Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-18

ton only for three. including the driver. :
The Eurasian ticket agent alighted and
solicited rupees. He got them and with.
them Amber's unvarnished opinion Of the
tonga: something which was not received:
with civility by the driver. (.
He remained in his seat-a short, swart
native with an evil countenance and,
across his knees. a sheathed tulwar-argu-
Ing with Amber. in broken English and
abusing him scandalously in impurest
Hindu. finging at him in silken tones uns
translatable scraps of bazaar billingsgate.
For. as he explained in an audible aside
outlander and. being as ignorant as most
sahibs. could not understand Hinoi. At
this the Eurasian turned away to hide a
grin Of delight and the driver winked de.
liberately at Amber the while he broadly,
sketched for him his ancestry and the
manner Of his life at home and abroad.
+. Thunderstorm. Amber caught himself
just as he was on the point Of attempt
ing to drag the driver from his seat and
beat him into a more endurable frame of
mind. He swallowed the hint and gave
up the contest.
"Oh. very WELL" he conceded. ct pre-
sumo you're trying to say there isn't an
other tonga to be had and il can't be-
helped. but don't like your tone. How.
ever. there doesn't seem to be anything
two of us?'
your servant. sahib? He cannot ride
~ eohoos ocSci eCu Tie diiNcIs
passively.
He can't! Why noty'
You can see there is room for but two.
and I have yet another passenger"
"Where?"
"At the first dak-bungalow, sahib.
where the mail tonga broke down last
night. This tonga, which l say is an
excellent tonga, an aram tonga. tonga
for ease. is sent to take its place. More
than this, I am hidden to go I'm haste:
therefore there is tile time for you to
decide whether or not you will go with
me alone. AS for your servant. he can
follow by this afternoons mail tonga"
Upon this ultimatum he stood. immov-
able: neither threats nor bribery availed.
1t was an order, he said: he had no
choice other than TO obey. Shabash!
Would the sahib be pleased to make up
his mind quickly?
Perforce, the sahib yielded. It'll be
Labertouche. he's arranged this" he told
himself. THAT loafer said he'd gone on
ahead Of u.s." And comforted he issued
his orders to Doggott. who received and
imaginable. He was to remain and follow
to Kuttarpur by the afternoons tonga.
He forthwith sulked-and Amber, look
ing round upon the little Tophet that was
Badshah Junction, had not the heart to
reprove the man.
ITS all very well. SIR" said Doggott.
Il carn't sly anything. I know. But,
mark my words, sir-beggin' your pardon
-there'll be trouble come Of this. That
drivers as ill-favored a scoundrel as ever
see. And as for this ere ape, IL Q
smiles at me just once more I'll give i'm
what-for." And he scowled so blackly
upon the Eurasian that that individual
hastily sought the seclusion which the
station granted.
Amber left him then. with a travelling
bag and a revolver for company, and the
ticket agent and his bad temper to oc-
cupy his mind.
Climbing aboard the Virginian settled
himself agai..st the endless discomforts
OF the ride which he foresaw: the tonga
was anything but IAN aram tonga
tonga for ease" there was no shade and
no breeze. and the face Of the land
crawled with heat-bred haze.
To crisp cracking of the whip-lash
over the backs of the two sturdy. shaggy.
lea-bitten ponies. the tonga swept away
from the station. swift as a hunted fox
with a dusty plume. The station dropped
out of sight and the desert took them
to its sterile heart.
Go be continued tomorrow.)