Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-03
CHAPTER XII.
His Own People.

AAAS - - SSPASs
She was not alone. but in that first mo-
ment he saw nothing but her face. 1t
seemed to him that the whole world was
blotted out and that only she remained.
grave, fearless, supreme in her wan
beauty, a tragic figure glorified by light
| Of unconquerable resolution. He looked
at her. but he did not greet her: no mus
Gle Of his set and ashy features betrayed
| the thrill Of passionate recognition which
| had passed like line of fire through his
veins To move was to awake from a
| dream to a hideous. terrible reality.
She came slowly toward him. The thin
| wrap about her head slipped back ard he
| saw the light flash on to the fair. dist1ev-
eled hair. His eyes We're dazzled but II
| seemed to him that there were gray
| threads where once had been untarpished
gold. Yet he could not and would not
speak, and she came on till she stood OPP
posite him, the dead woman lying there
| between them. Then for the first time
| she lowered her eyes and he awoke with
| start Of agonizing pain.
"Why have you Gomez" he said. Have
! YOU come to plead again? Have you
| come to torture me again? Was not that
| once enough? In a few minutes shali
sweep your people to destruction. Shall
l save you?-is that what you have come
| to tell me?'
cenched, his brows knitted in the old
| terrible struggle All his energy. all his
determination sank paralyZed before ier
and before his love, and yet he knew he
must go on-go on with the destruction
| of himself, of her of all that was dearest
to him.
| She knelt down and touched the dead
face with her white hand, closing the
glazed staring eyes with a curious ten
| derness and pity. There was no surprise
| or horror in her expression as she at last
| rose and faced hinl-rather mysterious
knowledge which held him bound in word
| less expectation.
| Il have come to tell you that womans
| history, Steven Caruthers," she said. Il
| have not come to plead with you. but to
| tell you the truth-to lay before you the
| two paths between which you must
choose once and for all. Will you listen
| to me?"
| "Beatrice!" he stammered. why have
you given me a name which is not mine
| which she gave me with her last breath
What do you know that you have risked
your life"
at was no risk" she said. MY life
was forfeited and 1t was our last hope.
| Oh, If I can turn you from all this ruin,
then I shall have atoned for the evil
have done you.
The note of mingled entreaty, despair
| being, but he made no response. He
could only point to the white face and re-
peat the question which had beaten in
| pitiless reiteraton against his tortured
brain.
who was she?"
"She was your mother"
"And L?
| 1t was not Beatrice who this time an
swered. A figure stepped forward out OF
the shadows and faced the rajah. 1t
| Carmichael male dapnly moved. but
| erect and steadfast. His eyes were f1xed
| on NehaFs features with a curious. num-
cry eagerness. which changed as he spoke
| into growing recognition
Let me tell YOU" -he said. Il will be
| brief, for every minute is precious and
| full of danger for us all. This poor wom-
an was Margaret Caruthers, the Wife or
my dearest friend, and your mother. In
til an hour ago | believed that she nad
| been butchered with her husband and
with all those others who paid the pen
atty Of one mans sin. No doubt you
know why your supposed father, Behar
| Singh rose against u.s.?
His honor--his' wife had been stolen
| from him by a treacherous Englishman."
Nehal answered. hoarsely.
"Yes. by Stafford. John Stafford s
| father. The issue of that act of infidel-
| ity was a child, Lois, who afterward was
adopted by Caruthers. partly out OF
| friendship for Stafford. partly because he
| had no children of his own. So much. at
| least. I surmise. l surmise. too, that that
| adoption cost him his wifeS love and
trust. Perhaps. ignorant OF the child
real parentage. she believed the worst.
perhaps there were other causes-be 1T as
it may, in the hour of catastrophe she re-
fused to share the general fate. she
chose to throw herself upon the mercy OF
her mothers people,"
Her mothers people- Nehal echoed.
blankly
There was native blood in her veins.
It was on that account that Behar Singh
spared her. She bitterly learned to re-
greet her change of allegiance. She was
kept close prisoner, and six months after
the murder Of her husband she bore him
son-you-Steven Caruthers Behar
Singh. himself without an heir, took the
child from her. and from that hour the
unfortunate woman became insane Long
years she was kept a secret and wretched
captive and then one day she escaped,
and in her wanderings met man.an
Englishman who was then your friend.
'Traversv Nehal exclaimed.
Eyes. Travers. By means Of brides and
threats he obtained her whole history,
partly from her own lips, partly from her
jailers. But he told no one of his dis
covery."
"Why not? How dared he keep 81
lence?"
at is very simple He wished to marry
my ward Lois Caruthers, and he wished
to have her money. AS l have said,
u
mother. the REM Oma. returned to her
own people. and had made her his heir
in the case that he should have no chill
dren of his own Had your existence
been known Lois would have been pennt-
less Travers knew this and kept his Sc
cret from every one save Stafford" Z
why did he tell Stafford?"
He had to. Stafford and Lois loved
each other-with a love which was all too
natural and applicable In the light Of our
present knowledge. 1t was necessary
that he should be made aware that mar
rfage between them was impossible
that they were, in fact, the children OF
the same father"
stafford kept Silence
believed 1t kinder to hide the truth from
Lois. Only at the last he determined to
speak at all costs. But it was too late.
You know-he was murdered on the steps
of Travers' house"
Nehal Singh nodded. An even deadlier
pallor crept over his features.
Il know" he said. 1t was Behar
hands are Clean"
THAT I know. You are your fathers
son.
And the proof of all this?''
This ring. Take 1t. 1t was your moth
er's. Travers gave 1t to me when he
made his confession. He took it from
the poor mad woman at their first meet
ing. Look at the inscription. 1t bears
your mothers and fathers names
And Travers-?' The rajah lifted his
hand in a stern, threatening gesture.
lis dead" was the grave answer. He
died an hour ago. in his wifes arms"
For a moment profound hush hung
over the great, dimly lighted hall. The
rajah knelt down by his mothers side
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