Evening star., 1898-06-04

him: / win driv him back to his eager.
the result And Y at aH.s first, indeed. ~ it seemed
| that the tiger, n ravsnous with hunger.
would not yield tb thelaccustomed sway Of
| his mistress. He crouched obstinately on
| the ground, roaring and snarling with pas
| sion; but finally. by repeated cracking of
| her whip by a STEADY fire of commands and
| threats, pleading and coaxing, the brave
little woman conquered. Sullenly and with
much whimpering thea great brute crawled
back to its cage and skunk within. The
girl flung the door shut and boted it. Then
she turned to thee Englishman, flushed with
triumph, and yet with a strained and anX-
| ious look in her face
You have saved my life" Quin said,
| hoarsely; at least for the present. Can
| you help me further?'Ii
Il will save you if I can,, the girl re-
| piled, quickly. as her eyes roved from one
| to another of the windows overlooking the
| court. Il am Fora, the slave of Jewan
Khan. 1 once loved him, but now I hate
| him. He treats me cruelty. And you saved
| me from the bite of the cobra. l was CRATE
| full. and so l did this thing for you. Be
| cause you struck him once the rajah plan,
| ned that MoSul should kill you, and he
| would have watched your death from yon-
| der window. But l put drugs in his sher-
| bet and he now lies in a stupor. Come,
sahlb, while there is time. I know the way
! the secret way under the palace to the
river that flows swiftly to the coast.
| Comet"
Quin needed no urging. He hopefully
followed mis- fleet-footed guide, who led
| MIN through the little door, and thence
| across deserted part of the palace that
was strange to him. A panel in the wall
| swung open at the girls touch. and dark
winding staircase was disclosed. Down this
| tne Two crept. drawing the panel shut be-
| hlnd them. and at the bottom was Ii damp
ana narrow sub;erranean passage. There
| was not Il gimmer of light but Fora took
gums hand and guided him hurriedly
| along.
For at least half a mile they groped their
| way IN darkness, and then suddenly emerg-
ed on the bank of swift stream in the
| heart of the jungle, close to where a rude
| boat was mocred. A distant clamcr of
voices toll that the flight was known
that nursuers were on the track. There
was not an instant TO lose if they would
escape the vengeance of the raiah They
entered the boat and cast eff Fora plying
the paddle with skill. And with a thankful
heart (luin heard the shouting fade and
die, as the sWirlinS current bore him deep
er and deeper into the tangled depths of
the forest.
Late in the afternoon, after travelling
many miles DOWN the mountain stream,
and escaping its perls OF rock and rapid,
the fusitives left the boat and started on
foot toward the coast in northwesteriy
direction. Fora took the part of guide, and
hef"r" mlnigh she brought the English
man to a jungle village. where some of
her own people lived. They received
hearty welcome. and were assured that
geance.
A new reril-for he considered it little
less-now confronted Quin. The fair Hin
doc maid had transferred to him the heart
and affections that had recently been
Jewan khan's. She was not slow to tell
him as much. and in short. she intimated
unmisl lakably that she wished to be his
lifelong companion. There was only one
thing to do, and Quin did it. In the early
dawn he stole away from the village, leav-
ing gift of money behind, and twenty
four hours later he was safely back in
Cochin Having no adequate proof, and
knowing the almost insurnlountabe diff
culties in the way of bringing the rajah
to justice, he took no steps in the matter,
but 1t was some consolation TO learn later
that Jewan Khan lad decided to keep his
menaserie, and that d Yival agent had vain
ly made overtureS for its purchase. Quin
heard nc more Of Fora. but he often
thought of the grateful girl. and hoped
that her brave act had brought disas-
ter upon her. And i'll future. though he
still avoided the isex. he regarded women
in a new and more favorable light.