great　need　of　hurry。　　Then　he　began　to　recall　to　mind　the　names　of
  the　drugs　she　had　mentioned　as　she　wrote　and　to　reflect　that　not
  one　of　them　was　poisonous。　　With　this　new　light　all　his　former
  uneasiness　returned。　　He　strove　to　reassure　himself　with　the　thought
  that　she　might；　in　order　to　mislead　Ragobah；　have　spoken　the　name
  of　a　harmless　drug　while　she　wrote　down　that　of　a　poisonous　one。
  It　was　easy　to　settle　this　question；　and　he　determined　to　do　so　at
  the　next　light。　　He　unfolded　the　paper；　expecting　to　see　a
  prescription；　but　read　instead　these　words：
  〃To　MORO　SCINDIA；
  〃My　Dear　Cousin：　Death　has　relieved　you　of　the　task　I　imposed　upon
  you。　　John　Darrow's　body　is　in　the　well　in　the　cave　on　Malabar　Hill；
  where；　before　this　reaches　you；　my　body　will　have　also　gone　to　meet
  it。　　To　this　fragment　of　paper；　then；　must　I　confide　the　debt　of
  gratitude　I　owe　to　you　and　to　him　who　will　bear　it　to　you；　Nana
  Kandia。　　Good…bye。　　If　I　had　had　two　hearts；　I　should　have　given
  you　one。　　Do　not　mourn　me；　but　rather　rejoice　that　my　struggle　and
  its　agony　are　over。　　John　has　already　gone　…　one　tomb　shall　inclose
  both　our　bodies　…　how　could　it　have　been　better？
  〃LONA。〃
  No　sooner　had　Kandia　grasped　the　import　of　this　letter　than　he
  rushed　with　all　speed　to　Malabar　Hill；　but　he　was　too　late；　for
  scarcely　had　he　left　the　house　upon　Lona's　errand　before　she　had
  sprung　out　of　the　window　by　which　he　had　placed　her。　　Ragobah's
  wound　prevented　his　following　her；　and　when　he　had　summoned　others
  to　pursue　her；　the　darkness　had　closed　about　her　form　and　none
  knew　the　way　she　had　taken。　　At　the　edge　of　the　fatal　well　Kandia
  found　a　piece　of　paper　beneath　a　stone　and　on　it　these　words：
  〃Farewell；　Moro　and　Nana；　the　only　beings　on　earth　I　regret　to
  leave！
  …　Lona。〃
  The　body　was　never　recovered。　　The　news　of　his　wife's　death；　and
  the　knowledge　that　he　was　the　cause　of　it；　produced　an　effect　upon
  Ragobah　from　which　he　never　recovered。　　More　than　twenty　years　have
  passed　since　then；　yet　from　that　day　to　this　he　has　never　been　known
  to　smile。　　Long　before　his　mangled　limb　had　healed　it　became　evident
  to　all　who　knew　him　that　he　had　henceforth　but　one　purpose　in　life；
  …　revenge；　and　that　nothing　save　death　could　turn　him　from　his
  purpose；　so　long　as　his　rival　lived。　　The　knowledge　of　this　made　my
  search　for　Darrow　Sahib　more　than　ever　difficult　from　the　fact　that
  it　must　be　prosecuted　secretly。　　I　could　only　learn　that　he　had
  left　Bombay　for　the　interior；　nothing　more。　　My　inquiries　in　all
  the　Indian　cities　proved　fruitless；　and　in　many　instances；　I　was
  informed　that　Ragobah　had　instituted　a　search　for　the　same　man。　　I
  think；　in　spite　of　my　precautions；　some　of　my　agents　ultimately
  told　Ragobah　of　my　efforts；　for　I　found　myself　so　closely　watched
  by　men　in　his　interests　that　I　was　at　length　compelled　to　give　up
  the　personal　conduct　of　the　search；　and　to　continue　it　through　a
  deputy；　unknown　to　him。　　　All　my　endeavours　to　find　the　Sahib　were；
