The Minneapolis journal., 1904-11-19

he. .Sprang forward, ana hurried MIN Dach-
ward blinded and stupefied. Before he
had recovered sufficiently to protect HIM /
self, / dealt him blow upon the head
that brought him quickly to the earth
Without stopping to ascertain whether or
not had killed him, I fled precipltately |
to my lodgings, hastily packed my belong
ings, and set out for Matheron station |
by the same train 1 had SO fondly be-
lieved would convey Iona and me to our
nuptial altar. Words cannot describe the
suffering I endured upon that journey, 4
For the first time since my terrible de-
ssertion had an opportunity to think, and |
did think. If the pulse OF an overWhelm-
ing pain, perpetually recurring like the
beat Of loaded wheel, can be called
thought. Altho there is no insanity in
our family nearer than a great-uncles I
smarvel that I retained my wits under this
terrible blow I seriously contemplated
suicide, and probably should have taken
my life had not my mental condition
gradually undergone change. was no
longer conscious Of suffering, nor of a
desire to end my life. I was simply in
different. It was all one to me whether
[ lived or died. The power of loving or
caring for anything or anybody had en-
tirely left me, and when would reflect
how utterly Indifferent I was even to my
own father and mother, I would regard
myself as an unnatural monster. l tried
to conceal my. lack Of affection by
greater attention to their wishes and 1t
was in this way that I yielded, without
remonstranCe, to those same views re-
garding my marriage, to which, but lit
tie while before had made such strenu-
Gus objections as to quite enrage my
father. I was an only child, and Gas often
happens in such cases) my father never
could be brought to realize that /. had
many years since attained my majority.
It had been his wish, ever since my boy
hood, that I should marry your mother.
and he made use, when was nearly 40,
Of the self-same insistent and coercive
methods with which he had sought to
subdue my will when I was but 20, and
at last he attained his end. had learned
from friends in Bombay that not only had
| Rama Ragobah recovered from the
blows I had given him, but that, shortly
after my encounter with him., he had
| married Iona, she whom / had loved,
God only knows how madly. 1t was all
one to me now whether I was married or
single, living or dead. So it was all ar
ranged. 1 myself told the lady that, so
far as l then understood my. feelings, [
had no affection for any person on earth;
but it seemed only to pique her, and 1
think she determined then and there to
make herself an exception to this univer-
your mother. There was not the slight
est community of thought, sentiment, or
interest between us. The things / liked
did not interest her; what she liked bored
me; yet she was pre- -eninently a sensible
! woman, and when she learned the real
state Of affairs was the first to suggest a
separation, which was effected. We part
ed with the kindliest feelings, and, as you
know, remained fast friends up to her
death. b..
1t was nearly q year after the affair on
Malabar Hill before I had the heart tc
return with your mother to Bombay.
had thought all emotion forever deac
| within me, but, ah, how little do we I'M
derstand ourselves. Twelve months had
not passed, and already 1 was conscious
of a, vague ache-a feeling that some
thing,-I scarcely knew what, had gone
wrong so terribly wrong. I told myself
that l was now married, and had q. duty
both to my wife and society, and tried
hard to ignore the, ache, on the one hand
= and not permit myself to define and ana
Iyze it on the other. But a man does no
have to understand anatomy in order tt
y break his heart. and so my longing de
! fined itself even by itself. The old fire
t built on a virgin, hearth. was far from
5 out. Society had heaped a mouthfnl O
i conventional ashes upon 1t, but they llat
s Of the human heart there is no court 0
: appeal. -.s, '.% - .l,-. -'
e One night, to my utter amazement =
O received a letter from Iona which yo
4 win find filed away among my other val
Il liable documents.
9 It was addressed IN her own quaint lit
/, tie hand and ! trembled violently as
! ! opened the envelope. It was but a brie
y note, and ran as follows:
Z ''I am dying, and have much to explain bs
. fore I go. Be generous, and do not think to
: harshly Of me. Suspend your judgment unit
l l have spoken. You must como by stealth, {
8 you win not be permitted to me. Folio,
e my directions carefully and you will have L
y trouble In reaching me- Go at to the cav
/ on Malabar Hin, whistle thrice, and one wi
= appear who viii conduct you safely to me. Fo
l low him, and whatever happens, make no moist
: DO not delay---I can last but little longer =
g l... '' .Lona.''
d I did not even pause to re-read the let
G ter. or to ask why it was necessary t
d follow such singular directions in orde
= to be led to her. i simply knew she ha
written to me; that she was dying; tina
Il she wanted me; that was all, but it wa
= enough. Dazed, filled with strang
. mixture Of dread and yearning, I hurrie
J to the cave. It was already night whe
~ reached it--just such a moolit night a
, that on which, nearly a year before. Lon
o and I had planned our elopement; an
8 llOW IlldL IledIl, WliICl tllell Ildtl sDe$tt tS
a so wildly against mine, was slowly throE
u bling itself into eternal silence-and L
It had been more than dead ever since.
,r looked about on all sides, but no hu
II man being was visible. 1 whistled thrice
V, but no sound came in, response. Again
y Whistled, with the same result. Whel
: was my guide? Perhaps he was in tf
y cave and had not heard me. I entered
= to see, but had barely passed the narro
81 portal when a voice said close behind nnt
- did you whistle, Sahib?" The suddeI
~ ness, the strangeness of this uncanny al
- pearance, so close to me that felt tt
= breath of the words upon my neck, SCI
= chill over me- I shall never forget til;
~ feeling. Many times since then have
" dreamt of a hand that struck me fro
a speakable dread froze UP my life, unit
s, by repetition, it has sunk deep into n
10 soul with the weight of g. positive col
s. viction. I know, as now write, tn
ly this will be my end and his win be Il
It. hand that strikes The fibre of our Hv
in Is twisted in a certain way, and each HI
h. its own fixed mode Of unravelling-th
ed will be mine.
Id When had recovered from the fir
p momentary shock I turned and look
On behind me. There close upon me. wi
x his huge form blocking tho narrow e
hy trance, stood Rama Ragobah, my riv.
1p his face hideous with malignant trump
n 4 was trapped, and that, too, by a m
70 whom my hatred could 1t have work
ne its will. would have plunged into the ii
3 8 y lferTnps hell tcrr,an tFseT fall r,,ra r