The daily Alaskan., 1905-09-07
THE COLONIES
 VALET

pected the fellow to assasslnate hin ,ome day, because that was the custom of native valets. He thought the event might happen the first year, then the second. the third. and when four years had gone by and no attempt had been made on his life he called Nizam to hin one day and said:
 sHow Is it that you have let me live on 80 longy
 May the sahlb colonel live for thousand years" was the reply of the nan with the impressive face who stood before him In crlngIng attitude.
 That's all gammon, Nizam, and you Know it Like an other Hindoos, you have a deadly hatred Of the English. You wish for nothing SO much as an other rebellion and a chance Co cut our throats. Do not speak the truthT'
 Great and powerful are the English, and their rule Is merclful and full of justice"
 "An sheer hypocrisy on your part, Nl- gam. You'd like to put your knife Into a dozen of us today. You have now been with me four years"
 -Four long and happy years, sahib colonel and It would break my heart to have you send me away"
 More rot. There has not been a week In the four years that have not knocked you about I am quick tenn pered. and strike first and talk after ward. I have cuffed and kicked you, and have had you whipped, and I'm not fool enough to think you have pass ed it all by"
 "In my heart there Is nothing but love for the sahlb colonel" replied the valet
 "An right. Nlzam. You won't tell the truth. and can't make you, and SO we win let this subject drop. Take pointer from me, however. When you set out to Kill me make a quick job of t IT you don't Tn have you roasted over a slow fire"
 Nlzam went away Co his room to ponder. It was true that he hungered for the coloners death. He would have fiven' everything but his own life to bring lt about It was true that for four years he had been ready for any opportunity and had never been with out poison. but he feared the white men. They could trace the most sub tle poisous, and they were always sus- plcIous. He knew Of several valee who had Killed their sahlbs, and each and every one had been found out and punished, no matter how sharp they were. He had often wondered if the sahlb colonel suspected his feelings and now that he knew he did he might be taken out and shot any day. The Hlndoo's alarm lasted for a month. Then he began to pluck up heart again
 The simplest and easiest weapon at hand was one he had never thought or. and the Idea came Co him Ike a Hash one day. An hour later be was acting on it. Two days later one Of the beg. cars visiting the compound Co ask for food carried a basket When finding himself alone with Nizam he said.
 There In the basket you VIII find Q cobra fresh from the jungle, and the slightest scratch from his faugs means death. Let him be turned loose iu the sahlb coloners room, and he VIII do the rest. When scrpents are found ev' erywhere. who can say that you had anything to do with thisY'
 There were guests at the mess that night. with much drinking and speech making. and the colonel came In late and staggering under hls load Of wine He was not so far gone, however, but that he remembered certain things and while being put 10 bed he sleepliy said:
 'Nizam, you liar and hypocrlte, you know you'd like to murder me, but yoJ haven't the nerve You arc a coward ! You haven't the courage of a woman I'm drunk tonight and shall sleep uh- . log. but shall have no fear of you
 'I shall watch over the sahib colone as A mother over her child" replied th' valet as he turned his face aside u hide a smile.
 Half an hour later the basket wa upset in the coloners chamber and th kissing and angry cobra turned loose He would find the sleeper within tei minutes and bury his fangs In his flesh Hizam sat down In his own room ( enjoy the sensation. In the course O an hour he would go out on the verau da and push one of the screens asid and give the cobra chance to escape
 It might he said he had been care less about { ie screen or they might sa that the sahlb colonel had blundere around after being left for the night
 There was bright moon, and shone full Into Nizam's room. Ther were neither screens nor glass to kee if out. The natives of India care ne ther for heat nor insects. As the val' sat crouched on his launches, wonde
 ing and listening and smiling, som
 thing came wriggling over the sill the window and dropped to the foo
 The cobra had got out through tf
 screen of the coloners window, but hs
 not made off to the jungle. For tV minutes the serpent remained Quie l u, s. h,.ro, s,-oaf,inc toward ti