The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-14

week has passed in the last four years
that you haven't wondered how you
could do away with me and not be
found out. A dozen times you have
prepared poisons, but have lacked the
nerve to dope me. Half a dozen times
you have sneaked into my chamber tc
use a knife on me, but your courage
failed you. When I have been ou
ed that I might fall a victim, and
once when a beaten sent a bulIe
through my helmet I traced him VI
and found he was a cousin of yours
Don't let me think you a fool, Nizam
You hunger for my death. but you
don't see your way clear. Any new
scheme on hand just now?"
sIf I wish for the Sahib Colonel's
death, then may my soul never reach
Paradise said the valet with seeming
great earnestness.
t.AIl right Nizam. You won't tell
the truth and I can't make you, and so
we will let this subject drop. Take a
pointer from me, however. When you
set out to kill me make a quick job of
it. If you don't I'll have you roasted
over a slow fire."
Nizam went away to his room to
ponder. It was true that he hungered
for the ColonePs death He would
have given everything but his own life
to bring it about. 1t 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 subtle
poisons, and they were always suspic-
ious. He knew of several Wallets who
had killed their Sahibs, and each and
every one had been found out and pun
ished, no matter how sharp they were.
He had often wondered II the Sahio
Colonel suspected his feelings, and now
that he knew he did he might be taken
out and shot any day. The Hindoo's
alarm lasted for month. Then, as he
saw no change in the Colonel and moth
ing had followed the conversation ne
began to pluck up heart again.
The simplest and easiest weapon at
hand was one he had never thought of,
and the idea came to him like haSh
one day An hour later he was acting
CARS visiting the compound to ask for
food carried a basket. When finding
himself alone with Nizam he said:
There in the basket you will find
cobra fresh from the jungle, and the
slightest scratch from his fangs means
DEATH Let him be turned loose in the
Sahib CoIonefs room and he will do the
rest When serpents are found every
where who can say that you mad any
thing to do with this?
There were guests at the mess that
night. with much drinking and speech
and the Colonel came in late
and staggering under his load of wine
He was not so far gone, however, but
that he reTnem D6r6Q certain anu
while being put to bed he sleepily said
-4'Nizam, you liar and hypoerite, you
know you'd like to murder me, but you
haven't the nerve. You are a coward. |
You haven't the courage of g. woman.
I'm drunk tonight and shall sleep like
a log. but I shall have no fear of you =
II shall watch over the Sahib Colonel
as a mother over her child" replied the /
valet. as he turned his face aside to
hide a smile.
Half an hour later the basket was up
set in the Colone1s chamber and the I
kissing and angry cobra turned loose. |
He would find the sleeper within ten 1
minutes and bury his fangs in his flesh /
Nizam sat down in his own room 70 |
enjoy the sensation. In the course of 1
an hour he would go out on the veranda |
and push one of the screens aside and |
give the cobra a chance to escape. II |
might be said that he had been careless
a bout the screen, or they might say
that the Sahib Colonel had biundered /
around after being left for the night.