San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-30

1 felt the iparmth against my nose.
Cling helplessly for my life. NOW the
grim humor of the thing struck me.
though l felt like emptying my revolver
into both Of them.
The East Indian who had addressed
me in English repeated his apology
over and over until it became monoto-
nous.
81 accept your explanation, said
when he paused for breath, but after
this | suggest that you ask gentle
man for his card before attacking him.
l hope you and your friend are enjoying
good health"
With no appreciation of my humor,
they both made salaam as if saluting
one of their own potentates at home and
walked off toward the main road
1T would serve you right, i NUT
tered as the figures dissolved in the
gloom, "to test my Workmanship upon
you"
But why do that? They had apollo
gized for their mistake and made all
the PREPARATION possible. Then, too, they
must be armed, and their return shots
might prove uncomfortable for me.
The explanation of the incident was
clear. The two were providing around
the house in quest Of Darius Howard.
Nothing could be more natural than the
error they had made. Doubtless they
had come al. the way from India to set
tie some deadly dispute with the man
who had brought with him the ruby of
Mana Sahib. 1t may have been to CON-
pei him to restore it to them, from
whom not unlikely he had stolen it.
If this were the truth, the alertness
of Howard and his wife was not that
they feared shadowing and pursuit by
any of our officers, but the enmity Of
their own countrymen. 1t may be said
that the path was open for me, though
it was by no means a path Of roses
1t might be added that had met
with enough adventure for the evening,
but no real progress had been made. The
real problem still confronted me.
Relieved of all fear from them, re.
sumed my approach to the building,
from which still glowed the light that
was my guide from the first.
Dogs are not the only animals to be
dreaded" reflected, but since have
encountered both the way ought now to
be clear
The resemblance to the dwelling of
the night before struck me when i
paused at the head of the lane. There
was no man, however, pacing up and
down with his lighted cigar and hum
ming the air of an opera. nor during the
quarter Of an hour that waited did any
one appear.
At the end of that time made a
guarded circuit of the house, but could
not gain a glimpse of the interior. 1t
was as if the dwelling was Theoretically
sealed against all interlopers
But that which interested me was the
light burning in an upper room. There
the shade was partly raised, and it
would seem interesting developments
were awaiting me.
But they would never appear so long
az Remained on the ground. Trees were
thick all around me, and my course was,
obvious.
The climbing of one of these trees
was an easy task, and l was speedily
among the limbs at height of 10 or 20
feet from the earth. Then | turned and
looked at the window.
1t was night of disappointment
While in the act of climbing the trunk
some one within the room lowered the
shade, shutting off my view as effectnal-
" as if the light had been extinguish-
ed, 1t was exasperating, for but for
that interruption i'll the lane and my
own tagging the coveted sight would
have been gained.
The faint hope that some within
would lead to the raising of the curtain
again kept me among the limbs until
my body was cramped. must have
staid there for fully an hour when,
presto! all became blank darkness. The
light had either been taken from the
room or put out No use of waiting
longer.
drew my foot from under me, mean
ing to descend the tree, when the faint
est possible whistle sounded somewhere
near me. Supporting myself with great
care, | leaned downward and peered
into the gloom. Although little vegeta-
ton was left on the branches, the shad-
ow was so dense that the keenest vision
was of little help, but while staring at
what seemed to be the dim outlines OF
a trunk il moved slightly to one side.