New-York tribune., 1898-10-02


ployed exclusively as n mural decoration was
no. very evident. Her surprise was increased
when. pursuing her search along the wall she
came next on a picture In a frame.
This is the Queerest native fort ever heard
Of" she said to herself, and, leaving the wall,
made bold dash fer the opposite side OF the
room 1t scarcely astcnshed her to come INTO
collision on her way with various boxes. camp
table and two cane chairs; and having passed
these pers she stood still and tried TO fix their
position in her mind. When she had succeeded
in realizing their relative places new anxls'y
seized her. The recollection had conc TO her
mind of snapshot photograph which FREQ
Haycraft mad once shown her of what he called
his "banquetng hall" at Fort Shah Nawaz: and
once more she felt about among the furniture;
then heaved a sigh Of relief. No. the fort had
not been stormed and the defenders killed be-
fore she was brought to 1t. The room was un-
tidy merely with the ordinary untdness OF
bachelors sittinS-room, not as 1t would haVe
been had the tribesmen looted II. MISS Granahl
sat down content in one Of the chairs size had
discovered
IT'S an utterly insoluble mystery" she said,
FOR I'm that the man whose face thought
| knew the havildar Sultan Jan. But, at
any rate it's all right now. wonder when ne
will come in?' Now Miss Grahams he aid
not mean Sultan Jan.
Lieutenant Haycraft was returning to his
quarters after going the rounds in no very
happy frame of mind. Milton, the junior VINO
shared with him the honors and responsibilities
CT command at Shah Nawa2, had ridden out to
a distant village during the afternoon to inquire
into an alleged Of cattle-lifting, and mad
not returned. Haycraft had advised him, III
case ne should DO kept late, to remain over
night at the village. since the kheInistan IRON
tier is not exactly a healthy place after nghtfaii
for a British officer with escort of only two
! native troopers: but now he felt inclined TO re-
gard his absence almost in the light cf a per-
sonaI grievance. If Milton had come back they
could at least have talked shop over their sup
per or discussed the merits ot their respective
dogs. whereas now ne could only resume his
hopeless and mCnotonOUs occupation Of writing
letters to Miss Graham which were never sent
After all il was her place TO make the first step
toward a reconciliation, If she cared for one.
She had treated him shamefully. done her best
to make fool of him. and ne had only himself
to thank that she had not succeeded. PROBABLY
sl.e was engaged to Brendon by this timc--wel,
who cared? Not Fred Haycraft, at all events
So he assured himself, even while he ground his
teeth at the very thought. The sudden appear,
of Sultan Ian in his path. with his hand
raised to the salute, interrupted his meditations,
and he paurei to ask after the old soldiers
family whom Sultan Jan had visited that day
On the occasion Of some tribal festival
They all wen, Sahib, and my youngest
nephew is coming 10 enlist in the corps. Sahib
! ! think that before long you will find that the
dawn is very near at hand"
| Puzzled by the reference to Sultan JAMS mys-
terious remark of the day before, Haycraft
mounted the steps to his quarters ana threw
open the door of his si;tinG-roorn, then paused
/ in speechess astonishment on the threshold
! His surprise not uncalied for. In milton :
chair there was sitting woman in a riding
! habit; a native cloth was swathed round hcr
! head with her own helmet set jauntily askew on
the top If it, and her hands were tea together
at the wrists Horror kept Haycraft motion
/ less for a moment: then as the woman lifted her
/ bound hands to him entreatingly. he tore out
/ his knife and dashed toward her The cord was
cut in a moment. ard the intricate KNOTS "hlch
fastened the head covering were sawn through,
and as the cloth fell aside Haycraft stood aston
ished and Mortified in the presence OF MISS
Graham.
What has happened" he stammered "Who
has darod'-
ficc( era
! ham. family In spite Of the rough treatment
she had received she far more equal 10 the
! situation than her recalcitrant lover; but sne
felt that she needed all her wits about her II
events were not to be allowed to get beyond her
management Haycraft flew for the water. ana,
while she slipped it, began mechanically to chafe
her left hand, which was cold and numb with
the wrist deeply marked 10y the cords.
please don't look at me with such depth CT
horror in your eyes" she said at last trying to
laugh. IT'S all right now"
But what happened? Who brought you here
in this state"
Il was carried off by tribesmen from the end
Of the cemetery ROAD.
Ard my fellows rescued you and brought you
NJ here and never thorght Of setting You free?
oh the diots-the shameful idiots. How any
one could have been such brute as to tie you
up like this. My poor darling. how you must
have suffered" And he pressed his lips involun-
tarily the mark on her wrist But she drew
| her hand away hastily.
mo: please wait until you have heard all.
/ It's much worse tH;ifi yoi tHliih Ht lil'ii WIN
carried me off dressed like tribesmen, but
they were led 10y your old haviidar Sultan Jan
the man who saved your life.
Haycraft uttered an exclamation, and then
stood silent all the horrible truth forcing itself
in upon his mind Sultan Jams mysterious con-
solations. his sympathetic prophecy of ap-
preaching happiness, had meant this-this. on
ne shall pay for it, said Haycraft savagely.
picking W his whip and turning to the door.
But Miss Graham was before him.
What are you going To do?'' she demanded.
Murder that old villain"