Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-29

Jehannum. and that right speedily Good
morning. Duila Dad
The peace of God abide always with
the Heaven born"
With a single. strong stroke the crea-
tllre of the palace sent the boat skimming
far out from the bund. and. turning.
headed for .the palace.
Amber entered the bungalow to find the
about At the Virginan's request he
shuffied off to prepare coffee-much coffee,
very strong and black and hot. Amber
stipulated. He needed the stimulant bad
ly. He was sleepy and his head was IN
He sat lost in thought until the khan
samah brought the decocton. then reused
and drank 1t as il came from the pot,
without sugar. gulping down huge bitter
mOuthfuls of the scalding black fluid But
the effect that he expected and desired
was strangely long in making itself felt.
He marveled at his drowsness. nOdding
and blinking over his empty cup. Out OF
doors the skies We're hot and blue-white
with forerunners of the sun, and the
world Of men was stirring and making
preparation against the business of the
day; but Amber, who had a work so
serious and so instant to his hand. sat on
In dreamy lethargy. musing.
The faces of two women stood out
wildly against the misty formless void
before his eyes-the face Of Naraini and
that of Sophia Farrell. He looked from
one to the other. stupidity contrasting
Them trying to determine which was the
lovelier until their features blurred and
ran together and the two became as one
and .
The khansamah tiptoed cautiously into
the room and found the Nirginian sleep
ing like log. his head upon the table.
His face was deeply colored with crimson,
as If fever burned him. and his breath
ing was loud and stertorous.
Pausing. the native beckoned to one
~-,l,1 late
tering the two laid hold of the uncon-
scious man and bore him to the charpoy.
The second native slipped silver money
into the khansamah's palm.
He will sleep till evening" he said.
IF any come asking for him, say that
he has gone abroad. leaving no word.
More than this you do not know. The
sepoys have an order to prevent all from
entrance
The khansamah touched his forehead
respectfully. 1T is an order. Shabash!
he muttered.
shaft of sunlight struck in through
the window and lay stark upon the
sleeper's face. He did not move The
with the other left the room In semi
dusk.
Beneath the spreading bantam, by the
cistern of the goldfish. Naraini with
smoldering eyes watched Amber disap-
pear in the wilderness of shrubbery. He
walked as a man with set purpose.
never glancing back. She laughed un-
easily but waited motionless where he
had left her, until the echo of his boot
heels on tho marble slabs had ceased to
ring in the neighboring corridor. Then,
lifting howerlike hand to her mouth.
she touched her lips gently and with an
air of curiosity The resentment in her
eyes gave place to an emotion less super
fetal BY Indur and by Har" she
swore softly. I'm one thing at least he
is like a Rajput-he kisses as a man
Kisses.
She moved indoently along the walk
to the rug beneath the canopy where he
had found her, her 1.-the, languid, round
body in its gorgeous draperies no whit
less insolent than the flaming bougain-
villea whose glowing magenta blossoms
she touched with idle fingers as she
passed.
The east was gray with dusk OF dawn
light that grew apace. making garlsh
the illumination of the Pickering. smok-
ing many -co!ored lamps in the garden.
Naraini clapped her hands. Soft foot
steps sounded in the gallery and one OF
her handmaidens threaded the shrubbery
to her side
THE lamps. linda said the queen;
their light, I think, little becomes me.
Put them out" And when this was done,
she composedly ordered her pipe and
| threw herself lazily at length upon pile
of kincob cushions. her posture the more
careless since she knew herself secure
from observation; the garden being pri-
vate to her use.
(To be continued tomorrow