Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-10
CHAPTER XIV.

For several days previous to his high
ness Runjit Bohe's proposed sporting event,
the pigs in the neighborhood of Motihari
had decidedly bad time of it, and the
rounding-up didn't soothe their naturally
irflammable tempers. Marhut Bhund, the
captain of the Maharajah's lancers, rode
in to the station the night before the tour
nament with troop of picked horse as a
bcdyguard for the ladies should they desire
to honor the sport with their presence
Despite this compliment, several of the
younger women boldly lamented that they
were prohibited from taking an active hand
in the game itself
There was q general exodus in the early
morning, after hasty breakfast of tea and
toast. and 1t was quite a cavalcade that
went rolling and trotting out on the Tirhoot
road. led by Marhut Bhund's gallant troop.
There were tongaS and doS-carts and
phaetons, big Australian walers and frisky
little polo ponies, besides the bheestee's big
rawboned mule who acted as rear guard
There was color too. of brilliant umbrellas,
of the lancerS uniforms and pennons, and
the ladies' gay dresses.
couple of hours brought them in sight
of the tents of the Bettiah people, and
shortly Meredith found himself bowling
gravely to his old friend, Loda, in answer
to Prince Birkhana's introduction.
She was fresh revelation to him. and
certainly to Nicholas, in her dainty khaki
mare the like of which neither man had
ever seen before. She sat like slim young
statue. cool, radiant dominant, as far diff
ferenced from the rest of the women as
was possible to ina gine and this difference
was emphasized by the half-barbaric touch
lent by the jaunty turban she wore.
Birkhana was paying her the most open
and assiduous court, which she received in
much the same way she had the attentions
of the bazaar men in Bombay. Had she
desired to inf1anle the boy, she could have
taken no better way; for while he was
clearly piqued. his knowledge of his position
and fortune. together with his physical at
fractions prevented his being easily dis
cOuraged.
Meantime, Mahommed watched the young
mans wooing very calmly, never showing
by SO much as the lifting of eyebrow
that 1t annoyed him; but then, he was
a peculiar old gentleman who never let
his heart run away with his head; and
bIikhana was very popular young
prince: wealthy also, in his own right.
and if it ever should occur to him that
he was ambitions-well, Mahommed might
find him useful after the little game had
been won, over in Nepaul
Meredith had looked once deep into Lo-
da's eyes as he bowed in his saddle but no
word passed between them: and, on turn
ing the next moment, he found himself face
to face with Yah Mahommed. They were
introduced conventionally, and both leaned
forward to shake hands, but just as their
fingers touched, Merediths waller SHE'D
Loda's Baluchi mare had brushed his TANKS
and the two men were separated in
Stantly.
Mahommed was dressed, as were his
hosts in khaki riding clothes and the tur-
ban which even the European Sahib has
adopted largely, for shkarrie purposes at
least, Iii preference to the usual cumber-
some pith helmet. He sat his big hunter
with an easy grace. a fine figure of a man;
and many swift, admiring glance flashed
from eyes that were bright that morning
at the stalwart white-bearded old Moslem.
Mckenzie eyed him little jealousy, but
even he was speedily won over by the ge-
niality of the man, and later these two
rode off together to settle the boundary
lines.
Meantime the cooks were busy with a
combination of breakfast and tiffin, and by
IL o'clock hungry and jovial party sat
down to do justice to their efforts. They
manage these matters well in India. You
order tiffin In grove of shade trees for,
say 1880 pm, and pig under some more
trees, a couple of miles away for pm
That gives the salad time to settle. and
the chance for smoke, before you go up
against the Evil One in the shape of big
runting black boar with tusks which he
drives joyousy and with skill into the
stomach of your pet polo pony Off you're
so foolish as to use him), and then turns
again and endeavors to rend you also.
Having satisfied their sharp appetites, the
now merry party took horse again and
pushed on to the place where the sport was
to be run Off
The spectators were grouped with the
carriages on the shady edge of a pleasant
grove and masSed about by Bohe's spear
men. Meredith sat on his waller quite close
to the little Baluchi mare, and Lola and he
chatted casually among the gay throng
while the first three heats were on. They
watched Mahommed, young Birkhana and
lastly the Bettiah Resident, Outmaneuver
Mckenzie and his Segowlie friends and
carry off the honors of the first round bril-
liantly, to the extreme discomfort of some
five unhappy pigs. And then Meredith was
called to take his hand in the contest. He
had worn the international sweater on the
rush line for England, and could use the
gloves quite handily, but In the matter of
pig he was as guileless as an infant.
Loda, who knew it was his first expert
ence at the game, wished him good luck,
and eyed him little curiously, he thought,
as he rode down the field with his competi-
tors. He wondered If she thought he was
afraid of pig, and then he laughed, and
Pig! Pig! Kabradar!' The game was
on! Fortune favored him at the start
The brute doubled at the rush and then
made straight for the boundary, long run,
and the big waller was soon lengths ahead
of the bunch. with pig running gamely
forty yards beyond. 'Twould be an easy
kill, with all the other chaps out of it
almost too easy! This was hardly sport
when the begg. r wouldn't show fight.
Suddenly a dozen Indian spearmen trot-
ted into fours deep not fifty yards ahead
of the game, and the sun glinted on the
trappngs Of the rest of the troop as they
closed in square around the carriages. This
unexpected evolution plainly disconnected
the grunting one. for he nearly turned
summersault in his anxiety to stop and view
it. When he had done SO. the sight evident
ly did not please him. and, with a snort, he
turned round-and spotted Meredith. All!
That was his game. So!
There was dusty, riotous rush, the CLINT
of a spearhead along a bristlng spine and
then an awful Shrek of agony as the huge
tusks tore upward through the quivering
horseflesh, and the dusty rush sw> pit on.
The waller reared high under the terrible
punishment, then fell heavily, carrying his
rider down with a crash. For one long
moment the world spun round. Then the
shouts and the pain called him back. He
half raised himself. From all sides, men
black and white--were riding at him, spur
ing hard with spears set and pointed low.
What did it mean? Then the sense of the
yells-"kabardar! Cover up! Cover up!'-
came home to him and he struggled fercely
but his leg was flattened under the horse
and he was helpless. He looked again, and
shuddered as he saw that dirty rushing pig
not twenty yards from him and coming
back with lowered head to finish the game.
The nearest Indian spear was fully thirty
yards away. but as his senses swan they
both seemed on top of him.
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