Then lowering his voice he whispered
Forgive me for disturbing you with
the avowal that escaped me. 1 should
have mastered myself, but the touch Of
your hand-do not trouble yourself
about me, dear Ruth-goodby. And he
was gone.
"What did Val want?' asked Lady
Hastings, with a slight frown.
"Oh, to say he would telegraph as
soon as he found any trace of James!"
Eyes, of course he will Why, Ruth,
my love, are you SO shaken?" For Ruth
had thrown herself into chair and
burst into tears.
Thenext day and several more brought
no comfort.
Lady Hastings solicitor wrote grave
ly. The case, he said, looked serious.
He had put detectives on the search,
but it was difficult to get clew to the
missing invalid. Messrs. Lindley g.
Draper, Mr.. Hastings men of business,
did not deny their knowledge of his
whereabouts but would not reveal it.
They seemed quite convinced of Cap
tain Ccrew's c,,i.ss-AsA the extreme i'm
liz at tne prIncess' n away from his
can n, luo no meantime Carew
' ly Hastings be-