The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1900-05-18
4 STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE.

A STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE,
Rhoda was my colonels eldest daugh-
ter. and she used laughingly 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, 1 thought
otherWlse, for i'll years gone by. when
we were both subalterns. Jack Truvers
anu L had loved the same girl. We both
Wooed her, but Jack won her fairly; he
and were none the less friends, yet the
Jay when we stood side by side at his
chlld-wife's open grave under the scarlet
glory of the gold mohur trees was the
bitterest in my life. She left one little
girl, and i'll good time Jack forgot his
Sriet and married again. His veranda
was full of merry voices and the patter
OF tiny feet. but l remembered always,
ana so Rhoda, for her mothers sake,
| was dearer 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
GGhmanded and l was senior major;
|
under the wing of the second Mrs. Tray
| crS.
| Inc second year after we had arrived
IN N, the station the gunners gave ball.
| when arrived the ball was already in
Iull SI,Wlng and the first person l saw
what on earth are YOU doing here2''
L, SAID: why are you not dancing,
Rhoda?"
Il am dancing" she answered. tucking
her arm into mine. with you.'
But I'm not dancing man"
u know that, don't I, Maj. Dick?
you We never danced with me yet Take
me- me- INTO the veranda quick. There's
MS. 1raverS looking at us. You see,
Sne wants me to dance with old Sir
nenry Washington and, said my pro-
sr am! Y,, was full"
well, it isn't-quite. Sir Henry nur-
Sues me from Dan to Beersheba, and
Mrs: IraverS has quite made up her
II In n!1, that In to marry him. and that
ne II propose tonight
~, me idea is preposterous: the mans
w. ,eh h to be- your grandfather!
Khoda handed it to me-
W nat on earth are all these blanks
ior! Stop, though, there's heiroglyph-
WELL, said Rhoda, I'm keeping
them for someone, but till he comes I'M
m m to YOU. See? Maj. Dick"
IN the district at Kotanhulli; he said he
would be back for the ball.
w, men did you see him laSt?"
Inc morning he left. And all those
uan ace for him, Rhoda? Do you mean
absorbed in the study Of her nropram ou mn
r., GOOD heavens: How blind I've been!
Yes. he has" intrrruptcd Rbod,
ne was to have his answer next dav
anEn ne was ordered off into the district
SSu"uehl!' and l haven't seen him since
We been so wretched. Major. dear, do
you think he'll come tonight" 'e"'' w
Of course he WILL" answered cheor;-
~; ne gone out to some beastly little
Hniage along the river. He said he
would put up. at Kotanhulli bungalow
ana ana oe back by tonight. Rhoda, dear,
fellow and you will make him s - ; sUoI
of a wife, "' jewel
~ me ne shadow deepened in the girls eyes
as the evening wore on and there was no
sign OF Alistair Grahame.
NeXt morning l left the station for
iater lays ieave on the hills and ten days
the library. only to be startled by the
announcement of the total disappear-
a ad OF Mr. Alistair Grahame. Ali er-
lorts TO lind trace of him had heen
uunavalllng, and it was feared he had met
MS death by foul means ' '''> =
Anst9lr Grahame had been friend of
i - nut tnough many years my junior, and
little Rhoda should have her life's h,n mi!
ness SO suddenly snatched from her
gave up my leave at once on hearino tho
A1g"s' ana returned to the station tn 500
what could be done. All efforts, however
seemed unavailing VIZ
-, NotnlnT had been seen of him since
nun bungalow. He took no servant
WIN WIZ hlm' only coolie to carry his trans.
ana VINO, OF course, was not to be fonnd
ne o!d butler at the bungalow sworo
h he nad never been there. and none Of
ms things could be discovered. His pony
o o.,1. nome TO his stable three days aft
strWard with his saddle still on. Ora
name had been a man of many hobhies
tnoueh an excellent officer and his hnhit
or wandering through the bazaar kodat
IN hand, taught him many things that
sne natives considered it was not good a
81 40 should , know. The unerring eve
OF the lens bounced upon and penetrated
n! I,, dlSsulSes of men who were want
ca, and who would otherwise have
passed unnoticed. 1t had been the means
some months before, of arresting Ymsnf
MAN duh adar of police, who had made
aMaS win certain government moneys.
Grahame's kodak had found him ont in
the bazaar i'll the disguise of m Eu1nfl
7la horse dealer. He had been con-
demned, undergone his sentence and had
tntn liSa ppeared, no one knew where
hib. VII "i'nahle oa-
One morning some months later tho
6NnOhfnn o,,l
through the bazaar Parade had heaS
dismissed. and as Rhoda wanted TO oct
SS1!ethlng on her way home, we left the
11aldan and made for Dhurm Dass' shon
ne was occupied for the moment WIKI
.nother customer. and his fat deferentiai
'oice carried across the shop:
Without doubt, as your honor sovs t.
is devil machine, taking pictures and
seeing things with it's accursed eve that -
much rupees "s 'ne
stroited across the shop to look at the
nc Kodak o and found Rhoda looking at it
pered excitedly: 1T is Alistair's! Know
II by the deep scratch on the side. Ask
the man where he got it,
How much for this?" l said.
hat devil machine costing much mon
eys as your honor knows, wherefore forty
Take twenty, Dhurm Dass. and ho
content
Wherefore, Dhurm Dass, having made
a good bargain. took twenty, and Rhoda
and l carried home our prize.
Shortly after our discovery in the ba-
zaar l had an invitation to 70 out in
camp for a weeks shooting
At the last moment thought occurred
to me that | might as we'll take Alistair's
kodak, so | slipped dozen plates into it
and slung it across my shoulder.
The sun was high when reached the
river, and turned southwark. heading for
khotanhulli bungalow. Arrived there. ! !
bid The cd butler prepare me meal to-
snipe.
Toward shutdown l came back with a
fairly good bag. and throwing myself jn-
to long chair in the veranda, proceed
ed to ENJOY, well-earned cheroot. Then,
and only then. did it occur to me that
this, was the bungalow where Grahame
had last been heard of.
mir Khan I said, turning suddenly
TO a.