The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-29

"Is IT STRANGER THAN WHAT
YOU SAW ON MOHURRUM NIGHT
ONCE, IN DOLPHUR?" SAID
WAJID ALI, QUIETLY.
to how ! came here you We're right.
Valid Ali sahib, that it was not de-
sign. My camp Is hardly three miles
from this clearing. and | had come out
to eat the air when l saw your fire
and judged you to be--well. never mind.
But let me say that | have met many
strange things. but never one as
strange as this"
rs it stranger than what you saw
on Mohurrum night once, in Dolpur?"
said Valid Ali, quietly.
Esdaile started. The reference could
only be to an occasion when he had
penetrated, native disguise. and as
he thought undetected, into the hurly-
hurley of the backways of great Mo-
hammedan city. Who was this man
who knew of it?
You know much, Valid ALI" he
said. Perhaps ], too, know little"
Yes. I know much," said Valid Ali
with puff at his hookah. "If l did
not be alive at this moment. / did not
DO you know that you are a man after
my own heart? If what tell you now
induces you to throw in your lot
with us. we shall have gained more
than l hoped to win SO soon. DO you
want to know all?"
"Assuredly," said Esdaile. "Say on"
The old men had seated themselves
again round the fire, acquiescent. ap-
parently, in the leaders line of action.
Valid Ali snuggled little closer into
his blanket, sucked at the hoOkah for
moment, fixed his eyes on Esdaile, and
began.
Il am an old man. sahib, as you per-
ceive. but perhaps am older than you
think. l can remember many things
surely did not dream them--that no
other living man has seen. There was a
time when this land we stand in now
" belonged, not to the British raj. but to
another people, and when the English
came there was much trouble. 1t was
war. and the English did not always
win. sahib. There was q battle over
there'-jerking his head to the west
ward-"and the little hillmen had their
I'LL Of slaughter. I knew of 1t, because
! saw the white soldiers that came back,
and they spoke much of it. Their gen.
erel was killed, and his officers died
round him; you can see the pillar that
was put ZIP to his memory acros sthe
naddi from Timli now. They won at
last. the sahibs. but the hillside there
has been soaked i'm English blood. And
those that came back. so worn and hag-
gard-1 can see them now"
,f,,.r 49, :.
itself upon Esdaile at this juncture.
and he gasped.
You're talking about the conquest of
Timli. You can't remember that. 1t
happened nearly a hundred years ago."
"Ah! Wait till the end of my tale
before you say what can or cannot do"
,chuckled Valid Ali, much pleased ap-
parently at the effect he had produced.
''i on know of that time? was a grown
man then. and the gray hairs were be-
ginning to show themselves in my
beard. And of those that were men
with me- of the millions that lived and
breathed with me in this Hindostan of
ours, not one remains save only those
here. and they were babes at that time"
He paused impressively and then
continued:
When l was young man l became
servant-what you English would
call clerk to an cid and wise mer-
chant of Delhi, a dealer in silks and
carved ivory and sweet smelling boxes.
who was well enough known in his
time. He travelled from one great city
to another, selling his goods to the sa-
hibs sometimes, and sometimes pene-
trating to the native states and doing
his business with the Princes of those
lands. He knew the worth of all
things. my master. and he had al
ways one eye open for bargains wher-
ever he went. and the things he col
lected were many and curious. He was
a rich man. but he was not a happy
one. Long before, his only son. who
was to him as the apple of his eye,
had been murdered by thugs while
travelling with goods, and his death
had preyed on my masters mind. He
favored me among his servants. for he
said that was wise for SO young a