Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-28

''Loda Bal, I have said it oft; try me
once
so, then, for the nonce thou art my
lord no longer. but my slave of thy own
free wll?''
Even as I ever have been"
Suppose ! give thee poison. wilt thou
drink it?" she questioned banteringly.
And the doctor answered Aye
'Or scourge thee-wilt thou submit?
And again he answered, Aye.
She crossed the room swiftly to the cabi.
net from whence she had taken her dream
potion for Ben Alif and drew forth an-
other flask, and. filing a tiny measure,
came back to the waiting man and present.
ed it to him.
Drink, SlaveY'
He looked up into her eyes as he took the
cup and his lips murmured toast IN the
barest possible whisper ere he drained the
potion. He turned the cup down when he
had drunk and sat silent and still. while
she stood before him equally motionless,
but with her eyes gazing off beyond him
into the shadows of the room. The silence
grew almost oppressive before the girl
spoke, and then it seemed by an effort
that she did SO.
''Wheresa art thou, slave?"
There was no answer, though a slow, al
most perceptible culver passed over the
mans frame. She spoke again less dream
lily and with a ring of imper.ous comm and
in her tone. Speak! Where art thou?'
Then the answer came rumblingly and the
sitting figure bowed till his turban nearly
Sahib, but thy bonds lie heavily on me-
so, it is well; art not my slave and
Shall l not do with thee even as WHIP
Aye, RAM, even as thou wilt" And this
F.. time the man bowed lower and his lips
touched the tip of her slipper; and so he
knelt, and not to silva or Visfnu or any OF
the gods could he have bowed more hum
bly,. She looked down at BIN curiously and
her old scornful smile curled her lips. Yer
lily, this was indeed the thing she had
created and no other. She stirred her slip
per at his lips disdajnfully Was this the
cause or her distress SO short a time back?
Well, it was easily cured. She had but to
show her will and he sank down there as
verify her slave as poor Ben Alif, aye
more so by far than Bod Bai-who always
pouted, at least, before she succumbed
And then she suddenly started for fall
ing softly on the silent room came a subtle
melody, the refrain of the song he hal
sung; not in words-her heart supplied
those inStantly-but in lingering loving
cadences that reached some dim deems with
in her and then rose again with strength
and caught at her heart bewilderingly.
.oh, my Garden of Delight!
On, Soondai-Soondai.'
She shivered as she looked wonder:ngly
round; it had been so close--claar and bell
like. although so faiut-that she could not
believe 1T was but a trick of her ina gina
ton, and something of her cd trouble
closed in on her. Yet so far she had con-
quered it-could she not feel her creatures
warm breath caressing her naked foot
where the little slipper failed to cover
it? Surely she was the victor,
Would that cold, stiff doctor-man ever
kneel to any woman. let be kiss her feat
and yet-and yet, why this weakness? She
dug her nails into the palms of her hands
and held her tingling nerves subject by a
fierce effort. After a moment she grew
quieter. but some of the imperiousness was
gone from her voice as she drew her foot
away and said:
Rise. Rama Laikura. would speak with
thee; but remember thou art under bonds
to me. and thou shalt answer as to Yamma
II thou wouldst hold my favor"
He rose to sitting posture as calm and
dignified as though his position had been
nothing short of conventional before and
he answered: "As Yamma is my judge, /
will speak what truth know. and If fail
thee. let him send me alone into the dark
ness. Speak. Chand XII Bett''