The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-08

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must be worth"
Thirty thousand rupees" said Miss Carr.
"Andrew told me this morning"
They were standing before the golden i'm
age Of Supramanim Swamz-an incarnation
Of Siva-the property OF the Penang Chit
ties. and he was squatted upon a ledge or
altar beneath the central dome of his tenn
ple. There was but little daylight in the
place. but the flames of small innumerable
lamps pierced the gloom of an underlined
background, casting a reddish glow over
the precious yellow metal OF the image.
while not far away cymbals FLASHED and
tom-toms beat. and hundreds of little bells
tinkled not unmusically.
The Iamplight touched the white gown
and fair English face OF the girl who had
spoken. The man whom she had addressed
as Phil stood fghtly in the background.
A crowd pressed behind them in the narrow
passage that led to the shrine from the
outer courts, but these two had made their
way to the front. Wv had better be going
back" said the young man. you'll be
snothered directly" She looked over her
shoulder, and then they turned together, her
companion clearing a passage for her
I'LL NHt CtAAAA AOAS CIOWO VI
mixed nationalities, faces Of every type
and hue.
Does it strike you," said the girl, when
she had reached the comparative freedom
of one of the outer courts, that we are all
much nearer to being of one mind here
than we seem, or pretend to be?'
what do you mean?"
II mean tina we are all merely giving
expression TO the secret religion of the age
of every age"
What? You don't pretend TO say that
any one except those black heathens comes
here out of anything but curiosity-sees
anything in that squating image!"
Nothing but gold"
ooh. well, if 1t came to a chance of melt
ing him down."
THAT is your way of doing homage to
the king she said. laughing. 81 would
keep him TO look at"
81 should like the cash." he said, dryly.
'But suppose we go outside-it is pretty
sitting here.
AS he spoke a little group of dark sleek
gentlemen approached; their skins were
the color of mahogany. smooth, and highly
polished. their heads shaven clean as bill
AldIu OdlAOs llCh OOulCo III SpObiSoS
muslin. One. with smiles and saIaams,
threw a long wreath Of small white flowers
compactIy woven over Clarissa's shoulders,
while another sprinkled her with perfumes.
They were the Chitties-the caste of Indian
money lenders. The most smiling and unc-
tuous-looking of the party glanced at Phil.
Clarissa fancied, with a special CLEAN of
recognition. almost eagerness. The young
drew back a step.
Have you mad enough of this?'' he said,
with a touch of something like impatience
in his tone, as the entities moved on.
Yes. The heat. the smells. these dread
ful perfumes, are making me faint. Let US
go"
The closeness of the atmosphere was not
TO be wondered at. They stood in one of a
series of courts. rooted but open at the
sides, and in hat adjoining a number of
Indian beggars. sat or squatted, to whom,
for the three days and nights of the fes-
tival, foods and shelter were granted within
the temple walls. The place was used but
once a year, when, as now, the god was
brought thither from his usual shrine with
in the precincts Of the town, and exposed
for the veneration or to satisfy the curios-
fly OF the multitude.
Leaving the building. Phil and his COM
panion made their way to a low victoria
drawn by a pair Of Australian ponies, wait
ing among a crowd of European carriages.
Charles, and rickshaws in the road with
out.
They had both grown silent, and it was
until they had left the noise and
thronging crowd behind them, and were
driving beneath the shadows of rain-trees
and cocoa nut palms, facing the GOODNESS
OF the evening breeze that Clarissa spoke.
You are worried. Phil. Will you tell me
Is the matter?'
In fact a change had come over the
young man since they had stood before
the shrine of The god; lines of care, not
1ustifiable by his five and twenty years,
had deepened his face-a handsome face,
fresh-cOlOred and clean-shaven after the
pattern of modern youth.
For answer he locke at her with eyes
tried to regain their smile.
How should 1 be worried when my luck
been in the ascendant this afternoon
in so far as tina Andrew entrusted you to
care?'
This is not a matter of to-day only. I
nave seen IL deepening Tor some TIME past,
although occasionally it is almost forgot
ten. Twenty minutes ago some chance re-
IT,"
You are terribly ~observant."
Am 1 not almost a relation already?
Grant me some right of interest"
Not or that score. 1 will lave nothing
that has not a purely personal basis"
I was trying 10 excuse myself for what
| feared might touch you as an imperti-
hence; but if you prefer it we will meet on
An entirely independent footing. Tell me
what ails you. if you will. We are friends
You will at least find me sympathetic"
'On those grounds. yes, L will tell you
you will listen TO. Things are
going well with me-"
What have you been doing? Gambling !
again? Or betting?"
Neither. Why, I promised you"
"Yes-but what Is II then?"
Nothing new. Only an anticipated eli |
max. As a %youngster / borrowed ESQ, and
when I came out here 1 asked Andrew to
enable lie to clear il off-to become my
at a fair rate of interest and TO
1--WE me time. He said that IL was impos-
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