Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-09-28

They could not hate George Malcolm.
They hardly knew him."
But" interrupted George, someone
might be found to whose interest it
might be made for them to lie"
Inyoluntarily the rajah started; but
ut once recovered himself, and asked,
with hauteur:
what then?"
Seeing him start, George smiled. and,
saluting him with most cutting irony,
he answered:
''Reassure yourself, prince. / accuse
no one. L only ask to know the
csarges which, If you must be be-
lieved, weigh upon and seem to crush
me-
"AId you are right, Sir George"
cried Djella; for, doubtless, a single
word from you will suffice to over
throw this monstrous accusation"
George saluted Djella as he had So
luted Doorgal,
"Madome." he asked, "why, then, do
you defend me?'
Because she answered, with pas
sion-"because John Malcolm was the
soul of honor, virtue and loyalty, and /
cannot believe that his son should be a
wretched assassin-an infamous parri-
cider
George regarded the princess with
involuntary defiance. He had fought
against the suspicion which presented
itself before him-a suspicion which
now grew and assumed in his mind ev-
cry aspect of certainty. At the end of
a moment he replied:
Thanks. madame! You judge me
rightly. The crime imputed to me is
one which rarely, thank God, stains
humanity"
Irrepressible tears suffocated him.
He hid his face in his hands, murmur-
ing:
Particle! II oh, my God!'
The violent emotion completely DOM
mating him was of short duration. He
regained his entire ~self-control, and,
turning toward Doorgal Sahib, he
asked:
"'HYhat impious motive would have
induced me. according to you. to have
committed this most execrable deed?"
1.-THE motive, sir, i neither know o
desire to know. / might answer you
that the depths of the human heart r
impenetrable. that ambition leads to
most cowardly actions, and that John
Malcolm's assassin may have been in
haste to inherit his Office and his
wealth. But to what good? / am not
a magistrate. / am an accuser. / see
the crime, and it only, and I consider
my duty as accomplished, my work as
finished, whcl | have surrendered the
guilty one,'
George bowed.
Nothing more just" he said. "Only
permit me to ask you il it is a chance
denunciation which unfolded to you
the secret, or active research which
has led you TO the positive certainty
which you affirm
II am the Rajah Doorgal Sahib." re-
piled the prince, with pride. II admin
lister my domains aad render justice. l
have the right and duty to know the
crimes committed in my principality,
and it is within it's limits that Sir John
Macolm's blood has flowed"
prince" said George, with sarcasm
he took 10 pains to conceal, .the East
India Company police assuredly would
be urrivaled If the Rajah Doorgal Sa-
hib would do it the honor to place it.
self at their Sead."
The blow was rude. Doorgal did not
receive it without a frown. He rose,
Bdit anu tulculCuihS, anu CiiSh.
"Yo. forget to whom you speak,"
George answered, smiling:
ION the contrary, / remember and
adllire!w Then, changing his tone, he
continued: "My father was bent upon
a mission at once very great and very
dangerous-that of discovering by any
means, the mysterious ~ramifications of
a horde of assassins. Has he V
spoken to you, his friend, of this mis-
sion?'
Never!'
1.-THE thought, then, has not occurred
to you to attribute my fathers death
TO revenge Of terror, and to accuse OF
his murder those unknown devils who
strike at England in the darkT'
"No-since l accuse you"
"AId you. perhaps, wen deny the ex-
istence OF this organizatjon?'
Doorgal, who had resumed his seat,
| again rose, and said, in a naughty tone:
II really believe, sir, that you ques
ton mev'
George struck, with his closed fist
the desk near which he stood.
"Yes-by heaven! Yes. Sir, I ques
ton you'll" he cried.
What would you have?"
"My life, my honor, are in peril! l
defend the one, and l wish to save the
| other!'
.'Tryr' replied Doorgal Sahib.