The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-04

AASeSSAAASoo3
devilish contempt and hatred. John
son, she cried, "send for the police. l
have the doctors authority for what L
do This unhappy man will rue the
day I let him go into the hands OF that
scoundrel, Carew, and his accompl1ces.
I demand protection from the police.
"And demand it for my young mis-
tressp, exclaimed Brett. Neither Miss
Hastings nor I will leave this room till
Mr.. Heartwell arrives to put things
right. He will be here within an hour
Never mind, Mr.. Hastings, we'll not
leave YOU
Here dark, handsome, eastern look
ing man, though dressed in European
fashion, appeared in the doorway and
addressed her in Hindoostanee, with a
triumphant smile.
"Aye," she replied, still speaking the
language of late most familiar to her,
tmy failure is due to you! Had you
not insisted on my meeting you, had
you not kept me last night, I should
have been at my post, and this auda-
cious girl should never have gained ad-
mittance! What enemy sent that tele-
gram? Who discovered me? Another
week, and should have been his wife,
his heir! Come, let me leave this &C.
cursed place! You have destroyed mel"
The Oriental rapidly, in his own
tongue, murmured something, and she
replied as if scarcely conscious of what
she said. eyes, it is destiny! You are
my fatep' and rushed from the room.
Ruth clasped her hands "For heav-
ems sake,'' she exclaimed, "lose nc
more timel Even now we may be toe
late to save Captain Carew from this
dreadful charge. Go, Brettl Go to the
bank! Lose no timep'
But poor Ruth s incoherent directions
were interrupted by the welcome ap-
pearance of Mr.. Heartwell who soon
put matters in shape.
Having had a short and exceedingly
decisive interview with Mrs. Somers,
he counseled Ruth to stay with her
brother till the arrival Of Lady Hastings,
who was expected in the afternoon. He
managed to calm the invalid S miserable
fears and wrote out short statement
of the facts and gave it to Hastings,
who signed it with an effort.
"Iet Mr.. Hastings servant dress
him." said Heartwell, "and prepare
him to leave this. I don't think there
is really much the matter with him.
will return to town Immediately and
telegraph to you the result of my inter
view with the manager -
He rang the bell as he spoke, and the
man who had admitted Ruth appeared
instantly.
He received his orders and Immediate
ly burst into apologetic explanations OF
how he only knew the nurse by the
name of Smithson, how he was engaged
to attend an invalid gentleman, and
how he had begun to think things were
not on the square, etc.
Further details may be anticipated.
Hastings statement entirely cleared Ca
rev from the charge about to be prefer
red against him, and the weak but well
meaning hypochondriac was soon estab-
lished at the Grange, with his faithful
Khodja in attendance.
The distinguished specialist called in
to advise him declared that his nervous
system had been much tempered with
by chloroform or some treatment of that
nature, and it would be some time be-
fore he could completely recover from its
effects.
It was decided to make no attempt tt
punish Mrs. Somers. The lawyers in
examining the condition Of Mr.. Has
tings' affairs found that his expenses had
been well managed and no charge Of
embezzlement could be brought against
her She therefore, through the specia.
protection supposed to be extended by
his satanic majesty to his most capable
servants, escaped where many less
fendish culprit would have suffered.
Before September had closed Val Ca
rev was once more the guest OF Lady
Hastings. This time it was a parting
visit, for he had effected the exchange
he desired and was to sail for India in
few days.
81 can never thank you enough,
! Ruth he was saying, "for the pluck
and promptness with which you acted
on my behalf You saved more than
my life-my reputation.
Before she could reply the butler an
nounced that MacDougal was in the
hall and very eager to speak with Cap
tain Carew.
"Show him in,'' said Lady Hastings,
and in minute he entered, looking
more gaunt and dreamy than ever.
"Oh, MacDougal, cried Ruth, 81
have been dying to ask you about thai
telegram. We cannot find out who sent
it.
est is just about that I came tc
speak, mem. I hear the captain has
been making inquiries about it, and
have come to beg he will not, or I'll
likely lose my place"
''How so, MacDougal?" asked Carew.
''Just hear my story, sir. You'll re-
member, Miss Ruth, that Sabbath even
ing. You was alone in the grounds, and
I told you how met Khodja and how
he said where he had tracked that she
devil. Well, Miss Ruth was in sore