Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-03
CHAPTER XYII-Continued.

Cf1df LEN Atx4@COutluucQ.
Nay, Heaven-born!" he replied. Here
doth my responsibility end. Another will
presently appear to be your guide. Go
you up to the jungly path leading from
the bund.''
The Virginian lifted his shoulders In
differently. and ascended to discover
wide footpath running inland between
dark walls of shrubbery. but quite de-
serted. He stopped with q whistle of
vexation. peering to right and left What
the deuce!' he said, aloud. us this an
other Of their COMPOUNDED tricks?'
A low and marvelously sweet laugh
sounded at his elbow, and he turned with
start and futter of his pulses. Ma
raini!' he cried.
It had been impossible to mistake the
gracious lines of that slight. round fig
ure. cloaked though it was In many thick
nesses of white yelling. She had stolen
upon him without sound. and seemed
pleased with the completeness Of his sur
prise. for she laughed again before he
spoke.
Tell me not thou art disappointed. o,
my king!" she said. placing a soft hand
firmly upon his arm. "Didst thou hope
to meet another here?"
NAY. how should expect thee?" His
voice was gentle though he steeled his
he had q use for her. Had Dulla Dad
conveyed me to the palace, then should
have remembered thy promise to ride
with me to Kathiapur. But. being brought
to this place ."
"Then thou didst wish to ride with
me?' She nodded approval and salts
faction. THAT Is altogether as I would
have 1t be, Lord Of my Heart. BY this
scented to approach the Gateway, not al
together because the Voice hath sum-
moned thee, but likewise. think, be-
cause thine own heart urged thee. Nay,
mer
With a quick gesture she threw her veil
aside and lifted her incomparably fair
face to his, and he was conscious that he
trembled little and that his voice shook
shouldst know, Rance"
"Ahi! Then am a happy woman. to
think that. though thou were In open
mutiny against the Voice, when called.
ready?"
Am I not here?"
Now of a verify do I know that thou
art ,as1 man Nd my knga Ra5p"t ptcs sea
to a minor. thrilling key. her accents
were as musical as the singing Of cello.
For thou dost know what thou must
dare this night Of nights. and he is a
brave man VINO can QdTe 30 WuCus uuldi-
tering. Tell me thou art not afraid, my
king?'
why should I be?''
Thou wilt not draw back in the end?'
Her arms clipped him softly about the
neck and drew his head down so that her
breath was fragrant in his face. her lips
q sweet peril beneath his own. Thou
wilt brave whatever may be prepared for
thy testing, for the sake OF Naraint. who
awaits thee beyond the Gateway. o. my
Beloved?"
81 shall not be found wanting"
1.-the as a snake, she slipped from his
arms. MAY. I trust thee not!' she
laughed. culver Of tenderness In her
until thou hast proven thyself worthy of
them She raised her voice, calling:
"ohe. Runjit singh!"'
The cry rang bell-clear in the stiffness,
and its silver echo had not died before II
was answered by one who stepped out
from the black shadow Of a spreading
bantam, some distance away. and came
| toward them. leading three horses. AS
the moonlight fell upon him Amber recog-
nized the uniform the man wore as that
of the Imperial Household Guard of
Khandawar, while the horses seemed to
be the stations he had seen In the palace
yard, with another but little inferior In
mettle or beauty.
"Now," announced the woman. in tones
Of deep contentment. I'VE will ride!"
| She turned to Amber, who took her up
| in his arms and set her in the saddle or
one of the stations. who, his bride be-
ing released by the trooper, promptly
leaped away and danced a spirited sara
band with his shadow, until Naraini. with
strength that seemed incredible when
one recalled the slightness of her wrists,
c,.rbed him in and taught him sobriety.
'By Har!" she painted. but think he
must know that he carries tonight the
| destinies of empire! Mount. mount. my
lord. and bear me company if this son of
Eblis tries to run away with me-:
The sowar surrendered to Amber the
reins of the other stallion and stepped
hastily aside. The Virginian took the
saddle with flying leap. and tnought
later was digging his knees into the
brute's sleek tanks and saving on the
| bits, while the path flowed beneath him,
dappled with moonlight and shadow. like
a ribbon of gray-green silk, and trees and
shrubbery streaked back on either hand
in a rush Of melting blacks and grays.,
dusty high road. Amber heard rush or
hoofs behind him. and then slowly the
gauze-wrapped figure of the queen drew
alongside.
way is not far for such as he. Have no
| fear lest he tire!"
But Amber set his teeth and wrought
with the reins until his mount compre-
ter, and. moderating his first furious burst
of speed. settled down into a league-de-
vouring stride, crest low, limbs gathering
| and stretching with the elegant precision
| of clockwork. His rider, regaining his
poise, found time to look about him and
began to enjoy, for all his cares, this wild
race through the blue-white night.
| Behind them, carbine on saddle-boW.
| the sowar Numbered in pursuit, at an
interval Of about hundred yards-often
greater when the stations would have 1t
so, and spent their temper in brief, brisk
contests for the leadership. On Amber s
| left the woman rode as one to the saddle
| road, smiling a little with excitement be-
meath the tissue of thin yelling which the
peed-bred breeze nodded cunningly to
| the contour Of her fiawless features The
fire in her blood shone lambert In the
eyes that now and again met AMBER s.
More than once he heard her laugh low,
with a Tilt Of happiness.
For himself he was drunk with the
spirit of adventure. Bred of the moonlit
sky and the far shy stars, of the flooding
moonlight breaking crisply against i'm
Venerable shadows like surf against
black rocks, of the tune of hoofs. Of the
singing wind and signing waters. Wild
and reckless humor possessed him. ran
molten in his veins, swan In his brain
like fumes of wine.
AS the tale Of miles increased the valley
opened out, and presently they swung to
the west from the northerly track. branch
ing off into a rougher way through
wilder countryside. Rugged hilltops
marched beside them, looming stark black
They met no one, their road winding
through a land whose grandeur was en-
HANGED by its positive desolation-a land
tenanted only by q million devils of lone
illness with naught to do save to fling
back hooking echoes of the road-song Of