The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-12

! THE PURPLE GOD. !:
Bv WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYD0N. Copyright
-ae-o-o-o-o-e-0-e-e-e-e-e- 1900

1t will burst" ~
III trust you are mistaken, sir. But
must admit that have not been entirely
blind to tho signs. II Spanish is pouho
for Jhalapur-"
"That is his destination" the colonel
Interrupted; 'but he must not reach there.
There is little chance OF his getting q
horse, so he will probably travel on foot
and keep to tho jungle paths He must
be headed Off intercepted and caught; Yet
I hesitate to send n force In pursuit OF
him; for good reasons don't want this
affair to leak out Mt present ,,,,,..,
81 have an iden," said Jack. win
your permission Will rido ut once ~ -
| some OF his men will go on with mo TO-
ward Jhalnpur. Spanish should reach
there toward dnybreak. and It's ten 70
one he vii fall into our hands think
know the track he will take and where
he will emerge from tho JUNGLE -, M. !
"Good!' approved the colonel. II Ike
that Fame. I believe you will succeed.
30 sure that 1rstcourt provides sufficient
men for the purpose
| Within ten minutes tho young subaltern
Rad taken tho pick Of his two horses
from the stable and was riding towards
the Jhalapur road. Tho distance to the
rnjnh's town was eighteen miles. ana hnif
way between. nine miles from Meerut.
lay the plantation OF Fhmpoora.
1t belonged to an American named
I3stcourt who had inherited It several
years before from an uncle. with whom
| he had previously lived In india for n
time. Ralph Estcourts parents were
dead, and when he carne out to take pos
session OF his property and work u ne
| was accompanied by his sister. They had
| met Lieutenant Fame in England. and tho
acquaintance there begun had SUBSEQUENT
ly ripened to warm friendship In Cal
| cutta and up country.
It was no secret that Madge Estcourt
L e IN h
| wife of the handsome young officer OF
| the Bengal fusiliers.
I Having seen Jack depart on his mis-
| sion. Colonel Erlton returned from the
! stable to the bungalow. steadted his
nerves with n second drink and cheroot,
and looked about for few minutes IN
| tho vain hope that Joel Spanish might
have dropped the precious plans The
servants. had not come back, and he had
| no Intention or waiting for them.
1 He was about to leave when he heard
hoofbcats ringing on tho hard road.
| They drew rapidly nearer. and ccnsed
at tho compound gate After brief In
terval footsten, mounted the verandaa.
and there was double rap on the door.
Come int" shouted the colonel. Won
| dering who the caller could be.
a lean. rugged man OF moro thnn mid
die age. burned by the sun and dusty
with travel, entered the room. re-
/ SOlScT lUlSlGG S"uub AiOth LIS H. siSAS
| of his belt and to the other side was
strapped small leather bag with O
| stout lock. The visitor-ho was n strang-
er, In, ,Meerut-removed his sola-topee.
stood very. stlfr. and made respectful
| salutc.
said.
Tho colonel. having given his own
name, briefly accounted for the subal-
terms absence. You have missed him
by very short time" he added.
When will he return, sir7"
THAT is uncertain"
Then I must follow and overtake
him." replied the stranger. II am
speaking, sir. to one who will respect
| my confidence. have come from Eng
gland. charged with certain instructions
relating to Lieutenant Fame, and must
4 deliver those instructions to him In por-
son without delay. To walt here for his
j return. IL his present whereabouts arc
known to me, would be contrary to my
! orders
Your business Is Important"
II have papers and parcel to de-
liver" was the reply. And tho mans
hand instinctiyely gripped the leather
/ clink," he added. "and l am in the SER
vice OF Glynn & Shelton. bankers, OF Con-
duit Street, London.
"They sent you to India?
| "Yes."s ttttEt
A low, sharp exclamation fell from
Colonel. sErlton's lips, and bewldered
| expression, with something OF fear and
CONSERVATION in It, altered his features.
4 You have been a soldier?" he asked.
to hide his confusion and gain time for
thought.
II have, sir, Tobias Clink replied. II
served In india In my younger days, IN
tho Royal Dragons. But for twenty
Nor In, the amplDv of (ylyNn
l &. Shelton as confidential messenger
q VIII you kindly tell me. sir. whore to
find Lieutenant Fane?"
1 A grim spectcr of the past had risen
from old memories. and was dancing be-
fore Colonel Erlton's eyes. He was 81.
lent. and abstracted for moment, and
then. telling himself that there was nc
way out OF 1T, he gave the desired infor.
nation. and added directions for reach.
ing Rampoora.
"You viii probably oyertako him
there" he said How is your horse|
! II rode him from Delhi. sir" Tobias
clink replied, but he is ut for galloI
Of dozen miles further. shall start
directly, sir, but first I have story tc
tell you. intended. had ! found Lieu
tenant Fame hero. to come straight tc
you afterward."
What Is TT" said the colonel. Be
briof, my man."
II learned Hindustanee In India. and
have not forgotten It," Tobias CllnI
answered. when left Calcutta fol
the terminus Of the railway line there
!, were two natives In the same carriage
, with me. recognized one Of them. ant
knowing the peril that threatens India
, | in these days, took pains to overheal
. some of their conversation. saw then
, subsequently at Benares Lucknow anc
Cawnpore, and as I was detained for Z
, day at the latter place l have no doub
that they gained on me by twenty-foul
hours Their destination was Jhalapur--'
; "And who are they?"
'"rhe younger was Aim Ullah, the
> secretary of Mana sahib. ] saw him II
, London In 1858, when he was sent there
3 on diplomatic mission by his master
; His companion. an older man, was
stranger to me"
] Describe him."
"He was tall and lean. with deep-se
. eyes and beetle brows, an alueline nost
9 and lantern jaws" .
1.-THE Maulavi" exclaimed Colonel Erl
! ton.