A Fascinating Traitor: An Anglo-Indian StorySavage, Richard
General
A Fascinating Traitor: An Anglo-Indian Story
Savage, Richard
India -- Fiction
With a sunny gleam in his face, Hugh Johnstone then alertly sprang
into his carriage, when he had finished his careful toilet, to meet the
Viceroy of India. The two brass-bound mahogany cases were left standing
carelessly open upon his table in Douglas Fraser’s rooms, neatly packed
with an assortment of toilet articles and all the multitudinous personal
medical stores of a refined Anglo-Indian “in the sere and yellow.”
“Five pounds worth!” laughed Hugh Johnstone, as he closed the door.
“Now, in one hour, my Lady Disdain, I can say ‘Checkmate.’ Ram Lal shall
attend to you later--behind all your bolts and bars. He will find a way
to reach you.”
It was a matter of profound speculation to the gilded youth of the
Government House what strangely sudden friendship had blossomed to bring
the august representative of the great Victoria, Kaisar-I-Hind, and
Queen of England, as far as the middle of the audience room, in close
colloquy with, and manifesting an almost affectionate leave-taking of,
the silver-haired millionaire of Delhi.
But that night the most confidential General “at disposal” received from
the Viceroy some secret orders which caused the experienced soldier’s
eyes to open widely.
“Remember! The personal interests of the Crown are involved here!” said
the Viceroy. “Any mistake might cost me my Sovereign’s confidence and
you your commission, perhaps a Star of India!” he laughed, with an
affected lightness.
In far-away Delhi, as the sun faded away into the soft summer twilight,
Harry Hardwicke was sitting at the side of Nadine Johnstone, while her
stern father secretly exulted in distant Calcutta. He had already mailed
by registered post a set of duplicated receipts and insurance policies
for his last shipment addressed to “Professor Andrew Fraser” and his
mind was centered upon some peculiarly pleasurable coming events to take
place in the Marble House. But the dreamy-eyed girl watching the man who
had so gallantly saved her life, thought only of a love which had stolen
into her heart to wake all its slumbering chords to life, and to loosen
the sweet music of her singing soul! They were alone, save for the bent
figure of Justine Delande at a distant window, and the spirit of Love
breathed upon them silently drew them heart to heart.
Here now, before the divinity so fondly worshiped, Harry Hardwicke lost
his soldier’s ready voice. “Say no more! You need rest, Miss Nadine!
I shall only call to-morrow to assure myself of your perfect recovery.
When your father returns I shall do myself the honor to ask his formal
permission to visit you later.” There was a sigh and a sob as Nadine
Johnstone took her silent lover’s hands and pressed them in her own,
bursting into happy tears.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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