The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-13

ana saw ngure nall lying on stone
bench. 1t was the pretty young second
class passenger of the steamer.
What is the matter with you? 1 am so
very sorry How do you come to be out
here at night? Can help you in any way?"
At first too hysterical to speak, and then
too shy. at last and afterwards she told
her story bit by bit. 1t was as follows:
She had been a nursery governess, and
before her parents death had taken up
music with the view of cultivaifng con-
siderable talent in that direction. Then her
parents died. hrst her father, and her
mother soon afterwards. None of her re-
lations. who were all poor. seemed anxious
10 help her, so she had gone into a tea
shop in London as waitress. This she
thoroughly dsliked owing to the way I'm
which people spoke to her. A friend in
the shop had shown her an advertisement
inquiring for "a young woman of pleasing
appearance and good manners who would
occupy a position OF trust in a hotel at
Delagoa bay" She had applied for the
situation, inclosing her photograph. had
been accepted and the money transmitted
for her passage. Accordingly she had
landed that day. only TO find that the hotel
proprietor was scoundrel. who impudently
told her she had come there to be his
mistress. He had forced his way into her
room that evening, and i'm panic she had
rushed out past him into the streets. No,
she had never heard of the British consul,
and did not know if it would be any use
going to him to obtain redress. Her lug
gage was at the hotel.
Not TO dwell too long on the details of
this episode, ii may be stated that Major
Mckemish placed the young woman
board the steamer, and then with much
difficulty knocked up the only representa-
tive which at that time Great Britain
found it necessary to maintain at that port.
He was trading vice consul. and not a
British subject, and to him the story of
the unfortunate female seemed of dubious
truth. At any rate. il the hotel proprietor
surrendered her luggage he did not see that
anything more could be done. and Major
Mckemish steamed northwards, the only
passenger leaft on board except his
ward" There was nothing for ii but TO
travel with her as far as Mozambique
where his intelligence work lay, and then
turn round and steam back to Durham. He
had become too much interested I'm her TO
let the question of shooting weigh with
him as a counter-attraction. By the time
they had reached Durham on thier return
he had proposed marriage to her, and had
been accepted.
Their life together in South Africa had
been very happy for few years. Then
they lost their only child, and his beautiful
wife grew colder towards him. and no
longer took any interest in her music, or
attempts to raise a garden in the wilder
ness. She said she was homesick. and the
major proposed leaving for England. At
this juncture a detachment of Inniskilings
arrived. and in the gaieties which followed
at Peterstown Maise McKemish quite re-
covered her spirits and good looks. At the
end of month she begged her husband
TO think no more at present of returning
to England, and declared that she was
ready to stay out ever so much longer in
South Africa. At first delighted at the
change, he gradually became anxious and a
little jealous, for she was too often in the
company of Lieutenant Darrell
1t was the old story, She had found, or
thought she had found, the one man for
her in all the world. She had never known
before what love was, etc, etc. These
sentiments were written in the diary which
she left behind when, a fortnight after
Darrell had been seconded for service with
the Rhodesian police force, Masie Nc
Kemsh left her husbands house TO join
him at Bulawayo.
The majors heart was nearly broken by
this episode. but he made no attempt to
follow or to divorce his wife. Some said he
could not trace her, or Darrell either,
others that he had written to some adj
dress. where a letter might reach her. to
say that if ever in want, or If DESTROYS
to return to England, she was at liberty
to draw on his bankers at Cape Town for
specified sum. Major McKemsh soon
afterwards left South Africa. just as the
Jameson raid was taking place. He was
transferred to service in the Sudan. and
did not leave that country till Khartum
was retaken. That. so far, had been the
history of his life
The midday meal was finished, and Major
McKemish. with his legs stretched on his
camp chair. was smoking pipe. still silent
and reflective. The doctor appeared.
Sorry to spoil your rest, major. but 1
must tell you something very extraordi-
nary. That was not a white man we picked
up in Soogo village, but white woman."
Good heavens. but 1 thought our
men said it was a white man?"
$50 they did. We thought it was
quite a young chap. boy, but you
see she was terribly i'll that I had to
treat her like nurse, and we'll it's
a woman
The two men faced each other silent for a
few minutes. Then the major put down
his pipe rose. and walked in the direction
of the hospital tent. The doctor turned
away for a moment TO speak TO an orderly.
The major was alone with the patient. He
lifted the thick mop OF curly hair, which
had been roughly cut. The lids rose over
the unconscious. CLASSY. violet eyes.
"Am / still dreaming or Is il,
| yes it's Maisie How awful,''
| He was a man used to emergencies.
| Scarcely a minute has passed and the doc
tor was at his elbow. Yes, McMurdo,
! this Is an extraordinary business. i won
der who on earth it is. But the first
thing is to cure her. and then can get
at her story
Three days later the fever had been
subdued and the patient had come to her
senses. She was so weak and dazed that
| more days were allowed to elapse before
any explanations were asked or offered.
| The patient after assuring herself that she
was in the charge OF British officers had
proffered little or no explanation of her
own presence alone i'm the wilderness in a
Il