The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-04-24

uareO to llSIen to the brother OI my bitterest enemy?" and he raised his hand threateningly. "N Now listen daughter! If you ever speak to Valan or listen to him or have aught to do with him again will beat you as l would a dog; swear toyou will. Now, hearken to my words and obey!" And with a threatening look and suggestive shake of his stick, the pusari stalked out After another look in silence at the wounded buffalo, he left the village and 1 strode off in the direction of Mankulam, leaving Vallee crouching in a corner of the hut with her hands over her face and sobbing aloud.
 Nalan Eluyan of whom they had been | speaking, was the younger brother of the pusaris enemy, and was Nallee's lover. He was a man of very different nature from his brother, being open | hearted, generous, and good-natured. evertheless, the pusari hated him al most as much as he did his brother 1 The understanding between Nalan and 1 Nallee had only recently been come to. | For d long time Nalan had watched and admired the graceful maiden: but owing to the bad feeling between the two fam 1 lilies had not vcntured to speak to her 1 One day, however, seeing her in difficult 1 ties with d troublesome COW she was try 1 ing to milk, he went to her assistance i She thanked him shyly, but with such | pleasure at his attention that he was 1 embroidered to speak to her again when ! he met her o-e day going to ncighbor- ing village. After that they frequently l found occasion to meet alone, and grad ually their acquaintance grew to inti- macy, and finally ripened to love. Cn- fortunately, her father discovered acc- dentally what was going on, and sternly | forbade Nallec eyer to speak of her lover again. Since then she had only had one 1 opportunity of seeing Nalan. This fresh outrage on the part of lyan Eluvan l she knew but too well, finally eXtin- l guished all chance of her father ever accepting Nalau as her lover; SO, crouch ing in the dark hut, she gave vent to her grief
 Meanwhile, the pusari was striding along the .junglc-path leading to Man | kulam, his mouth full of curses. and his heart full of hatred and thoughts of vengeance. The path was narrow and winding leading now along sandy tor rent-beds, then through lofty forest or thorny jungle. The village was three miles distant and it was now evening
 so he walked as fast as he could, finding some vent for his feelings in the violent l exercise When he had walked two l thirds of the way he arrived at a broad 1 river. It was now nearly dry, it being l the hot season, and Was merely wide l reach of deep sand, with shallow pools here and there under the high banks | The pusari had crossed the river and i had just entered the jungle on the other side, when he suddenly uttered curse and stopped short. Coming along the i path toward him, and alone, was a man.
 It was his enemy Ivan Eluvan! He was a broad-shouldered, big-headed man
 with g round face out of which looked two little pig-likc cunning eyes A slight contraction of one side of his face causing him to show his teeth gave him q peculiar sinister, sneering expression
 He had been at work cutting fence sticks, for he was carrying his kath or 1 .junglc-knitr over his shoulder
 On catching sight of each other, the two mer stopped to look at one another
 his eyes glittercd, and the veins | NtPp'a 'llt OIl HIS IoItIitutl He other had mocking, evil smile on his face, which seemed to irritatc his enemy beyond endurance Suddenly the pu>ari graSped his heavy iron-shod stick and made two steps forward In an instant Ivan swung round his jungle 1 knife and stood on the defensive, while i his sneering smile gave place to look i of concentrated hate. For few mo- ments they stood glaring at each other, and then the pusari slowly stepped to 1 one side and motioned to the other to
 pass on, which he did keeping an eye on his foe, however, and passing out of reach of him. As soon as he had gone l by the pusari resumed his journey, his rencontre with his enemy had added
 fresh fuel to the fire of evil passions blazing in his heart Ivan watched him l till he had gone some distance, and
 then, after few minutes hesitation
 turned and followed keeping him in sight, but remaining long way behind
 A walk of mile further brought the pusari to the village of Maukulam, with
 Ivan following in the distance It was rather large village. consisting of about a score of hIts scattered about a wide open spot in the jungle. with a tank on one side, and rice-heldS stretch | ing beyond it. On the outskirts of the village was house larger and more pre- l tentious than any of the others, and
 hoastinga dense plantain grove, growing close to the hut and few cocoa-nut 1 palms. This was the residence of the mudliya or head man of the district
 On entering the enclosure through the
 rude stle or gap in the fence, the pu- sari paused for moment, for the place seemed deserted no one being in sight
 He heard, however, the sound of voices
 inside the hut, so stepping forward
 with loud unceremonious Salaam
 mudliya!" he entered the hut Seeing
 his enemy enter the headmans house l Ivan came cautiously forward but paused irreSolutcly at the gate A
 glance around showed him that the peo- n a nf h. all ind