Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-19

would have said that they could never
have found a solitude more absolute.
The thought was still in his mind when
the tonga dipped Unexpectedly over an
other ridge, began to descend another
long grade of dead, parched earth, and
discovered some distance ahead of them
| on the wagon track cloud of dust like
a tinted veil. so dense. Opaque, and wide
| and high that its cause was altogether
concealed in it's reddish. glttering con-
volutions. But the Virginian knew the
| land we'll enough to recognize the phe-
nomenon and surmse it's cause. even be-
! fore his ears began to be assailed by the
| hideous raspng screech of wheels of solid
wood revolving reluctantly on rough
hewn axles guiltless of grease. And as
| the tonga swiftly lessened the distance
| his gaze. penetrating the thinning folds
discerned the contours of cotton-wain
drawn by twin stunted bullocks, patient
noses to the ground, tails a-switch. Be
side his cattle the driver plodded, goad
| I'm hand. a naked sword upon his hip.
Within his reach. between the rude bales
of the loaded cart, the butt of brass
bound musket protruded significantly.
- All men went armed in that wild
land-to do as much is one of the boons
attendant upon citizenship in an unpro-
gressve, Independent native state.
Deliberately enough the carter swerved
his beasts aside to make way for the
tonga, lest by undue haste he should
make himself seem other than what he
was-a free man and a Rajput. But when
his fierce. hawklike eyes encountered
those of the dak traveller, his attitude
changed curiously and completely. Recog-
milton and reverence fought with surprise
in his expression. and as Ram Nath
swung the tonga past the man salaamed
profoundly. His voice, as he rose, came
after them, resonant and clear:
Hail, thou Chosen of the Gateway.
Hail!'
Amber neither turned to look nor re-
piled. But his frown deepened. The in
cident passed into his history. marked
only by the terse comment Ii educed from
Ram Nath-words which We're hung curt
ly over the tonga-wallah's shoulder:
! Eyes TO see and ears to hear and a
tongue withal -" sahib,''
The Virginian said nothing. But it was
in his mind that he had indeed thrust
his head into the lions mouth by thus
adventuring into the territory which
every instinct of caution and common
sense proclaimed taboo TO hin-the erst-
while kingdom of the Maharana Har Dyai
Rutton. 1t was, in word, foolhardy-
nothing less. But for his pledged word
it had been SO easy to order Ram Nath
to convey him back to Badshah Junction
| to order and to enforce obedience at the
pistols point, If needs be! Honor held
him helpless, bound upon the Wheel of
. ms pes'inS-ne must anu "0u'o 81 '
He sat i'm silent gloom while sixty min.
utes were drummed out by the fylng
hoofs. The hills folded in about the way,
dverting it hither and yon with raw,
scanned spurs. whose TANKS flung back
harsh and heavy echoes of the tonga s
fight through riven gulch ana SCRUB
grown valley. And then it was that KAN
Nath proved his mettle. Hardened him.
self, he showed no mercy to his pas
senger, and never once drew, rein. though
the tonga danced from rock TO ridge ana
ridge to rut and back again, like a tin
can on the tail of an astonished dog. AS
for Amber, he wedged his feet and held
on with both hands. gyimly. grooming in
spirit when he did not in the flesh, fore
seeing as he did nine hours more or TINS
heroic torture punctuated only by brief
respites at the end of each stage.