Evening star., 1898-06-04


fringed the town Out on the Arabian
sea the sails of the shipping hung motion
less and the sun was melting the paint
off the tunnels of the few steamers that
lay at anchorage. The native population
was weather-proof, and they lolled about
the streets much as usual But the foreign
Inhabitants with one exception, could not
have been found by the aid of telescope
That exception was Matthew Quin- Ar
rayed in white linen and sofa-topee, the
bronzed little man sat outside of a social
ed cafe in the European quarter. The
door and windows behind him were dark
ened, and squatting servants constantly
splashed water on the screens of rice mat
ting: inside the drowsy punkawallahs
jerked the fan strings. But Quin looked
serene cool and comfortable as he pulled
at his short pipe and eyed the dusty road
An awning stretched over his head, and
on the bamboo table at his elbow rested
glass that oozed icy dew. His business in
Cochin was finished as we'll he could
have wished; ne had just shipped three
fine elephants TO London by steamship
of the Clan line, and on the morrow he
purposed going up the coast to Beypoor,
there to take rail across country to Mad
ras.
Toward evening and supper time, when
the frizzling heat had begun to moderate
a little a shadow Stalked swiftly 20 the
awning and faded away as its owner ap-
preached. A thinly clad Englishman. big,
bearded and perspirlng, dropped into
seat at one side of the table. He nodded
familiarly to Quin. shouted for iced
drink and lit cherOot-
Here again. are you?" he said genially-
Here again. Fanshawe. the little man
replied. Il thought you were off on leave?'
Il was-just got back. Beastly warm.
Isn't it? Wish I'd stayed in the hills
The drink arriving. Captain Fanshawe
took copious draft of it. He was a thor
oughly good fellow-too good TO be slowed
away on her majestys service at the dull
and wearisOme cantonments adjacent to
Cochin. He had known Quln for some
divers places. They smoked and chatted for
n while. and. as Quin was comparatively
fresh from England, his companion piled
him with questions.
I've been doing some hunting down in
Travancore," the captain said, after
pause. Did pretty well-bagged two tigers
and a leopard. Id go dotty If it wasn't for
that sort of thing. BY the by, I've got d
piece of news that's right in your Hne, 1
fancy. was dined and wined by the Rajah
of Travancore. Jewan Khan. a splendid
chap in his way, and he tells me he wants
to sell his menagerie."
Yes said Quin. I've heard of 1t.
Rather a fine lot. l believer"
"a regular ZOO replied the captain. by
Jove. man, wouldn't be afraid to bet that
the collection represents the natural his
tory of India. l don't blame the rajah for
wanting to get rid of them. after hearing
the row the brutes keep up day and night
Only the queer sparkle of Quins eyes
Show ed how deeply he was interested
rs that his reason for selling?" he asked
quietly
Partly" said Fanshawe; "and partly be-
cause the creatures hav. awful tempers,
and he's afraid some of them will break
loose
Are you certain he's willing to sen?'
lie was in that mood four days ago. 1
t.~Tsg i
1or the lot. And he didn't strike me as a
nckle-minded sort of chap"
Il believe his place is up in the hills?"
Yes, near the foot of the Cardamum
mountains That's his hot-weather palace,
where he keeps his menaserie and lives in
half barbaric state It's hard to reach, and
an Englishman can't go there to visit him
without an invitation and a permit"
Il know that" Quin said, thoughtfully.
For half an hour longer and by adroit
questioning he drew from Captain Fan
Shave all the particulars of his visit to the
rdJah OF TrayancOre and of the latterS col
lection of wild beasts. Then the cool air of
the evening brought other Englishmen to
take refreshment outside of the cafe, and
presently Quin slipped quietly away.
The sequence of the interview the
prompt decision and action that followed
Were characteristic of the little man. He
abandoned his trip to Madras. and early
the next morning he cabled brief message
TO his employers in London, Karl Hamrach
q Co. An hour later he left Cochin with
four of his native assistants despite the in
tense heat. and by evening he quarter
ed in Il jungle village well over the borders
of the state of Trayancore Before he turn
ed in for the night he had dispa tched let
ter TO Rajah Jewan Kahn, and he hoped
that the bearer would bring a favorable an
swer back within three days at most
Long experience had taught him the value
OF haste in his line of business-the risk of
delay: and as 1t was. he feared that some
one else might be the ground first He
knew that Moss & Crawley a rival flrm of
Liverpool and New York, had an agent In
India at the time.
II was not a pleasant place to spend the
interval of waiting, but Quin made the best
OF H. ON the afternoon of the third day
the messenger returned and with him came
-FOUR coolies and palki. They brought
letter from the rajah, inviting the English
man to be his guest and informing him
politely, but firmly, that he must come
alone Quin sent his own men back to Co
chm, and early the following morn,np he
started of, borne In the paiki on the sbo,II-
ders of the coolies
IL was long journey. through wild and
rugged country, entailing one night in the
jungle Toward evening of the next dav ne
Teached the stocakade that inclosed the ra-
Jan summer palace and leaving the palki
ne passed through the gate, escorted by
two ferce-loOking Hindoos who had een
oeputed 10 meet him. The grounds on
gentle slope at the base of the Carda roun,
mountains, We're extensive and finely lai1
out with trees and shrubbery On n ridge
In the distance doomed the palace ram
bling and pretSntfous structure of reddish
stone, with tiers Of shaded balconies and
innumeraole minarets glittering In the light
OF the sinking sun.
WI hen about halfway up the slope a sim
gle piercing scream rang from close on the
right OF the path Quin was through the
Intervening thicket like a fash and within
six feet of him. standing in a grassy glade.
ne saw native woman-a girl, rather for
she could have been no more than nineteen.
She was richly dressed, and on her bare
arms and ankles were a profusion of BAN
6les her face was remarkably beautiful
thougn now II wore look of frozen horror
-of dazed and helpless enchantment For
close 10 her feet, between her and the Eng
nshman, huge cobra was reared above
the grass; the hood of the yenomous reptile
was distended angrily, and sparkled like a
thousand jewels.
The girl was charmed. incapable of souni
or movement; she stood waiting for the
oarting fangs to sink into her flesh and
that was on the point of happening now.
Guin saw that there was not a second 10
lose His revolver was In his hand but the
position OF the girl forbade shooting. He
reversed the weapon, and, making a ouict
stride nearer, fearless for himself. he
struck unerrtnsly. Its head crushed by the
heavy metaled stock, the cobra dropped
bleeding and writhing into the grass
The scene that followed was embarrass-
ing to Quin; he was Indifferent to female
EAlnfV nd had h11r