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Page 39
A. I will acknowledge it.
Q. The person is John Hinton Darrow.
The old man started as if he had been stabbed, and looked at me in
amazement. He seemed at first to think I had read his thoughts and
riveted his dark eyes upon me as if, by way of return, he would read
my very soul. I think he did so, for his scrutiny seemed to satisfy
him. He replied, somewhat reassured: "I can speak only to John
Hinton Darrow."
"John Darrow is dead," I said.
"Dead!" he exclaimed, springing to his feet; "Darrow Sahib dead!" and
he fell back into his chair, covering his face with his hands. "Ah,
my poor Lona!" he muttered feebly; "I have failed to keep my promise.
Do not reproach me, for I have done my best. For twenty years have I
searched in vain for this man that I might fulfil your last request,
and the very first information I receive is the news of his death. I
have been no less vigilant than Ragobah, yet I have failed, even as
he has failed."
I took this opportunity to again question him.
Q. Are you sure Ragobah failed?
A. Yes; had he found Darrow Sahib he would have killed him. His
mission was one of revenge; mine one of love and justice; both have
failed utterly since their object is dead. My pledge is broken!
Q. In its letter, yes; but the chance is still left you to keep the
spirit of your covenant.
A. I do not understand you, Sahib.
Q. I will explain. Lona Ragobah confided to you certain facts in
explanation of her conduct toward John Darrow. She loved him
passionately, and it was her desire to stand acquitted in his sight.
Were she alive now, any wish he had expressed during his life
would be fulfilled by her as a sacred and pleasurable duty. This,
then, as one who lovingly performs her will, should be your attitude
also. John Darrow was the only man she ever loved, and, were she
living, every drop of her loyal blood would rise against anyone who
had done him injury. Do I not speak the truth?
A. Yes; she was loyal unto death and so shall I be. My hand has ever
been against all who have done her harm; Ragobah knows that full well.
Q. Were she alive, you certainly would aid her in bringing to justice
one who has done her the most cruel of wrongs and, at the same time,
fulfilling the dying request of the man who to her was more than
life.
A. I should do her bidding, Sahib.
Q. How much more need, then, now that the poor woman is dead, that
you should act for her as she would, were she here.
A. You have not told me all; speak your mind freely, Sahib. You may
depend upon my doing whatever I believe Lona would do were she here.
Q. I ask nothing more, and am now prepared to fully confide in you.
As you doubtless know, Rama Ragobah left Bombay for New York about
eleven weeks ago. He went, I have been told, on an errand of revenge.
Six weeks ago John Darrow was murdered. He left behind him a written
statement describing his wooing of Lona Scindia and his experiences
with Rama Ragobah. He asserted, furthermore, his belief that he
would die by Ragobah's hand,--the hand which twice before had
attempted his life. Even as he loved your cousin, so he hated her
husband, and, confident that he would ultimately be killed by him,
he was haunted by the fear that he would escape the just penalty for
his crime. He bound his heir by the most solemn of promises to use,
in the event of his murder, every possible means to bring the
assassin to justice. There can, of course, be little doubt that the
assassin and Rama Ragobah are one and the same person. The last
request John Darrow ever made--it was after he had been attacked
by the assassin--had for its object the punishment of his murderer.
Were your cousin living, do you think she would be deaf to that
entreaty?
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