Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-01

cheap and snowy thing. such as natives
delight in. Both men rose.
You return to the telegraph station,
presume?' said Amber.
while"
"How's that"
The wires haven't been working since
10 this morning." said LabertOuche,
quietly.
Amber steadied himself with the back
of his chair. You mean they've been
cut?''
Something of the sort
And that means
THAT this Internal conspiracy is sched-
uled to come to a head tonight-as you
must have inferred. my dear fellow; this
is the last night of your probation. The
cutting off of Khandawar from all Brit
ish India is a bold move and shows Salig
Singh's confidence. 1t means simply:
Governmental interference not desired.
Hands off, He knows we'll that we've
spies here. that enough has leaked out.
unavOidably, to bring an army corps
down on his back within twenty-four
hours. If he permitted even the most in
notwithstanding message to get out of the
city
Amber whistled with dismay. And
YOU
I'm going to find out for myself what's
toward in Kathiapur."
You're going there-alone?"
Not exactly: l shall have company. A
gentleman of the Mohammedan persua-
sion 10 going to change places with me
yet. but / have reason to believe that he
got an r. S. V. P. for the festive occa-
sion and intends to put in midnight
appearance. So I purpose saving him
the trouble. It's only a two-hour ride
But the risk'
Labertouche chuckled, grimly. Its the
days work, my boy. I'm not sure
shan't enjoy it. Besides. 1 mayn't hang
back where my subordinates have not
feared to go. We've had man in Kath-
And L? What am l to do?''
Your place is at Miss Farrell's side.
No. you'd be only hindrance to me. Get
that out of your thoughts. Three years
ago l found time to make a pretty thor
ough exploration of kathiapur and. be-
ing blessed with an excellent memory, l
shall be quite at home"
Amber made a gesture of surrender.
"Of course you're right he said. You're
always right. confound you"'
Exactly" agreed Labertouche, smiling.
I'm only here to help you escape to the
Residency Raikes and Col. Farrell have
already been advised to make prepare
tons for a siege or for instant flight, If
l give the word They need you far more
than / shall. 1t would be simple mad
ness for you to venture to kathiapur to-
night The case is clear enough for you
to see the folly of doing anything of the
sort"
1T may be clear to you - 80
''See here" said Labertouche. with par
donable impatience; Pm presuming that
you know enough of Indian history to be
aware that the Rutton dynasty In Khan
dawar Is the proudest and noblest In In
dia; 1t has descended in right line from
the Sun. There's not living Hindu but
will acknowledge its supremacy, be he
however ambitious. That makes it plain,
or ought to, why Har Dyal Rutton, the
last male of his line. was-and is-con-
sidered the natural, the inevitable, leader
of the Second Mutiny. 1t devolved upon
Salig Singh to produce him; Salig Singh
promised and-is on the point Of failure.
can't say precisely what penalty he'll
be called upon to pay, but it safe to as
sumo that it'll be something everlasting
ly unpleasant. So he's desperate. l
can't believe he has deceived himself into
taking you for Rutton, but whether or
no he intends by hook or crook to get
you through this Gateway affair tonight.
known to be disloyal to the scheme.
through that Gateway in his name is to
be quietly eliminated before he can be-
tray anything-in other words, as soon as
he has been put through the Ordeal as
they call 1t, for the sake of appearances
and the moral effect upon the Hindu
race at large. Now 1 think you under
stand"
Il think do, thanks Amber returned,
dryly you're quite right. as / said be-
fore. So I'm off to the Residency. But
how to get through that guard out
there?"
(To be continued tomorrow