Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-21

rise to his full height and call imperiously
on some unpronounceable devil to guard
the door or window, as the case might be-
These mysterious rites exercised certain
drowsy fascination over the sick man ana
seemed the more weird as he would relapse
now and again for few minutes into
feverish doZe; when the old chap seemed
Immediately to cut UP the most monstrous
capers, to say nothing of assuming aston
ishings forms. Now he was posed as
long tailed lemur on top Of the swimming
punka, and at each passing swing he en-
deavored to drop a powder In his, the doc
of them was just as great. And then the
old heather was snake charmer, and to-
gether with huge cobra danced wild can
cans In and out and around the little lamps,
while other smaller serpents sat on their
tails outside and applauded vociferously.
So Meredith lay in the place OF shadows
in the house of Loda the Witch, and daily
skilled surgeon visited him and hospital
hamals trotted back and forth; but always
after these were gone the lamps were set
and Baram Soodi, the jadoo maker, took
charge of the case, and with wise puJa to
the gods and holy mantrams surrounded
the sick man night and day lest greater
evil should befall than had already.
And Loda passed In and out continually,
bearing cooling drinks, curious febrifuges.
herbs and potions that the English surgeon
had no knowledge of. but which her patient
swallowed with avidity. Sometimes when
the fever ran high and the man struggled
hard with the binding sheet that held him
Baron Soodi would call her, and she would
stoop over Allan like mother over a sick
babe and place her hands on his bandaged
head. tenderly and with care. to steady 1t;
then she would breathe gently moment
on his forehead, betwixt the eyes, at the
root Of the nose. Three or four breaths
were always enough, and then his tired
eyes would fall away from hers and he
would pass into place Of rest and ease.
Israel Ben Alif, the dwarf, had brought
the doctor to the house of his mistress in an
unconscious condition; brought him, with
much fear, in an improvised palanqufn OF
sheets swung from the shoulders of four
stout coolies. Loda received him seemingly
as an expected guest, and applied such
medication she had knowledge of. She
posing as an intimate friend Of the doctors,
notified the hospital authorities Of the mans
whereabouts and condition, and satisfied
them that as he was too i'll to be moved
he would receive the utmost care until
we'll.
After these preliminaries were settled and
the visiting surgeon had made Meredith as
comfortable as possible. Loda turned her
attention to her servant, Ben ALI.
So far she had not questioned him by
word or look, devoting herself absolutely to
the Immediate care Of the hurt man; but
now she retired to her room and ordering
out her women, struck the bronze gong
sharply.
faced his mistress with evident reluctance.
There was a crestfalien look about tho man,
and he licked his lips for all the world like
q guilty dog. He loved his mistress--wor-
SHIPPED her with all his heart-and he feared
her most of all.
She eyed him coldly as he stood genuflect-
ing before her, then sharply babe him
speak. And strangely enough for an ORR
entail, he spoke the truth fairly and to the
point, though his story was to his disoredit.