Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1899-08-24

al shall be the happiest of men il
giving her my name"
"You will love herr
II love her already, father; or, rath
er, the word love fails in its power. ]
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
ssTo see Agnes your wife and Hra the
wife of your brother, has been my
most ardent desire. If Providence per
nlts me now to complete my task
which will render inyincible and invul
Learable 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 hac loitered in happy
enjoyment of each other, owe their re.
past, Sir John and the young people
descended the fight of steps which led
into the garden of the bungalow.
A light breeze, bearing on it's wings
the perfume of flowers. lent a delicious
GOODNESS to succeed the intense heat of
the day.
Tho goddess of night seemed to have
6own 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 yea in uni
son, and, in the midst of the silence.
spoke and understood.
John Malcolm. thoughtful and re-
5clcing. 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
IN this hour the mysterious ~investiga-
lions 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. AMI
which, at any moment, might fall and
crush him.
In the distance, the clock on the pal
nee 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. error. and
sllivered as a man who rouses himself
from sleep. This signal, by which the
unknown summoned him, recalled to
Linn oil that the enchanting vision of
bis betrothed had, since morning, ON
rletely banished.
yesterday. to hear the signal, was to
n axe his heart beat wildly and the
blood leap in his veins; tonight, all
was changed. 1t brought him a sensa-
tion of pain-an icy shiver passed over
him.
II will not goi" he murmured to him
self. Il will go again-neverl'
Agnes felt the arm on which she
leaned tremble. She lifted her lovely
eyes. in surprise, TO his face.
what is the matter, Sir Georgey'
she asked, In vague uneasiness.
Nothing" he answered-'absolutely
nothing
"But you shuddered."
sit was nervousness, perhaps. | was
not conscious of IT,"
lit was not caused. then, by the dis
NAL cry of the owl. which sounded SO
near us three times?"
sAh, you heard it?'
eyes; and /, like you, felt a most
\ painful impression-for, although 8
\ mcnt. YOU experienced the weakness OF
q woman?" she said, smiling.
81 will not deny it. You have guessed
rightly"
.What was this night-bird-an owl
n They say that the owl diviues by in
stinct the approach of death, and that
IN uttering it's funeral cry above (;
house, il announces that n of its In
mates is soon to leave the world"
$50 they portend," answered George
.But it would be absurd, indeed, to al
stach the least creuence to this popula
superstition. for which there is no pos
sible foundation"
ID "Yon are strong-minded, Sir George.
81 "No. All that common sense permit
me to believe, l readily accept; but
Erebcl against absurdities."
why, then, just now, did you shiy
err"
Because. I presume. the cry, sud
e denly breaking the calm stiffness o
&the night, produced upon my nerve
abe effect of a false note in the mids
OF nm harmonious concert"
"And you felt no frightT
.No." /,
"No the least presentiment?"
"Not the least?"
YAK "You are Drawer and happier. Their
M}khan 1, for to ME, / acknowledge. thi
Sinister cry, in this calm, peacefr
night, seems a warning, and predicts
10 some n of us a near and inevitabl
Ssmisfortune."
Those words answered In so singula
= manner to Malcolm's secret though
that ono again he shuddered, more VI
.zplently than before.
* Ordinarily, SAUCER had scarce nj
cred the signal before he heard ar
fproaching him Georges rapid step. nc
blight all was silent.
The Hindoo, patient by nature, wait