Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-05-12
A Strange DISAPPEARANCE.

/ ii UIiNiituL UIUIli | LiiUiltUL.
Rhoda was my coloncl's eldest dargh.
/ ter. and she used laughinely to declare
| that. though she and my terrier Nip
! shared my undivided affection, yet Nip
/ held first place in my esteem. When
/ remembered Rhoda's mother, | thought
/ otherwise, for in years gone by, when
! we were both snhalterns. Jack Trayers
and / had loved the same girl. We both
wooed her, but Jack won her fairly; he
/ and ] were none the less friends. yet the
/ day when we stood side by side at his
! chlld-Wife's open grave under the scarlet
/ glory of the gold m0hur trees was the
/ bittercst in my lite. She left one little
| girl, and in good time Jack forgot his
! grief and married again. His veranda
| was full of merry voices and the patter
/ of tiny feet, brit | remembered always,
and so Rh0da, for her mothers sake,
was dcarer to me than anything on
earth
! Time had not stood still since those
! days. We had gone home with the regi
/ ment, and now it was commencing its
/ ten years OF Indian service again. Jack
/ commanded and | was senior major;
Rhode was grown up, ana had come out
under the wing of the second Mrs. Tray
ers.
The second year after we had arrived
IN the station the gunncrs gave a ball:
| When ! arrived the ball was already in
fnll swing and the first person | saw
was Rhoda Travers.
What on earth are you doing here? -
! said; why are you not dancing,
Rhoda?'
Il am dancing" she answered, tucking
her arm into mine. with You"
But I'm not Il dancing man."
Il know that, don't |. Maj. Dick ?
you've never danced with me yet. Take
me into the veranda quick. There $
Mrs. TravcrS looking at us You see,
she wants me to dance with old Sir
Henry Washington and, said my pro-
gramme was full"
''Well?'
wei, it isnt-quite Sir Henry pur-
sues me from Dan Ia Beersheba, and
Mrs. TraverS has quite made up her
mind that I'm to marry him, and that
ne II propose tonight
The idea is prepostcrous; the mans
Old enough 10 be Your grandfather,
Well how about the programme?'
Rhoda handed it to me.
What on earth are all these blanks
icrf stop, though, there's heirogyph
ic against them
We'll" said Rhoda. I'm keep ne
them for someone but till he comes I'm
engaged to you. See? Mai. Dick"
with coaxing change of tone. why ont
in the district at Kotanhulli; he said he
would be back for the BALL"
" M, did you, see him last -, -
dances for him, Rhoda? DO you mean
to tell me -"
Rhoda nodded violently and became
absorbed in the study Of her programmes
Good heavens. How blind I've been
I'd no notion of it. Rhoda. has he -"
Yes. he has. interrupted Rhoda.
He was to have his answer next day.
tfn mi 4 l.c
suddenly, and ] haven't seen him since.
We been 50 wret"hed. Major, dear. do
You think he'll come tonight"
OF course he will, ] answered cheeri-
49,: he 5 gone out 20 some beaStly little
village along the river. He said he
would put mp ~ kotanhuli bungalow
ana be back by tonight. Rhoda. dear.
m awfully glad. .ilstair'S II right good
fellow and YOU viii make him a jewel
of wife"
The shadow decISned in the girls eyes
rs the evening wore on and there was no
sign of Alistar Grahame
Next morning | left the station tor a
later | picked mp a Times of India in
. the library, only to be startled hy the
announcement Of the total diSanppar-
ance of Mr.. Alistair Grahame. Ail a.
forts 20 find 4 trace Of him had been
unavailing. and il was feared he had met
AliStair Grahamc had been a friend of
mine, though many years my junior. and
Il cut me 10 the heart to think that my
! little Rhoda should have her life's happi-
neSs so suddenly Snatchcd from her. |
gave up my leave ut once on hearing rho
news, and returned tn the station to see
what could be done. All efforts, however.
seemed unaVaiiing.
Nothing had been seen of him since
the day he left environments for Kotan-
nun bungalow. He took no servant
with him. only coole 10 carry his trans.
ana Who OF course, WAS not 10 be found.
The old butler at the bungalow swore
ne mad never been there and mono Of
his things could be discovered. His pony
came home To his stable three DAYS aft-
onward with his saddle still on Gra-
/ name had been a man of many hobbies.
/ though I'm excellent officer. and his habit
/ of wandering through the bazaar, Kodak
IN hand, taught him MANY things that
the natives considered ii was not good a
Sahlb should know. The unerring eve
~ the lens pounced upon aud penetrated
/ many diSguiSCS Of men who were "want-
! ed. and who would Otherwise have
passed unnoticed. 1t had been the means.
( some months before Of arrpStiug Yusuf
( Nhan. duttadar ot police. who had made
/ away with certain government moneys
/ Grahame'S kodak had found him ont in
/ the bazaar in the disguise of an Enzuf.
I zia horse dealer. He had been con.
; demncd undergone his sentence and had
/ then disappeared. no one knew where
/ swearing to be reveuged ON Grahame Sa
( hib.
| One morning some months later. tho
! coloncIs daughter and were riding
/ through the bazaar, Parade had been
: dismissed. and As RhOda wanted To got
[ something on her way home we loft tho
/ Madam aud made for Dhurm DaSS' shnn
tie was occupied for the moment with
another customer, and his fat decerential
/ voice carried across the Shop:
( Without doubt. as your honor SAYS. IL
/ Is . devil machine, taking pictures and
seeing things with its acCurSed eve that 4
/ Sahib sees not. This box costing me
I much rupees"
I | Strollcd across the shop to look nj tho
( kodak ami found Rhoda looking ar il
/ eagerly. She clutChed my arm aud whjs.
/ pcrel eSctcdly: at is AistarS' | know
4 II by the deep scratch ON the side ASK
/ the man where he got it
1 How much for thiSE" | said.
{ That devil machine costing much mon.
| cyS as YOUR honor knows. wherefore forty
I rupees"
!