The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-11

from the plain on missions to the people
over beyond the deodars,and the streets
of the town were even denser with poul-
try and children, and little dogs dyed
yellow, and with all the multitudinous
rich odors of human increase.
The Rajah pushed his boundaries east
and west, the Pax Britannica consent
ing, and made his fort ever larger and
stronger, and built himself a palace
at last, and a harem, and made gardens,
so that he could live magniiicently and
dispense justice to all that owned his
sway. And indisputably he did dispense
justice-in the name of Allah! uphold
ing the teaching of his prophet. in Il
purely Oriental manner, of course,
throughout all his land. Such We're the
splendid properties of the Rajah's rule.
The Rajah was a portly, yellow-faced
man, with q long black beard, now
steadily growing gray, thick lips and
shifty eyes. He was pious, very pious
in his daily routine, and swift and un-
accountable in his actions. None dared
withstand him to his face, even in little
things. and not a woman in the harem
dared by any device to try and wheedle
IiHl lToIn HIS VIII. he kept MS OWN
thoughts and went his own way with
out counsel from any man: he was a
lonesome man, but seemed jealous of
himself
Golam Shah, his vizier was but
servant. a carrier of orders; and Samud
Singh. his master of horse, but u driller
of soldiers. They We're tools, he would
tell them outright in his pride of power.
slaves in his hand that he could break
al his will. He went rarely to the
harem, taking no delight in the society
OF women or singers, or in nautches
and he was childless. And his cousin.
the youth Azim Khan, loved and feared
him, and only in the remotest recesses
of his heart did he ever dare to wish
the Rajah would presently die and
make Il way to the throne. And Azim
grew in years and knowledge. and Co
lam Shah and Samud Singh sought his
friendship with an eye to the milder
days that would come. But the Rajah
did not die. He grew little plumper
and little more gray, and that was
all; until the days came when the talk
of the treasure spread through the
land.
1t would be hard to say when first
the rumor spread about the baZars of
tine plain that the Rajah of Mindapore
was making a. hoard. None knew how
1t began or where. Perhaps from mers
chants Of whom he had bought. 1t be-
gan long before the days of the safe
II was said that rubies had been bought
and hidden away: and then not only
rubies, but ornaments of gold, and theI'
pearls and diamonds from Golconda,
and all manner of precious stones.
Even the deputy commissioner at Ala
pore heard of it. AT last the story re-
entered the palace Of Mindapore itself.
and Azim Khan. who was the Rajahs
cousin and his heir. and rominally his
commander in chief and Golam Shah,
the chief minister. talked it over one
with another in tentative way.
HE has something new" said Golam
Shah, querulously: 'he has something
new, and he is keeping it all from me-"
AZim Kahn watched him cunningly.
Il have told you what / have'heard,"
he said. For my own part / know
nothing"
He goes to and fro musing and hum
!ning to himself" said Golam, medi-
tatively. "as one who thinks of q pleas
ure."
Azim Kahn was inclined I'm an OPEN
minded way to chercher la femme
No" said Golam; ut is not that.
He was never like that. He is near
threescore. and besides, these three
months or more it has been, and it still
keeps or. His eyes are bright, his