The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-03

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one Of his limbs. All was now clear
The long sleep, crowded with unremem-
bered dreams. represented the period
when I was under Ragobah's control
the horrible night on Malabar hill being
one Of thern-and the waking moments
those periods when my feeble, over-rid-
den consciousness flickered back to dimly
light for a time the gloom Of this intel
lectual night. There was no hope for me.
Already had been so dominated by his
will and inspired by his malice as to at
tempt the life of my lover. What might
not be made to do in the future? AS
thought Of this, Ragobah's last threat
rang with a sinister warning upon my
ears till 1t seemed as If 1t would drive
me into madness. The suspicion grew to
be certainty from which there was but
one means Of escape-death-and I de-
termined at once to embrace IT. before I
could be made the instrument for the In
| Fiction Of further injury upon my, lover.
I seized little dagger which In my nor
NAL moments I always kept concealed
about me, and was about to plunge it into
my bosom when I was smitten by the
thought-and 1t cut me as the steel
could not have done-that barrow Sahib
would never know the truth, and that his
love for me would be forever buried be-
meath a mass Of black misgivings. The
certainty Of this conviction paralyzed
my will, and my arm dropped nervelessly
at my side. 1t would be a simple matter,
I thought, to find some way Of confiding
my story to you and pledging you to ex-
plain everything to barrow Sahib, after
which could die in peace, If not without
regret. But 1t was not SO easy to COM
municate with you as I had expected.
Days passed before I had chance to
make the attempt, and the only result Of
1t was to show me how closely I was
watched. If Ragobah were absent, there
was always some one in his employ who
made it his business to acquaint himself
with my every movement. dare not
take the time to tell you how succeeded
In obtaining this interview further than
to say that I was able to win to my
cause the man who Dore my message to
you-a servant in whom Ragobah has the
utmost confidence. When my husband
departed this morning Kandia was left
In charge Of me, and SO. your visit was
made possible.
'You are now acquainted with the trust
would impose upon you; swear to me,
Moro, that you will make this explanation
for me to John Darrow and to no other
human being! Swear it by the love you
| once said you bore me!'' She sank back
exhausted and awaited my response. For
a moment I dared not trust myself to
speak. yet something must be said. AS /
| noted he, impotence replied: Iona,
you have lifted great weight from my
heart and placed a lesser one upon it.
Forgive me that ever doubted you. Even
as you nave been true to yourself, swear
by the love I still bear you to deliver
your message to Darrow Sahib and to nc
other human being. shall commit your
words at once to writing that nothing may
be lost thru the failure of my memory"
She reached her hand out feebly to me-
and never shall forget the look of graft
Jude Which accompanied it's tremulous
pressure as she nurmured: AFTER John
Moro, you are dearest. I shall not try
to thank you. May the ineffable peace
,, which you bring my aching heart re-
turn thousand-fold into your own Fare
we'll. Ragobah may return at any mo-
ment. Let us not needlessly imperil your
drop now may freely fall into the shining
sea-" Poor distraught child She had
tried to adopt her lovers religion without
abandoning her own. I bent over and
kissed her. It was my first and last kiss
| and she gave it with q sweet Sadness
the memory Of which, thru all these years
has dwelt in the better part Of me, like a
fragrance in the vesture Of the soul. One
| long, lingering look and departed, never
| to see again this woman had so fondly
| SO hopelessly loved
You now know the exact nature of the
covenant have felt constrained to vio-
| late. I have told you her story in her
own words. wrote it out Immediately
| after my interview with her and have read
1t SO many times, during the last twenty
years, that I have committed. it to mem
DRY. The recollection Of that last meet
| ing, Of her kiss and her grateful look has
been thruout all these long, weary year:
the one verdant spot in the desert Of my
life.
Moro Scindia paused here, as one who
had reached the end Of his narrative, anc
I continued my interrogations.]
| u. Altho you never again saw YOU
cousin you must, I think, have heare
something Of her fate.
A. learned Of it thru Mana Kandia
the servant who had secretly embraced
Lona's cause, and who had borne her mes
sage to me. It seems that, after my In
terview with her, my cousin was seizet
with consuming desire to see her Eng
lish lover once more before her death: 81
she devised plan by which, with Kan
dia's help, barrow Sahib was to be Sc
cretly conducted to her under cover O.
night. She wrote letter asking him, a.
a last request, to meet her messenger o1
Malabar hill, and instructing him how t,
make himself known. This she gave t,
Kand1a to post early in the morning of tn,
day upon which their plan was to be pu
into execution. AS he was about leayinf
the house Ragobah called him into hi
chamber and demanded to know what wa.
taking him forth SO early in the morning
Kandia saw at once that the purpose o
his errand had been discovered, and de
termined to meet the issue bravely. IS
was going to lost letter, sahib," he re
piled quietly. LET me see i'll" Ragoba]
roared. II have no right to do So" Kan
dia replied, springing toward the door
But he was not quick enough for the war,
Ragobah, who felled him to the floor witt
a chair before he had reached the thresh
old. When he returned to consciousness
he found his assailant, who had skill
fully opened the letter., standing over hin
perusing it in malicious glee. When h
had finished reading he carefully reseale
it and placed it in his pocket. Then h
called two Of his servants and CAV
Kandia into their charge with orders t.
gag him, to bind him hand and foot, and
as they valued their lives, not to permi
him to leave the room till he ordered it.
} What occurred between that time an
} rious, late in the evening, we can onl
surmise. He doubtless posted the lette
and went himself to meet barrow Sahil
on Malabar hill. When he returned hom
he hobbled into his Wife's apartment AM
then ordered Kandia to be sent to him
His left leg was badly crushed and hi
face, contorted with pain and f1endisl
malevolence, was horrible to look upon.
I "Our trusty friend, here" he said, ad
4 dressing his wife and pointing to Kandia