The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-12-03
By Melvin L. Severy.
Copyright, 1904. by Dodd, Mead & Go.

noticed this I studied to avoid her. II
the Iona l had known were merely an
IDEAL OF which no actual prototype existed.
| wished to be allowed to cherish that
ideal. rather than to have it cruelty shat
tered to make room for tho real Iona. I
mad not seen her for many weeks when
one day, to my surprise, I received a note
from her. It was short, and so impressed
me that can remember every word Of it..
My Dear Cousin: I send this note to
you by kandia that you may get 1t before
it Is too late for you to do what wish
I am a Gagged bird in my husbands house.
My every movement is watched. and they
would not let you come to me were my
husband at home, SO. I beseech you, come
at once lest he should return before I
have had time to intrust to you my last
request. I am dying. Moro, and it is with
In your power to say whether my spirit
shall rest in peace, or be torn forever and
ever by the fangs Of q horrible regret.
My secret Is as lead upon my soul and
to you only can I tell it. Come-come at
once. Iona"
You can imagine the effect Of this reve-
lation upon me better than can describe
1t. did not even know she was seriously
! Ill, and with her urgent request for an
interview came the sad tidings that she
was dying, and the confirmation Of my
fear-that she had adopted the religion
Of her English lover. 7 lost no time in
SoiHS 10 HeT. l. IOunu AeT IN a STATE OF
feverish expectation, fearful lest should
either not be able to come at all, 'or her
husband would return before my arrival.
She was worn to a shadow Of her former
self, and I realized with pang that she
was indeed dying
Il knew I could depend upon you,
Moro" she said as entered, "even tho
you think have lost all claim upon your
| regard. I said to myself, .He will come
because Of the respect he once had for
me- and I was right. Yes she con-
tinued, noticing my establishment at the
change in her condition, Il am almost
gone. I should not have lasted SO long,
were it not that could not die till ]
had spoken. Now, 7 shall be free to so,
and the horrible struggle will be over. You
have been much among the English. Moro,
both here and in England, and know they
believe they will meet again in heaven
| those they have loved On EARTH"
| She sank back exhausted from excite
ment and effort, as she said this, and ]
feared for moment she would be unable
to proceed. told her what knew about
the Christians hope of heaven, and sug-
gested to her that, as her husband might
return at any moment, she had best con-
hde to me at once any trust with which
she wished to charge me. For a moment
she made no reply, but said at length:
| "Yes you are right. It Is not very
gin at the beginning. You remember well
my being rescued by an English gentle
man, a Mr.. John Darrow. I afterwarel
became we'll acquainted--in fact, we were
| to be married. 70 this union my parents
strongly objected. They had promised me
to Rama Ragobah, and were Mortified at
my seeking to outrage the laws Of caste
by bestowing my hand not only outside
of my station but upon foreigner and
Christian as well. This had only the effect
Of causing me to meet the sahib secretly.
We chose for our meeting-pla the great
banyan on the top of Malabar hill, where
I passed the happiest moments I have
ever known. Everything went we'll until
the night on which we had planned to run
| away We were to meet at the usual place
and hour, take the night train for Mather-
on station, and there be married.
My heart bounded with joy as
climbed Malabar hill ON that fatal even
ing, but my delight was Of short duration.
In my fear lest should keep my lover
waiting must have arrived fully fifteen
minutes before the appointed time. I was
standing with my back against the BAN
yam tree, awaiting the first sound Of his
approach, when my attention was at
tracted by what seemed to be two little
/ balls Of fire shining from a clump OF
bushes almost directly in front Of me
They seemed to burn with lurld and
wicked glare, and. as my gaze became en-
tangled by them, a tremOr ran thru my
frame and a cold sweat bathed my entire
body. Overcome by an unspeakable dread
I made one last frantic effort to withdraw
my eyes. but could not. Then gradually
by slow degrees, my terror was succeeded
by an overwhelming fascination. I felt
myself drawn irresistibly toward the
| th1cket Then came vague sense
of falling, falling, falling, and I knew nc
more. at least for some little time.
1.-THE next thing remember is seeing
my lover stretch out his arms to me
while was inspired with an unaccount.
able hatred of him so bitter that it lef
to embrace me, and I threw a young
cobra, which, coiled in wicker basket
had been placed in my hand, full In hi.
face. think, also, that I struck him
and then ran down the hill and straigh
to the house of Ragobah. What happened
during the next few months know not
seemed to have been in a continual sleeI
full of dl cams. When I awoke seemed
conscious that had dreamt, but could no
tell Of what You can imagine my horror
my despair, when was first addressed
as Ragobah's wife. I denied the relation
but every one told me the same story
was Ragobah Sahibah. This shock, com
ing as it did with the memory Of my con
duct that terrible night on Malabar hill
nearly killed me, and was followed by an
other long period of the dream existence
I began to think l was a sufferer from
some terrible brain disease, an lto doub
, which was my real existence, the dream
or the waking moments.
Zone day when, for the first time II
several weeks, I was in possession Of m,
, normal faculties, Ragobah came into m,
room and sat down beside me. I aros
instantly and fled to the farther corner O
, the apartment. EIe pursued me an,
sought to conquer my all too apparen
aversion for him by terms Of endearment
but the more he pressed his suit the NOR
| my loathing grew until, maddened by ref
erences made to Darrow Sahib, lost al
} self-control and permitted him to lear
my detestatfon Of him. He heard me thr
: in silence his face growing darker wit
I every word, and when I had finished sal
) with slow and studied malice: .
You forget that you are my wifi
| and that I can follow my entreaty b
t command. You spurn my love. You ar
, not yet weaned from that English Gu
. whose life, let me tell you, is In my hands
: are? I have but to will you to kill hin
: hill will be washed out with his infide
blood. You will do well to yield peace
/ ably. The thread Of your very existenc
passes thru my hands, to cut or tangle
{ as I list--yield you must! With this h
| strobe frantically from the room, leavin,
me more dead than alive. AS he disclosed
his tiendish secret something about m,
heart kept Tightening with every wor,
till, at length, 1t seemed as If it mus
burst, so terrible was the pressure,
could not breathe. My lungs seemed file,