Page:In old madras.djvu/24

24 into a fearful state of excitement, and made me swear to undertake a duty in which he had failed.”

"But God bless me, Geoffrey ! there is this letter in black and white, forbidding any search—as plain as plain can be.”

“Yes, but my father thought the letter was a forgery."

“What do Brown and Brown say?"

“They declare the letter to be genuine."

“Ah, and I agree with them! Your father's mind was undoubtedly unhinged by a long illness.”

"But mine is not, Cousin Fred. At first, I must confess, I was rather reluctant to come out,—though, of course, I intended to keep my word; but by degrees, when I was all alone at Mallender, the idea grew upon me; I had no dreams, but I had the picture of Uncle Geoffrey always facing me in the dining-room—an oilpainting in uniform, done before he left England and it seemed to me that he not only took his meals with me, but rode, and walked, and sat with me as well; and I knew I'd never shake off the delusion—if it was a delusion—till I had left no stone unturned out here—and here I am! I see you think I'm crazy? Stark mad. Eh?”

"And have you any plans ? ” asked his cousin abruptly.

“Not anything very definite. I know that my Uncle or his double is in this Presidency-within about three hundred miles of Madras City.”

“Then what is your scheme? your proposed campaign ? Surely you won't advertise in the press, and have every filthy European loafer claiming a beloved nephew, and howling on his neck ?"

Certainly not,” replied Mallender, who looked a little nettled; “I consulted a firm of smart lawyers, as our own old stick-in-the-muds were dead against my trip, and they put me on to a private enquiry firm of the name of Jaffer, who live in the City of Hyderabad in the Deccan."

"By George, they must do a great business! The