Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-11-30
sEMEWEEKLY BANNER FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 3d. 1894

SEMI-N
laughing little derisively, said that after
the ladies had lived in India longer their
confidence in the faithfulness of native
servants would be weakened if not entire.
ly lost.
Helen, aroused in behalf of her servant,
had said spiritedly: 'Thank heaven! l
am not skeptical nor can be made so. l
trust and love my good ayah as do my
friends"
las you do me?" Gartshore asked in q
low voice as he took her hand to say good
night. Helen made no answer, but her
hand trembled in his close grasp.
Alec thought of his question and Helen's
silent reply us in his reverie his thoughts
had drifted back to the events of that
evening, and rousing himself, he hastily
wrote a few words which he gave to ma
tive lying near and told him to deliver to
Miss Arundel.
Entering the house, the Indian gave a
low knock at the door of Helen's apart
ment. The ayah, her bare brown feet
making no sound on the matted floor,
opened the door, took the message and
with low salaam laid the little missive
in her mistress lap.
Helen was seated in low wicker chai1
in her little dressing room, her hair I'M
bound and falling in luxuriant masses
over her shoulders. Her eyes were fixed
pensively on the pages of Selections From
Buddha," and these words were sinking
fecp, deep into her heart "Oh, worldly
men! how fatally deluded, beholding ev-
erywhere the body brought to dust, yet
everywhere the more Carelessly living.
The heart is neither lifeless wood nor
stone, and yet it remembers not that all
is vanishing"
So absorbed was Helen in these words
fraught with such potent meaning that
The had not noticed the woman's move
ments until suddenly seeing the note she
read the following words, while soft col
or rose to her cheeks
DEAR Miss AnUNDEL-Will you go with me
for an early canter say at tomorrow am
anxious to tell you of something. If you will
90, you need send no answer. Again good
night. ALEC GARTsHoRE.
"Ayah, " said Helen as the woman, with
her low salutation, was about to withdraw
TO the mat that served as her bed outside
Che door of the apartment, "ayah, you
may wake me at t. as l go for an early
ride with Captain Gartshore.
The woman had stopped on the thresh-
old, hesitatng and i'll at case.
'Well, what is itH" asked Helen, some
what impatiently. Tell me what you
wish"
Nothing, missy. Ayah wish for moth.
ing, but ayah wish to say something to
missy-wish very much"
AS no familiarity is attempted by these
servants of the tropics, ithNas with great
difficulty the woman begged for the inter
view. Helen saw the trepidation and pit.
led her.
my good ayah, tell me what 1t is you
desire. Do you need money, or are you
weary of the jungle life and wish to re.
turn to MadrasY'
"Ah, no, memesahib," expostulated the
Indian. "Ayah wishes no greater happi.
ness than to be near you. No money ayah
requires, nor her heart longs for the beau
tiful city. 1t is one little story she wishes
to tell you," and her richly tinted skin
flushed, and her gentle eyes looked trou'
bled. do you love the captain, dear
LADY,"
How dare you ask such question:
cried Helen Indignantly. You displease
me greatly, ayah."
Forgive me, was all the woman said
as, kneeling, she put her forehead to the
hem of her mistress gown.
Helen's was sympathetic and tender
heart, and, seeing the utter abasement OF
the Indian, she relented, and, putting her
hand softly On the ayah's head, she said,
Il will hear your little story"
1t was vivid, glowing picture that the
candles in the queer twisted eastern can
dlesticks lighted up. Helen, in loose
white wrap, was seated before a mirror,
her eyes fastened on the woman's reflec-
ton. The latter had risen from the floor,
her plant form swaying to and fro as she
brushed her mistress hair. She looked
like some seeress about to utter prophecy
or incarnation as she began her little tale,
speaking now in broken English and now
in Tamil, her native dialect.
"Ayah has in her heart great love fol
her dear lady-a love like the waters that
separate missy from her home, deep and
strong 1t is not one easy thing for ayab
to speak, but her heart say tell, her love
say speak She knows that missy like
the captain very much, and he loves you,
but while missy gives him her whole heart
he cannot give her his whole love, for that
is divided-part to missy and part to an
other"
Helen listened, a growing sense Of dan
ger and apprehension that she could not
fathom making her dumb, while the ayah
went ON, her voice taking a dreary mono.
tone.
In Madras there is a dark woman,
beautiful, but not like the missy. One day
the captain he sees this native, and she
gives him drink that she makes from
one herb, and it causes him to love her."
A rigid grip seemed clutching at Helen's
throat and heart. She put her hands forth
vaguely to tear it away. She tried tC
speak, but her tongue was palsied, and
the Indian, divining nothing, continued
in her singsong minor tone.
1.-The captain gives this Maya-for that
is her name-much money, silks and jew
els for her hair, but Maya never loves him.
and she only gets his love by always
sprinkling the potion about his house and
in his wine. When he is away from her
he hates himself and her, and his heart i:
all for missy, but when he goes back tt
Maya he will love her again"
Helen had drunk the bitter cup in al
its strength for she could not doubt {
word of the narrative. Her first great
trouble had found her alone, and she mus