The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-19

gave me an account of all that he had
passed through since he had left the uni
versity. He had studied explored, traded,
dug, in every part of the world seeking
diamonds in Africa, gold in South Amer
lea, getting wealth and keeping it, meet
ing men and forgetting them, ever rest
less, ever unsatisfied ever lonely And
so' he said. II found myself in Buencs
Ayres-and there / met her. 1 knew then
why had lived. Well, will not speak of
that. We were betrothed; our marriage
day was set, when suddenly she disap-
peared. Tt was the very day you saw us
together. Not until the next morning did
i learn that she was missing. There was
time then when l was almost insane.
We searched for her everywhere in vain.
All we could learn was that she had last
been seen in the garden of her villa, which
lay on the sea-coast, some miles from
the city. We thought she was drowned"
His voice broke, and he turned his face
from me. In a moment he went on. For
seven years 1 believed that, suffering
cannot tell you how much 1 took up my
cid wandering life. And now l will tell
you a strange thing-you may believe 1t
If you like. Three years ago 1 was in
Calcutta, and / heard her very voice-I
could not mistake 1t. You may say
dreamed 1t; 1 tell you heard 1t as plain
ly as you hear me now. Well no matter
how it came, what j heard was the
truth. learned where She was. 1 set out
within an hour to find her-for she was
not dead-and 1 found her at last:
found her, yes"
He left his chair, and paced back and
forth in the room. 81 will tell you why
she disappeared, he said. at is incredi-
BILE, but that, also is true. There in
Buenos Ayres was a foreign nobleman on
a tour of the world. During my absence
from the city he annoyed her with his
attentions. When 1 came back slapped
his face, in public. His rank forbade him,
he said, to challenge me. But his revenge
was sure. He watched for the opportunity
and with some of his crew stole upon
her in her garden, and carried her off TO
his yacht To allay suspicion ne kept the
boat in the harbor for some days Then
he slipped away quietly"
Murdoch gripped the arms of his chair
hard, and his mouth quivered, but he
controlled himself.
II cannot tell you all know" he said.
''It would choke me- The man was a
smooth viper, John. a hooking devil. At
first he was madly in love with her. He
told her of his Weakh, his high position.
but she would not yield. Then the SER
pent showed. He used no force but he
vowed he would break her will He
brought her to Europe and established her
In his country house. His servants were
taught to believe her insane. She was
strictly confined and watched in beauti-
full suite OF rooms. Regularly he visited
her. He said he found his keenest de-
light in tanning his wild bird. Twice she
tried to kill him, and he only laughed.
Can you imagine her torture during those
long years? 1t drives me half mad to
MI ~ Of ShH CHI 4,
reason, and outmatched him to the end.
Well at last found her-I told you that
Il found her, and by my help she es-
capped. But 1t was too late. She fingered
few weeks only, and died in my arms.
All my Nita! My Nita!
l believe that for the moment I forgot
even his grief. And the mani cried.
THAT devil, Murdoch?'
"Ay," he said. turning and standing
over me, his speech in a moment hard
and cool, cay. the man. What OF him
He has powerful friends. In his own
country he can laugh at the law. Sup
pose he had done to you, John, what he
has done to me, and fate put him into
your hands, say, what would you do?'
God forgive me, Murdoch,"I burst out
but ! believe l would kill him like q
wormw
Murdoch laughed fercely. Come" he
said, Selling me by the arm, II knew /
could count upon you. 1t was for this
sent for you. You have pronounced his
sentence; you shall help me 20 execute
1t. Come"
What, now" I cried, startled.
why delay longer? The man is in the
next roomr'
l stopped abruptly, and for a moment
we stood there glaring at each other.
Shocked and angered as / had been by
Murdoch's recital, / was not prepared
thus suddenly to make his vengeance
my own. Murder is an ugly thought 40
any man.
Murdoch / gasped. IL cannot do
this, not even for you"
Murdoch bent his eyes on mine. could
not avoid them. I know not how to ac-
count for II, but they held me as a snake
holds it's prey. have bent strong wills to
mine, but / had no strength to oppose
this mans. All at once he seized me by
the shoulders.
"BurJnester," he broke out, In a changed
voice, don't think hardly of me. What
! must, ] must. For three years, since
she died ! have lived only for this. Even
as / loved her. 1 hate him. and now,
when Heaven puts him into my hands,
and bids me 60 justice on him shall 1
hesitate?"
What will you do with hlm7" asked.
II will finish what 4 began when
lured him here" said Murdoch. ALREADY
during two days he has suffered part Of
the agonies she knew. Now he shall grow
old, old with pain, and by minutes, as
she by years; and so he shall under stand,
at last"
/ still cast about me for some means Of
escape. But II II Is a matter OF Justice
you will show me proofs" urged. weak
ly.
You have heard my story" returned
Murdoch do you doubt Il? Stay. It IS
not the only story YOU have heard OF him.
You know the man and his reputation.
Look 70
He strobe forward and nung open a
door. A lighted room lay beyond, and at
the farther end bound hand and foot 10
chair sat a man, In spite Of the band
ages that gagged and blindfolded him
knew hlm-knew him for the shrewdest
political lntriguer, the vilest libertine and
the handsomest man In Europe. II was
the Crown Prince Michael.