  as　you　are　already　aware；　fruitless；　and；　until　I　met　you；　I　had
  no　doubt　Ragobah's　efforts　were　equally　unproductive。　　You　have　now
  all　the　information　I　can　offer　upon　the　subject。　　If　I　can　be　of
  any　further　service　to　you；　you　need　not　hesitate　to　command　me。
  As　he　said　this　he　rose　to　depart　and　I　promised　to　keep　him
  informed　of　what　occurred。　　I　have　nothing　now　to　do　but　to　await；
  with　such　patience　as　I　can　command；　the　arrival　of　the　Dalmatia。
  It　does　not　seem　to　me　altogether　probable　that　Ragobah　will　return
  upon　this　boat；　but　if　he　should　I　shall　have　him　arrested　the
  moment　he　sets　foot　on　shore。　　If　he　escape　the　net　that　has　been
  woven　about　him；　I　shall　be　a　convert　to　Eastern　occultism　and　no
  mistake。　　I　trust　Miss　Darrow　is　well　and　hopeful。　　I　know　she
  will　religiously　keep　the　promise　she　made；　for　she　is　one　of　those
  women　who　fully　understand　the　nature　of　a　covenant；　and　I　am
  easier；　therefore；　than　I　otherwise　could　be　regarding　her　condition。
  Give　her　my　kind　regards　and　tell　her　that　she　may　expect　news　of
  importance　by　my　next　communication。　　It　is　very　late；　so　good…bye；
  until　the　arrival　of　the　Dalmatia。
  Your　friend；
  GEORGE　MAITLAND。
  This　letter　was　delivered　one　morning　when　Gwen；　my　sister　Alice；
  and　I　were　at　breakfast。　　As　I　broke　the　seal　I　noticed　that　both
  ladies　put　down　their　knives　and　forks　and　ceased　to　eat。　　A　glance
  at　Gwen's　eager　face　convinced　me　that　she　had　no　appetite　for
  anything　but　my　letter；　and　I　accordingly　read　it　aloud。　　When　I
  came　to　the　last　part　of　it；　where　Maitland　referred　to　her；　a　flush；
  of　pride　I　thought　at　the　time；　overspread　her　face；　and　when　I　had
  finished　she　said　with　some　show　of　excitement；　〃If　Mr。　Maitland
  succeed　in　bringing　Ragobah　to　justice　I　…　I　shall　owe　him　a　debt
  of　gratitude　I　can　never　repay！　　It　all　seems　like　a　romance；　only　so
  frightfully　real。　　We　may　expect　another　letter　in　a　few　days；　may
  we　not？　　And　Mr。　Maitland；　when　may　we　expect　him？〃
  I　replied　that　I　thought　we　might　reasonably　expect　news　of
  importance　within　five　or　six　days；　and　that；　so　far　as　Maitland's
  return　was　concerned；　I　did　not　look　for　it　for　as　many　weeks；　as
  he　would　doubtless　have　to　cope　with　the　law's　delay　there；　as　he
  would　if　here；　and　to　comply　with　many　tedious　formalities　before
  the　government　would　allow　Ragobah　to　be　brought　to　this　country　for
  trial。　　The　only　reply　Gwen　vouchsafed　to　this　statement　was　a
  long…drawn　unconscious　sigh；　which　I　interpreted　as　meaning；　〃Will
  it　never　end！〃
  CHAPTER　II
  He　who　shakes　the　tree　of　Vengeance　but　harvests　apples　of　Sodom
  in　whose　fruit　of　ashes　he　becomes　buried；　for　the　wage　of　the
  sinner　is　death。
  There　was　no　doubt　of　Ragobah's　guilt　in　any　of　our　minds；　so　that
  action　at　our　end　of　the　line　seemed　entirely　useless；　and　nothing
  was　left　us　but　to　quietly　await　whatever　developments　Maitland
  should　disclose。　　We　were　not　kept　long　in　suspense；　for　in　less　than
