The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-21
e-o-e-o-e-o-o-o
; I IEllE PURIP IL GOD. !!
By WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDoN. Copyright, 1909 2
900


left.
A minute later, emerging into an open
space that was in bright light he wal
confronted by a turbaned native. who
rose suddenly from cunp OF shrubs
berry and brandished II sword.
Jack promptly engaged the fellow. and
for few seconds sparks few from thu
clashing steel Then furious strok1
disarmed tho Hindoo. and before ne could
retreat the tulwar cleft through his tur'
ban and skull to tho brain. He gave ons
yell OF agony as he foil and It woke
chorus OF shouts from half dozen
quarters OF the garden.
They'll be swarming here like bloods
4 hounds In moment" thought the fugi.
tive.
He ran on. drenched with Precipitation
and gaspng for breath. wondering how
soon tho end would come. And before
he had gone twenty yards farther 1t did
come-the end Of tho garden. He burst
out from the trees and plants and found
himself on wide terrace bounded by a
parapet OF red granite. Looking over this
he saw dizzy cl,asn. sheer drop OF
Mt least hundred feet down the face OF
< the great rock. Far below was the plain.
misty sheet bathed In the silycry moon
light.
THANK Heaven" he said fervently.
thinking OF tho rope ladder.
Ile tied an end OF 1t securely to one or
the pillars and let the rest drop into the
gulf It might not reach to the bottom.
4 but he must chance that. A savage out
cry told him that his pursuers had Ae
upon tho body Of the latest victim.
He had purposely reserved the chargs
In the carbine for IN emergency. and
tho weapon waH slung across ms shoul,
ders by strap. He pulled himself oYel
the pnrapet, gripped tho sllken FuagA
nj baua the descent, d y.
1t was frightfully perilous undertake.
tng to lower ones SELF from q GreaN
height by go frail.a support, and man
who was In the least degree prone to gid
d!ness must have been los1. bul 'a .te
felt no fear. though the surface OF the
rock was SO irregular that at one mo-
ment he was swinging In midnir. and the
next bruising himself against tho rough
stone.
dared. swaying In and out, spinning
around and around like top. That his
enmeies would discover how he had es-
capped them and cut the ladder was tho
ono thing he dreaded. he heard vo!cea
ringing above him with hollow souho'
'rhG-mjn,Ites seemed hours; he was scarce~
~ moving.
AN. he was near the bottom now. only
several yards short OF 1t rs he DANCED
from the last rung. He dropped lightly,
struck firm earth. and Fas not even
Thrown over Dy Inc EtSoii'
The ladder, STRANGELY enough, kept
twitchlng and Jerking. The reason SUE
denly occurred to him-ono OF his zoos
was descending after him. Looking up
he perceived dark object creeping doW1
tho face of the rock. He waited until
ground, then aimed his cnrbine carefully
and fred The thunderous report was fo!-
lowed by a weird. agonizing cry ana Win
n sickening crash a man dropped at MS
worry feet and lay without sound or move.
ment.
The CHASTITY distorted face was not one
that Jack could recall. and with brlef
look Mt tho Victim no hurried away. aban-
doning the empty carbine, which would
only retard his progress
He had a pretty clear Idea OF MS pres.
ont whereabouts and Of what he must
do. He had descended on tho eastern
side of the rock where nothing was TO
be seen in the moonlight but fields and
plantations. The inner and outer towns,
from which direction only was danger 70
be apprchended, lay far to the west some
time must clapse before mounted pursr-
ers could issue from the gates OF Jhai-
apur, much less reach the scene OF ms
escape. ~.
north. gain the refuge Of the jungle. ana
then make n, detour toward Meerut, which
was off to the northWara'
| IJo had trayersed but short distance,
keeping to the base or ne Gilt n.a when "a 9
. air and dropped in front of him, 1t was
a a. nower-a large white rose fastened to
CHANGING about him he saw that he was
directly Part o Of o th tna pp roe
A yellow gleam showed behind an open
easement, and dark figure was leaning;
out,
Jack. "I'll keep this In remembrance OF
her. I should still be prisoner but for
her lelp.'
IIe thrust the flower and Jewel into his
pocket and FASTENED on, All was silencs
now in the rajah's garden. but from q
greater distance foated a confused cla-
NOR and the dull echo of trampling hoofs,
A jackal howled from across the plain,
and on the fortress wall chokev-dar,
| or Waterman called out strlly. Then
a nett ghurry began to clang far of,
and Jack counted tho strokes. Twelvei
| 1t was the opening hour of the 10th OF
| May.
no DO Continued To-mforrow)
| 1