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

tinctly remembered undressing before go
ing to bed: he now found himself full!
clothed. He felt of his pocket and found
the emerald ring there, instead of In 1t:
chamois case. Then it had not been {
nightmare,
He had a bottle of brandy which hat
never been uncorked in his travelling kit
Rising, he found it and inspected the
cork narrowly to make sure IL had not
been tempered with. then he drew 1t.
The khansamah returned with the glas.
and an unopened bottle Of Schweppe's
and prepared the drink under eyes tina,
watched him narrowly. While Amber
drank he laid a place for him at the
table. When he left the room Q second
time the Firginian produced his auto.
matte pistol and satisfied himself that il
remained loaded and in good working
order.
In the course of few minutes the
native reappeared with tray of food and
pot Of coffee. These arranged, he stood
hy the chair ready to serve the guest
muzzle of Amber's weapon, and became
apparently rigid with terror.
Make no outcry. dog, and tell me no
Why did YOU drug meat whose in
Stance?"
"Sahib, ."
Answer me quickly. son of vipers,''
BY Dhola Baksh. hazoOr, | am inno-
cent, Another has done these things-he
who served YOU last night, belize. and
whose place have TAKEN
Now the oaths of India are many and
various, so that a new specimen need not
be held wonderful But Amber sat bolt
dropping. 'Dhola-.'' he said. and
brought his teeth together with aud
IDLE click staring at the khansamah as If
lie We're recrudescence of a prehistoric
mammal. He caught motion of the
head and a wave of the hand toward the
window warming him that there might
be an eavesdropper lurking without, and
rose admirably to the emergency.
THAT is lie, misbeGOtten son of an
one-eyed woman of shame! By the Gate
way at katiapur. that is a liei Speak.
brother of jackals and father of swine.
lest my temper overcome me and / make
carrion of your
My lord, hear met protested the man,
in an extremity of fright. These be the
words of truth. If otherwise. let my
head be forfeit. Early in the morn
ing you returned from the lake. heavy
with sleep. and so soundly have you slept
since that hour that no effort of mine
could rouse you. though many came to
the door, making inquiry. I am Ram Lal,
a true man, and no trafficker in drugs
and pOtionS.
Even so,'' said Amber. ironic. But
if, on taking thought. 1 find you've lied
fortunate in this. that am not a man of
haSty Judgment
''Hazoor.' Like a shadow harried by
a wind Of night, the khansamah scurried
from the room. But on the threshold he
paused long enough to lay significant
finger upon his lips and nod, toward the
table.
Amber put away his pistol. sighed from
the bottom of his soul and, seating him
self, without the least misgiving, broke
his long fast with ravenous appetite,
clearing every dish and emptying the
coffee pot of all save dregs. Then. with
a long yawn of satisfaction. repletion and
relief, he lighted a cigarette and stretched
himself, happily conscious of returning
strength and sanity.
From the khansamahS quarters came
an occasional clash of crOckery and pat
tering of naked feet. Outside, in the COM
pound, the SepoyS were chattering volu-
bly,; their words were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
nation Amber inferred that they We're
keenly. reliShing the topic of discussion.
He became sure OF this when. at length,
his curiosity reused. he went to the win
dow and peered out between the wooden
Stats of the blind. The little company
was squatting in a circle round the fire,
and bottle was passing from hand to
hand.
lie turned back, puzzled, TO ma the
khansamah calmly seated at the table
end enjoying one of Amber's choicest
cigarettes.
THANK God" lie said. with profound
emotion. for a civilized smoke
''Labertouche!' cried Amber.
The pseudo khansarnah rose. bowed for
mally and shook hands with considerable
cordiality- It's good to see you whole
and sound" he said. Il had to wait until
Ram Mathis work began to show results.
IynTS ~ tfrnrn . H.
bottle moving. 1 don't believe hose
Id sepOys will bother us much now,
but We've got no time at all to spare.
Now tell me what you have to tell, omit
ting nothing of the slightest conse-
quence."
Amber dropped into a chair, and the
Englishman sat near to him. Il say
thank God for you, Labertouche, You
don't know how I've needed you
Il can fancy. I've had a ripping time
cate with you safely before you left Cal
cutta. But We've not minute to waste.
Get into your yarn. please: explanations
later. if we can afford en-
Inhaling with deep enjoyment. he mar
rowed his dark eyes, listening intently
In Amber's concise narrative of his ex-
periences since their parting before the
stall of Dhola Baksh in the Machua Ba-
zaar Not once was he interrupted by
word or sign from Labertouche: and even
when the tale told the latter said
nothing, but dropped his gaze distracted
ly to the smoldering stump of his cigar
cite.
'And you?' demanded the Virginian.
''Have pity, Labertouche. Can't YOU see
I'm being eaten alive by curiosty?"
Labertouche eyed him blankly for an
instant. OH" he said, with an effort
freeing his mind from an intense concen-
tration OF thought. II? What's there to
tell? I've been at work. That's all. .
i was jostled off 10 one side when the
row started in tle bazaar and so lost
YOU. There was then nothing to do but
strike back to the hotel and wait for a
clue. You can figure my relief when YOU
dropped out of that ticca-ghari. l gave
you the word TO go on to Darjeeling in
tending TO join you en- route. But YOU
know why that jaunt never came Off /
found out my mistake before morning,
wired you and left Calcutta before you,
by the same train that conveyed his Maj
esty the Maharana of khandaWar For
tunately enough we had Ram Nath al
ready on the ground, working up another
caSe-lll tell YOU about il some time
He's one of our best men-a native but
loyal to the core and wrapped up in his
work. He'd contrived to get a billet as
tonga-wailah To the kuttarpur bunia who
mas the OAK service contract. I myself
bad arranged to have the telegraph babu
here transferred and myself appointed in
his place. So / was able TO attach my
self to the tail of the Maharana with
out exciting comment Miss Farrell came
by the same train. but Salig Singh was
in.too great a hurry to get home to pay
any attention to her. and I. knowing
you'd be along. arranged that tonga acct
dent with Ram Nath. He bribed his
brother tonga-walah to bring it about
Thank you said Amber from his
heart.
Labertouche impatiently waved the in