fist at me fiercely； as he shrieked from the back of his throat：
〃You infidel cur！ You may as well try to brush away the Himalyas
with a silk handkerchief as to escape the wrath of Rama Ragobah。
Go！ Bury yourself in seclusion at the farthermost corner of the
earth； and on one night Ragobah and the darkness shall be with you！〃
These were the last words this fiend incarnate ever spoke to me； but
I know they are prophetic； and that he will keep his oath。
The next day I learned that Lona was dead。 She had died with my
name upon her lips； and her secret … the explanation of her strange
conduct on that night … died with her。 I shall never know it。
Bitterly did I repent my inability to reach her。 The thought that
she had waited in vain for me； that with her last breath she had
called upon me； and I had answered not； was unendurable torture；
and I fled India and came to America in the futile endeavour to
forget it all。 Out of my black past there shone but one bright star
… her love！ All these long years have I oriented my soul by that
sweet； unforgettable radiance； prizing it above a galaxy of lesser
joys。
There is little more to be said。 I shall meet death as I have
stated … I am sure of it … and no man will see the blow given。
Remember； as I loved that Indian maiden with a passion which death
has not chilled； so I loathe my rival with a hatred infinite and
all…consuming； for； somehow； I know that demon crushed out the life
of my fragile lotus…flower。 He will work his will upon me； but if
his cunning enable him to escape the gallows； my soul； if there be
a conscious hereafter； will never rest in peace。 Remember this； my
dear child； and your promise； that God may bless you even as I
bless you。
It was some time after Gwen had finished this interesting document
before any of us spoke。 The narrative； and the peculiar
circumstances under which it had been read； deeply impressed us。
At length Maitland said in a subdued voice； as if he feared to
break some spell：
〃The Indian girl's letter； let us find that； and also the will。〃
Gwen went to the drawer in which her father kept his private papers；
and soon produced them both。 Maitland glanced hastily at the
letter； and said： 〃You have already heard its contents〃； then turning
to Gwen； he said： 〃I will keep it with your permission。 Now for the
will。〃 It was handed to him； and his face fell as he read it。 In a
moment he turned to us； and said： 〃The interest on the insurance
money is to go to Miss Darrow； the entire principal to be held in
trust and paid to the person bringing the assassin to justice； unless
said person shall wed Miss Darrow； in which case half of the fund
shall go to the husband； and the other half to the wife in her own
right。 The balance of the estate； which； by the way； is considerable；
despite the reports given to Osborne； is to go to Miss Darrow。 This
is all the will contains having any bearing upon the case in hand。
Let us proceed with the rest of the papers。〃 We made a long and
diligent search； but nothing of importance came to light。 When we
had finished Maitland said：
〃Our friend Osborne would say the document we have just perused made
strongly for his theory； and was simply another fabrication to blind
the eyes of the insurance company。 That's what comes of wedding
one's self to a theory founded on imperfect data。〃
〃And what do you think？〃 Gwen inquired。
〃That Rama Ragobah has small hands and feet；〃 he replied。 〃That his
left foot has met with an injury； and is probably deformed； that most
likely he is lame in the left leg； that he had the motive for which
we have been looking； that he may or may not have the habit of biting
his nails； that he is crafty； and that if he were to do murder it is
almost certain his methods would be novel and surprising； as well as
extremely difficult to fathom … in short； that suspicion points
unmistakably to Rama Ragobah。 That is easily said； but to bring the
deed home to him is quite another thing。 I shall analyse the poison
of the wound and microscopically examine the nature of the abrasion
this afternoon。 To…night I take the midnight train for New York。
To…morrow I shall sail for Bombay； via London and the Continent。 I
will keep you informed of my address。 While I am away I would ask
that you close the house here； leaving everything just as it is now
dismiss the servants； and take up your abode with the Doctor and his
sister。〃 He rose to go as he said this； and then continued； as he
turned to me： 〃I shall depend upon you to look after Miss Darrow's
