The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-31
PART v.

anu JON III an tllolt u oNtiihtoW the
British rule in India. Esdaile declines.
PART V.
He walked away from the circle with
his head down, and without another
glance at the five men around the fire.
The blackness of the forest where the
freight did not dance was intense, and
the great trees seemed TO stretch down
their arms and cover him as he neared
them. His brain felt dizzy after the
strange interview, and he wanted to
get back to everyday surroundings to
be able tn think quietly. The whole
thing was preposterous, and yet
Valid Ali watched him for a mo-
ment or two. then called to him.
Are sahib! Are we to part in an
ger, then, because | have offered you
that which you cannot take? 1t Is
that should be angered, that you take
half my confidence for an idle tale ana
half for the old mans rawlings. Let us
part in good fellowship at any rate, If
we are to meet hereafter as strangers.
Come back to the fire. sahih. and warm
yourself before you go. and take a puff
at my hookah. to show that we are
still friends. Come
Esdaie turned back at the words
and complied Certainly this strange
old man. with his wild schemes, had
the power of drawing other men to
him, though race and religion separat-
ed them. Tomorrow he would seek
him out i'm his own house. and discuss
the whole thing again, AMI argue with
him at length. Meanwhile he puffed at
the hookah and inhaled-one, twice,
thrice,
"Will the sahb he graciously pleased
to take his bath? 1t is past o'clock.
There was broad daylight streaming
in through the door of the tent, with
the sunlight sparkling through the
trees outside. and a murmur of every
day life fell upon Esdaile's ear. BY
the bedside stood his bearer with jug
of shaving water He struggled into
an upright position in the bed ana
stared around him with unbelieving
eyes.
O.. Morning. Have I been asleep? But
where are the five? And how the
dickens did I get here"
Questions which the bearer did not
attempt to answer He merely hoped
the sahib had passed good night, and
congratulated him on having got the
better of the insomnia for once. 1t was
many days, he said since he had come
to the sahib in the morning and found
him sleeping thus peacefully. Perhaps
the neck of the malady was broken
now, and it would pass altogether. 1t
was fearful thing, the bearer went
on, for it gave an opening for the evil
spirits, and it was well indeed that 1t
was conquered. Evidently, by his man
ner. he knew nothing.
Esdaile dressed wonderingly, too
taken up with the thought of the
nights experience to take much heed
even of such an event as five hours
healthy sleep was to him. He looked
over his clothes to see If some chance
sign about them should show in what
manner he had spent the night. There
was nothing except-yes, except the
very faintest smell of hookah smoke.
But that might have been the bearers
handling. His boots had been cleaned
and clothes brushed as usual. long be-
fore he woke.
After breakfast. he rode out along
the line to see if he could find the
mint at which he had diyerged. 1t
was a futile opdeavor for there was
no beacon point of fire to guide him
now. and all the forest looked as dense
and impenetrable as ever. He rode up
md down for the hest mart of an hour
,pd ther gava nm in despair He be-
,ron +, do,,ht tho reality of the mid
niub, ipt.rvi.w Ru, no. II was impos-
N sii,I. that II cnu,d have heen imayina-
t;nn woiid AIi,s words still rang in
1T. nc ,n1 ho cav tho circle round
.h, fra ,,.i,,,, .r,ugb in bis minds
s,,o o,,a ran oyor av.,v deta;, of III.
,,',I,o,,,, ,,,itb c,e,rr.ss that bore M
,aso,,,I,I. mao tn tho hlu,r.d m.morv of
a,a,,,,
ri oor,, VOC n,oved IN . "bagb"
o, p,r,,,oo, ,b,t of,.rnoon and .,s-
~. ',,.,,na -, ha,nn1 tha ho,aar ,o
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mi ~, ,,.n', ...r,,;" ,ooI,o1 Wv, do.
- ;.,, sh,,t,ars o,o.ed and tho I'm.
-. ,,,,,,,,,,; no,,r;a1 onIy hy
-, tnns snra,ohinr Il, tho sandy
-, n.,a ,,or,, .r,oi,
,,,,,, r,as ,,.,r,,;rr his
-, l,n,.r hadv II, tho s,nI,oht
,..,,,,, n >,,I,"a ~ ana n,,astionad hin,
,.,pi ..at,s,.oua," WIZ iva ,,n,,o And
~, .as,;,,,an .aIi,o,,
WIZ ,r, .,,a ,,,' ,a ,oi,a
..t ~. snn nf tha ,vatchn,on ~ ,,ro.