Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-05

with humility and unconscious repartee.
We'll, fool, thief, speak out! What hast
thou to say? Is it done. or must Il
my father. 1t is DONE" AbdulIas voice
broke In solemniy.
'Ha-a-a-ah! Ca bolta tum?" He slowly
Strengthened up with long-drawni gasp
OF lncredulity and questioned the man IN
broken syllables, leaning forward with fat.
bullying eyes In which wonder and fear
est thou?"
''Such haf-such hal Rao-Sahib. II In
DONE"
''Sh-s-sh. fool! Not so loud! Come closer:
there. sit thee there and whisper Now, is
-has-that is PAT! Is, the man dead?'
Aye, my father; he is dead-this five
hours gone E
'Hus-sh"' the bunnia Kissed out. looking
around fearfully. i What's that? Ho,
Lal Sing! Didst hear nothing Abdulla. my
son? Where didst thou leave Lal Sing? In
the kitchen? All! I thought saw the cur
tains move. Sh-s-sh, Abdulla: come closer.
man, and whisper low. My nerves are all
a-shake. dreamed of-of Aguf last night.
and he stood right there. back in the shad-
Ow of those hangings."
Abdulia shuddered and looked fearfully
over his shoulder.
And he cursed me-even mei-and I have
been as a father to him-and he said that
that must die--I. mind, who have been 50
, kind. What? What didst thou say?''
Nay, did not speak. my father"
why didst thou not, foolt Nay, Abdulla
meant it not. Thou art wise and cunning.
Tell me now, what thinkest thou of this
dream?"
Nay. my father, 1 am but a fool. as
thou hast spoken, and no reader of dreams;
but there surely Is a time to die. and per-
haps-"
mo. no. tell thee 1t was a drunken
dream! I loved him as a. brother-even
as love thee. Abdulla"-the little fat eyes
ieered with horrible suggestiveness-"and
when 1 heard the news, I drank-brandy:
ma hrnr ,lxr. md fhoy
slept and dreamed. and woke sweating
with fear and drank again, and now thou
contest with thy long sour face and thy
solemn 1t is done'-curse thee!, Nay, Alb
dulia, meant It not; we must be friends,
thou and T. Eth. wilt drink. man? l.
Where's Lal Sing? Curse him, why does
not the son OF cross-hred pariah dog set
my mattress? / would sIeepi'
Il will even call him. my father" an
swered Abdulla, rising 10 ras
Nay. wait; let himebeI SIT thee down
ana tell how low. It. It., went Art sure that-that
margya hal"
The Hindu sat awhile blinking and pom
dering over this matter, with now and
again quick. shifty glance at Abdulla,
who sat cross-legged and solemn before
him. The room was dim AMI shadowy save
for the spot where the two men sat. This
was lighted from above by the soft rays
OF great octagonal lamp. but neither this
aioa .Ho cuIiouSiy iniaid silver nanQ-lamp
which stood on the tabourette beside the
spirit bottle was enough to clearly define
the further hangings of the room.
BY and by Juggi BIN Chundra leaned
cautiously toward Abdulla. pausing a mo-
ment with fat finger to his iabby lips
ere ne spoke; then he whispered hoarsely:
How did he go? Speak, man; did he
pass in sleep, or huw?'
He was awake. with staring eyes and
gasptng BREATH came the answer quickly
In dull monotone.
The Hindu reached Quickly for the bot.
tie at this, and. fitting the neck toward his
lips. let the liquor run down his throat
without polluting his mouth with the touch
OF the giass-for this Juggi BIN was a
very scrpuious observer Of caste. Then