Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-21
"What do I know of the ways Of the
u h,to nnnn Haaupn hnrn2V

"What do I know of the ways of the
white man, Heaven born?''
fVerv little, truly. But thou shalt know
more. Tt has reached me that Imruy Sahib
! has returned from his so long journeyings
aud that even now he lies in the next room,
waiting his servant"
| "Sahibp'
The lampllgnt slid along the barrels Of
! the rifle as they leveled themselves against
! Bahadur Khan's broad breast
Go, then, and iookP' said Strickland.
"Take q lamp. Thy master is tired and he
waits. Col"
The man picked up lamp and went into
| the dining room, Strickland following and
almost pushing him with the muzzle of the
! rifle. He looked for moment at the black
! depths behind the ceiling cloth; at the
! carcass oisthe mangled snake under foot,
and last, gray glaze settling on his face,
at the thing under the table cloth.
"Hast thou seen?" said Strickland, after
pause.
81 have seen. 1 am clay in the white
mans hands. What does the Presence do?"
"Hang thee within the MONTH What
eIse?''
"For killing him? Nay, Sahib consider.
Walking among us, his servants, he
cast his eyes upon my child, who was 4 years
old. Him he Dewitched, and in ten days he
died OF the lever. NV chlld!
"What said Imray SahIb?"
"He said be was a handsome child, and
patted him on the head; wherefore my child
died. Wherefore killed Imray Sahib in
the twilight, when he had come back from
office, and was sleeping. The Heaven born
knows all things. am the servant Of the
Heaven born"
Strickland looked at me above the rifle
and said in the vernacular, 'Thou art wit
ness to this saying. He has killed"
Bahadur Khan stood ashen gray in the
light of the one lamp. The need for justii-
cation came upon him very swiftly. ~ am
trapped," he said, ''but the offeuse was that
mans. He east an evil eve upon my child,
and killed and hid him. Only such as are
served by devils" he glared at Tietjeus,
crouched stolidly before him, ''only such
could know what did"
sit was clever. But thou sheuldst have
lashed him to the beam with a rope. Now,
thou thyself wilt hang to rope. Orderly!''
A drowsy policeman answered Strick-
lands call. He was followed by another,
and Tietjens sat still.
Take him TO the station" said Strick-
land. "There is a case toward"
DOL hang, then?" said Bahadur Khan
making no attempt to escape, and keeping
his ewes on the ground.
eff the sun shines or the water runs thou
wilt hang said Strickland.
Bahadur stepped back one pace, quiv-
cred and stood still. The two policemen
waited further orders.
Coz said Strickland.
NAY: but go very swiftly" said BAHIA
dur Khan. "Lookl am even now a dead
man."
He lifted his foot, and to the little toe
there clung the head of the hali-killed
snake, firm fixed in the agony of death.
81 come of land holding Stock" said
Bahadur Khan, rocking where he stood.
at were a disgrace to me to go to the pub
lie scaffold, therefore take this wav. Be
it remembered that the Sahib's shirts are
correctly enumerated; and that there is an
extra piece of soap In his wash basin. Ny
child was bewitched, and slew the wizard.
Why should you seek to slay me? My
honor is saved, and-and-I die''
AT the end of an hour he died as they die
who are bitten by the little karait and the
policemen bore him and the thing under the
tablecloth to their appointed places. They
were needed to make clear the disappear
auce of Imray. -sr
"This," said Strickland, very calmly. as
he climbed into bed, sis called the nine
teenth century. Did you hear what that
man said?"
81 heard" answered, 'Imray made
mistake"
Simply and solely through not knowing
the nature and the coincidence of little
seasonable fever. Behadur Khan has been
with him for four years"
1 shuddered. My own servant had been
with me for exactly that length of time.
When L went over to my own room found
him waiting, impassive as the copper head
on penny. to pull off my boots
"What has befallen Bahadur Khan7"
said 1.
HE was bitten by a snake and died; the
rest'the Sahib knows" was the answer.
"And how much of this matter hast thou
known"
"As much as might be gathered from one
coming in the twilight to seek satisfaction.
Gently, Sahib. Let me pull of those
boots"
had just settled to the sleep of exhaus-
tion when l heard Strickland shouting from
his side of the house:
'Tietjens has come back to her rcomi'
And so she had. The great deerhound
was eouched on her own bedstead, on her
own blanket, and in the next room the idle
empty ceiling cloth wagged light heartedly
as it hailed on the table.
THE END.