  a　week　his　next　letter　arrived。　　I　broke　its　seal　in　the　presence　of
  Gwen　and　my　sister　who；　if　possible；　were　even　more　excited　than　I
  myself。　　Is　it　to　be　wondered　at？　　Here　was　the　letter　which　was　to
  tell　us　whether　or　not　the　murderer　of　John　Darrow　had　been　caught。
  We　felt　that　if　Ragobah　had　returned　to　India；　according　to　his
  expressed　intention；　there　could　be　no　doubt　upon　this　point。　　But
  had　he　so　returned？　　I　read　as　follows：
  MY　DEAR　DOCTOR：
  The　Dalmatia　arrived　as　expected　on　Thursday；　and　on　her　came　Ragobah。
  I　had　him　arrested　as　he　stepped　from　the　boat。　　When　examined　he
  did　not　seem　in　the　least　disconcerted　at　the　charges　I　preferred
  against　him。　　　This　did　not　surprise　me；　however；　as　I　had　expected
  that　a　man　who　could　roll　his　naked　body　over　the　burning　sands　from
  Mabaj　an　to　the　Ganges；　and　who　could　rise　from　the　Vaisyan　to　the
  Brahman　caste；　…　albeit　he　fell　again；　…　would　not　be　likely　to　betray
  his　cause　by　exhibiting　either　fear　or　excitement。　　He　acknowledged
  his　acquaintance　with　Mr。　Darrow　and　the　ill…feeling　existing　between
  them。　　　When　charged　with　his　murder　at　Dorchester　on　the　night　of　the
  22d　of　April　he　coolly　asked　if　I　were　aware　when　and　how　he　had　left
  India。　　I　had　not　neglected　to　look　this　matter　up　and　told　him　he　had
  left　on　the　same　steamer　which　had　brought　him　back　…　the　Dalmatia　…=20
  which　should　have　arrived　at　New　York　on　the　21st　of　April；　thus
  leaving　him　ample　time　to　get　to　Boston　before　the　night　of　the　22d。
  To　this　he　replied　with　the　utmost　assurance。　　（I　give　you　the　exact
  gist　of　what　he　said。　　Since　I　was　not　able　to　immediately　commit　his
  language　to　writing；　you　will；　of　course；　hardiy　expect　me　to　remember
  those　peculiar　Oriental　idioms　which　an　Indian；　however　great　his
  command　of　English；　never　drops。　　What　I　say　here　is；　of　course；　true
  of　all　conversations　I　put　before　you　except　such　as　I　practically
  reported。）　…　But　to　return　to　our　muttons。　　As　I　was　saying；　he
  replied　with　the　utmost　assurance：
  〃The　Sahib　is　right。　　I　did　sail　upon　the　Dalmatia；　due　at　New　York
  on　the　21st　of　April。　　This　steamer；　as　you　are　perhaps　aware；　is
  propelled　by　twin　screws。　　On　the　trip　in　question　she　broke　one
  of　her　propellers　in　mid…Atlantic　and　in　consequence；　arrived　in　New
  York　on　the　24th　of　April；　three　days　late；　without　the　transference
  of　any　of　her　passengers　to　other　boats。　　If　you　will　take　the
  trouble　to　at　once　verify　this　statement　at　the　steamship　office；
  you　will　be　able　to　relieve　me　of　the　annoyance　of　　further　detention。〃
  All　this　was　said　with　a　rare　command　of　language　and　a　cold；　cynical
  politeness　which　cut　like　a　knife。　　I　at　first　thought　it　was　merely
  a　ruse　to　gain　time；　but　the　steamship　officials　substantiated　every
  word　uttered　by　Ragobah　relative　to　their　vessel。　　The　Dalmatia　had
  steamed　into　New　York　at　eleven　o'clock　on　the　morning　of　the　24th
  day　of　April　with　a　broken　screw！
  Imagine　my　amazement！　　The　net　of　circumstantial　evidence　wound
  around　Ragob