immediate interests in my absence。〃 I knew this meant that I was
to guard her health； not permitting her to be much by herself； and
I readily acquiesced。
The look of amazement which had at first overspread Gwen's face at
the mention of this precipitate departure gave place to one of
modest concern； as she said softly to Maitland： 〃Is it necessary
that you should encounter the dangers of such a journey； to say
nothing； of the time and inconvenience it will cost？〃 He looked
down at her quickly； and then said reassuringly： 〃Do you know one
is； by actual statistics； safer in an English railway carriage than
when walking the crowded streets of London？ I am daily subjecting
myself to laboratory dangers which； I believe； are graver than any
I am likely to meet between here and Bombay； or； for that matter；
even at Bombay in the presence of our recent acquaintance Ragobah。〃
〃I deeply appreciate；〃 she replied； 〃the generous sacrifice you
would make in my interests … hut Bombay is such a long way … and 〃
〃If suspicion directed me to the North Pole；〃 he interrupted； 〃I
should start with equal alacrity；〃 and he held out his hand to her
to bid her farewell。 She took it in a way that bespoke a world of
gratitude； if nothing more。 He retained the small hand； while he
said： 〃Have you forgotten； my friend； your promise to your father？
Do you not see in what terrible relations it may place you？ How
important； then； that no effort should be spared to prevent you
from becoming indebted to one unmanly enough to take advantage of
your position。 I shall use every means within my power to myself
discover your father's murderer； and you may comfort yourself with
the assurance that； if successful； I shall make no demand of any
kind whatsoever upon your gratitude。 I think you understand me。〃
As he said this Gwen looked him full in the face。 A little nervous
tremor seized the corners of her mouth； and the tears sprang to her
eyes。 〃Good…bye〃 was all she could say before she was compelled
to turn aside to conceal her emotion。
Maitland； observing her agitation； said to her tenderly： 〃Your
gratitude for the little that I have already done is reward； more
than ample； for all I shall ever be able to do。 Good…bye；〃 and he
left the room。
Oh； man with your microscope！ How is it that you find the smallest
speck of dust； yet miss the mountain？ Does the time seem too short？
It would not if you realised that events； not clocks； were the real
measure thereof。
THE EPISODE OF RAMA RAGOBAH
CHAPTER I
Life is but a poor accountant when it leaves the Future to
balance its entries long years after the parties to the
transactions are but a handful of insolvent dust。 When； in such
wise； the chiefest item of one side of the sheet fails to explain
itself to the other； the tragic is attained。
On the day following Maitland's departure On for New York； Mr。 Darrow
was buried。 The Osborne theory seemed to be universally accepted；
and many women who had never seen Mr。 Darrow during his life attended
his funeral； curious to see what sort of a person this suicide might
be。 Gwen bore the ordeal with a fortitude which spoke volumes for
her strength of character； and I took good care； when it was all
over； that she should not be left alone。 In compliance with
Maitland's request； whose will； since her promise to him； was law to
her； she prepared to close the house and take up her abode with us。
It was on the night of the funeral； just after the lamps were
lighted； that an event occurred which made a deep impression upon
Gwen； though neither she nor I fully appreciated its significance
till weeks afterward。
Gwen； who was to close the house on the morrow； was going from room
to room collecting such little things as she wished to take with her。
The servants had been dismissed and she was entirely alone in the
house。 She had gathered the things she had collected in a little
heap upon the sitting…room table； preparatory to doing them up。 She
could think of but one thing more which she must take … a cabinet
photograph of her father。 This was upon the top of the piano in the
room where he had met his death。 She knew its exact location and
could have put her hand right upon it had it been perfectly dark；
which it was not。 She arose； therefore； and； without taking a
light with her； went into the parlour。 A faint afterglow illumined
the windows and suffused the room with an uncertain； dim； ghostly
light which lent to all its objects that vague flatness from which
the imaginati