Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-08

tongue! Can't you see we've lady with
"ui-lo" The soldier lowered his rifle
a a,itl, stepped closer, his voice vibrating
go. beggar of niger givin' me
Wotfor s If e was a gent! 90 in ell
We thlnk y'are. yer 'ighness?"
IhatH do. Put down those guns and
can your commanding officer. I'll explain
10 him. Where is he? What troops are
you? When did you arrive?''
Such queries and commands discharged
| quickly in crisp English from the mouth
or one who wore the color and costume
or Mohammedan of high degree tenn
porarily dazed his captors. In body
they pressed round the three. peering
curiously into their faces-the two white
and the one dark, and their murmur-
ings rose and swelled discordant. "Blimme'
| if e amt GENT" "Tother un ISL IAN
this un a leddy,' But to his in
terrogations Labertouche got no direct re-
ply. While as for Amber. he could have
laughed aloud from heart that brimmed
with thanksgiving for the honest sound
OF their rich rough voices: besides which,
| Sophia stood very close to him, and her
! fingers were tight about his.
What's thfs?" A sharp voice cut the
comments Of the Tommes. and they We're
smitten silent by it. An officer. with jim
| Cling spurs and sword in hand, eibowed
| through the heart of the press Stop
that row instantly. What's this? Who
are you. sir?''
Il sent the message from Kathiapur
and I'm uncommonly happy to meet you,
whoever you may be. sir. Tell your men
to fall back. please, and I'll introduce
| myself properly.
| Two words secured the secret agent the
| privacy he desired; the officer offered him
an ungoved hand as the troopers with
| drew out of hearing.
Happy. indeedl" he said. cheerfully.
I'm Rowan, captain. 14th Pioneers"
I'm Labertouche, /. S. S. This is Miss
Farrell. daughter Of Col Farrell, and
this Mr.. Amber of New York. We've
just escaped from that rock over there
| and-if you'll pardon-I'd suggest you set
strong guard over the ford behind those
tamarisks.'
Zone moment, please" The officer
strobe off to issue instructions in accord
ance with Labertouche's advice. I'VE got
here only a quarter of an hour ago" he
apologiZed. swinging back the men de-
ployed into the thicket. land haven't had
time to nose out the lay of the land
thoroughly"
IT infer you got my man with the
representative calling himself Ram
Nath?"
Hes with the colonel-commanding
now. Mr.. Labertouche. AS l was saying.
we've hardly had time to do more than
throw a line of pickets round the rock.
It's been quick work for us-marching
orders at midnight YESTERDAY, down by
train to Sar, and forced march across the
desert ever since daybreak."
I'D hardly hoped the thing could be
done so quickly If l had been able to
get the information an instant earlier.
my mind would We been easier, captain,
From the ford an abrupt clamor of
voices interrupted. The officer hooked up
his scabbard. Sounds as if my men had
gathered In somebody else he said.
hastily. IF you'll excuse me, I'll have
a look He trotted off into the shade
of the tamarisks.
AS he disappeared the disturbance
abated somewhat. False ALARM Amber
guessed.
Il fancy not said Labertouche. If
I'm not mistaken our friend Naraini left
for the special purpose of raising the hue
and cry. This should be the vanguard
OF the pursuit"
Amber looked upward. Overhead the
souless city slumbered in stiffness APP
parently unbroken. yet he who saw its
profile rugged against the stars could
fancy what CONSERVATION was then. or
presently would be, running riot through
it's haunted ways.
How many of 'em are there. do you
reckon?" he asked
Three or four hundred" replied the
secret agent, absentiy: the pick and
flower of Indian unrest. My word. but
this will kick up row! Think of 1t.
man! Three hundred and ffty-odd lords
and princes bagged all at once in the act
of plotting the Second Mutiny. What a
change it will work on the political face
of the land. : And the best of 1t is,
they simply can't get away"
rs this the only exit. then-the way
we escaped"
Not by three-all on the other side of
the rock, where they rode up and left
their horses. And that's where the most
Of 'em will come out, by twos and threes.
like the animals out of the ark. you
know. What a CATCH
And we've you to thank.
II? Oh. dear boy, thank the Tommies!"
But what would we have done, or the
Tommies either, without you?"
What, indeed" Sophia echoed warmly.
1--WE had no chance, as yet
Not another word. my dear Miss Far
rell.' Labertouche protested, acutely un-
comfortable. ITO We been able to help
you out of the scrape is enough"
(To be continued tomorrow.)