Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-08
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

CHAPTER VI-Continued.
Yet irresistibly the conviction was be-
ing forced upon him that Doggott had
surmised Alright Circumstance backed
up circumstance within his knowledge OF
or his experience with the man. all seem
ing to prove incontestably the truth or
what at the first blush had seemed so in
credible What did he. Amber. know of
refute the calm belief of the bodyservant
of the dead man? Rutton himself had
kept sealed lips upon the
subject OF his antecedents: I'm Amber :
intercourse with him the understanding
that what lad passed was a closed book
had been implicit But il had never oc-
CURED to Amber to question the man 5
title to the blood of the Caucasian peo-
pies. Not that the mystery with winch
Rutton had ever shrouded his Identity had
not Inevitably of itself been a provocation
to Amber's imagination: he had hazarded
many an idle. secret guess at the riddle
that was Rutton. Who or what the man
was or might have been was ever held
Of fascinating speculation TO the Ameri-
can. but his widest conjecture had never
travelled east of Italy or Hungary. lie
had always fancied that one. at least. of
Rutton's parents had been a native of
the European continent. He had even.
at a certain time when his Imagination
had been stimulated by the witchery of
"Lavengro' and THE Romany Rye.
gone so far as to wonder if. perchance.
Rutton were not descended from gypsy
stock-a fancy which he was quick to dis
miss absurd. Yet now ii seemed as II
he had not been far wrong: if Dosgott
were right-and Amber had come TO be-
lievc that the valet was right-it was no
far cry from the Hindu to the Romany.
both offshoots of the Aryan root
And then Amber's intelligence was smit-
ten by thought as by club. and he
began to tremble violently. uncontfol-
lably. being weakened by fatigue and the
strain of that endless. terrible night.
strangled cry escaped him without his
ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
Sophia Farrell, the woman lie had prom
Used to wed. nay even the woman he
loved with all his being-a half-breed. a
mulatto, His mind sickened with the hor-
ror of that thought. All the inbred con
tempt of the southerner for the servilf
races surged up to Overwhelm his pas
sion. to make it seem more than lmpos'
sible. revolving, that the mistress OF his
dreams should be a creature tainted by
the blood of a brown skinned people
Though her mother had been OF monk
Russian family. as her father had de-
clared; though her secret were CONTAINED
in his knowledge and Farrells alone.
though II were to be preserved by then
ever inviolate-could he. David Amber
ever forget it? Could he make her nj:
bride and take her me TO his mother
and his sisters in NirSinia-offer them
as daughter and sister a woman who
though she were fairer than the dawn
was in part product of intermarriagt
between white and black?
His very soul seemed to shudder and
his reason cried out that the thing could
never be- - /" Yet in his heart of hearts
still he loved her. still desired her witt
al his strength and will: in his heart
there was no wavering. Whatever HUT
ton had been, whatever his daughter
might be. he loved her. And more. the
honor of the Ambers was in pledge. hold
Ing him steadfast to his purpose TO seek
her out in India or wherever she might
be and to bear her away from the un-
named danger that threatened her-ever
to marry her. if she would have him
He had promised his word; his word had
passed; there could now be no with
drawal. ."
An hour elapsed its passing raucously
empha sized by the tin clock. Amber re-
manned at the table. his head upon II, ms
face hidden by his arms. so still thai
Doggott would have thought him sleeping
but for his uneven breathing.
On tiptoe the man-servant moved III
and out of the room, making ready FOR
the day, mechanically carrying out his
dead masters last instructions, 10 pack
I'D against an early departing. His face
was grave and sorrowful. and now ano
again he paused in the midst OF his prep
arations to watch for an instant the
sheeted form upon the hammock-bed. his
head bowed his eyes filling: or to cast a
sympathetic glance at the back and shout
ders of the living. his new employer In
his day DoggOtt had known trouble; he
was ignorant of the cause, but now In
tuitiyely he OWNED that Amber was suf-
fering mental torment understandable and
beyond his power to assuage.
At length the young man called him
and Doggott found him sitting up. WITH
a haggard and careworn face. but will
the same light of mind composed In his
eyes.
..Dogsott,' he asked. i'm an even. tone
less voice have YOU ever mentioned &c
anybody your suspicion about Mr.. Rut-
toms race"
Only to you, sir
That's good. And you won't
mo, sir.
Have YOU" continued Amber. looking
away and speaking SLOWLY. lever heard
him mention his marriage?
"Never. sir. f. says in that paper
was a widower: 7 fancy the lady must
have died before l entered is service. +
was always a lonely man. all the fifteen
year I've been with i'm, keepin yer!
much to 'imself, sir.
He never spoke of a-daughter?
NO. sir. Didn't e say e was child
Iess?"
Yes. I merely wOndered.s@ Tell me
now do YOU know of any letters or pa
pers of his that we should destroy: III
there are any. he would wish us to-
"'E never 'ad many, sir. What letters
e got @ answered right away and de-
stroyed EN-. There was little packer
i'm lis trunk but l sec that's gone.
HE burned il himself this evening
There's nothing else?"
Nothing whatever. sir.
That's all right. then. We have noth-
ing to do but sss see that he's decently
buried and get away as soon as we can
There's no time to lose. It's AFTER four
now. and as soon as it's daylight You
must have a boat somewhere about?
Yes, sir MFR. RuttOn ad me Ire a Int
tie mower launch before e came down.
It's down by the bayside. 'alf mile
ANY,.
VERY we'll The wind is dying down
and bv sunrise the bay will be safe 10
cross-if IT isn't now. These shallow Wa
tiers smooth out very quickly. we'll
He cut his words short and got up alb
ruptIy with a sharp exclamation: what
that?"
Dogsott, too had heard and been star
fled. "It sounded like a gunshot, sir.
and man shouting" he said, moving
toward the door.
But Amber anticipated him there.
A, he Stanped out into the bitter cold