Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1899-08-24

CHAPTER v. (Continued.)
II shall be the happiest of men in
giving her my name"
"You will love her?'
II love her already, father; or, rath-
er, the word love fails in its power. l
worship adore herr"
Sir John seized his sons hands and
and pressed them while his face be-
came radiant.
"Ah God is good! he murmured.
ITO see Agnes your wife and Hra the
wife of your brother has been my
most ardent desire. II Providence per-
lnits me now to complete my task,
nearable my country'S power in India.
my duty to the world will be per-
formed, and can die in peace"
1t was evening. Nine o'clock had
struck, when, rising from the dinner
table, where they had loitered in happy
enjoyment of each other, over their re-
past, Sir John and the young people
descended the flight of steps which led
into the garden Of the bungalow.
A light breeze, bearing on it's wings
the perfume of flowers, lent q delicious
GOODNESS to succeed the intense heat Of
the day.
The goddess of night seemed to have
=sown all the jewels in her casket upon
the velvet Of her mantle.
George and Agnes. Edward and Hera
walked slowly and almost in silence.
Now and then a word escaped one or
the other. and obtained an uncertain
answer; but their hearts beat in uni
son, and, in the midst of the silence,
spoke and understood.
John Malcolm thoughtful and re-
jcicing. followed his children, as, in his
heart. he called them all. In this mo-
Ment the future appeared spread be-
fore him in glowing colors. He forgot
i'll this hour the mysterious investiga-
tons on whose success, he believed,
hung the safety of the East Indian
company. He remembered no longer
the terrible dangers suspended over his
head, like the sword Of DamOcles, and
which. at any moment, might fall and
crush him.
In the distance, the clock on the pal
ace of Lord Singleton, governor Of the
Presidency of Benares, struck ten.
Hardly had the last reverberation
died away, when the boot of an owl,
thrice repeated, sounded on the night.
George listened, almost in terror and
shivered as a man who rouses himself
from sleep. This signal, by which the
unknown summoned him, recalled to
lin all that the enchanting vision of
his batrothed had, since morning, COM
rlctely banished.
yesterday, to hear the signal, was to
n AXE his heart beat wildly and the
I'll L. lid 4
was changed. 1t brought him a sellsa-
ton of pain-an icy shiver passed over
him.
Il will not go!" he murmurcd to him.
self. Il will go again-never.'
Agnes felt the arm on which she
leaned tremble. She lifted her lovely
eyes, in surprise, to his face.
s'What is the matter, Sir George?'
:sEe asked, in vague uneasincss.
Nothing" he Observation-Disclosures
nothing"
But you shuddereG."
cit was nervousness, perhaps. 1 was
not conscious of it"
st was not caused, then by the dis
NAL cry of the owl. which sounded so
near us three times?'
''Ah, you heard it,"
Yes; and l. like you, felt a most
painful mpression-for, although a
man, you cannot deny that. for the mo-
ment. you experienced the weakness OF
a woman?" she said. smiling.
81 will not deny it. You have guessed
rightly,
sWhat was this night-bird-an owl?
They say that the owl divines by in
stinct the approach of death. and that,
in uttering it's funeral cry above a
house, it announces that one of its in
mates is soon to leave the world
$50 they portend." answered George.
But it would be absurd, indeed, to at
tach the least crelence to this popular
superstition for which there is no pos
.sible founda ion'
You are strOng-minded. Sir George"
t'No. All that common sense permits
me to believe. l readil5T accept: but
rebel against absurdities."
why, then, just now. did you shiv-
er?'
Because. I presume. the cry, sud
denly breaking the calm stiffness of
I the night, produced upon ElT nerves
the effect of a false note in tie midst
OF an harmonious concert
/ And you felt no fright?''
sNo."
No the least presentiment?'
Not the least?''
You are Drawer and happier, then,
than /, for to me, l acknowledge, this
sinister cry, in this calm, peaceful
night, seems a warning. and predicts,
to some one of us near and inevitable
4 misfortune"
These words answered in so singular
manner to MalcoIm's secret thought
B that once again he s-luddered, more vi.
s0lently than before.
Ordinarily. Sanger had scarce ut.
yxssred the sigma! before he h,-srd mp
promoting him Georges rapid ster no
r S;MIHht NIL was silent.
The Hinloo. patient by nature, wait