Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-25
THE BRONZE BELL
BY LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright by LOUISE vsscs)
including the ndinayian
CHAPTER xIv-Continued.

CHAPTER XIv-Continued.
Somewhat Modified and rejecting. at
the same time, that this was all but a
part of the game, to be expected by those
who patronize rest houses off the beaten
roads of travel, the Virginian returned
to his charpoy and Immediately lapsed
into singularly disquieting dream.
He was strolling by the border of the
lake when a coot swan. in and hailed him
In English; and when he stopped to look
the coot lifted ana. DIT. messenger
boys cap and pleaded with him to sign
his name in little black book. promis-
ing that if he did so it would be free to
doff it's disguise and be Labertouche
again. So Amber signed Pink Satin in
the book and the coot stood UP and said.
I'm not Labertouche at ALL but Ram
Nath, and Ram Nath is only another
name for Har Dyal Rutton, and besides
you had better come away at once, for
the Eye thou dost wear upon thy finger
never sleeps and it's only a paste Token
anyway" Hearing which, Amber caugh.
the coot by the leg and found that he
had grasped the arm of Salig Singh,
whose eyes were both monstrous emer-
aids without any whites whatever And
Salig Singh tapped him on the shoulder
and began to say over and over again
in whisper
But here Amber another time found
himself wide awake and sitting up, his
left hand gripping the wrist of native
and his right holding his pistol steadily
leveled at the natives breast. While the
voice he heard was real and no Pigment
of dream unused imagination, for the
man was whispering earnestly and re-
peatedly:
Hasten. hazoor. for the night doth
wane and the hour is at hand"
What deviltrys this?' Amber de-
manded. sharply, with a threatening ges-
ture.
But the native neither attempted to
free himself nor to evade the pistols
mouth. Have patience. hazoor," he
begged. earnestly. land make no dis
turbance. 1t is late and the sepoys sleep:
if you will be circumspect and are not
afraid"
WHO are your"
Il was to say. L come from you know
whom hazoor.''
THAT ALP"
In the matter of certain photo
graph. hazoor.'
by thunder!" Labertouche's name was
on Amber's lips. but he depressed it..
Wait bit" He gulped down the last
dregs of sleep LET me think and
This last was an afterthought AS it
came to him he dropped the pistol by his
side and felt for matches in the pocket of
his coat. which hung over the back of a
bedside chair. Finding one, he struck 1t
noiselessly and, as the tiny fame broad
ened. drew his captive nearer
1t was fat, mean. wicked face that
stood out against the darkness-an ochre-
tinted face with wide. loose Tipped
mouth and protruding eyes, that blinked
nervously into his. But he had never
seen Ii before.
who are your" He cast away the
match as its flame died and snatched up
his weapon.
Il heard that once. What's your
name?'
.'Dulla Dad. hazoor."
And who are you from?"
'HaZoor, ] was not to say.
II think you'd better" suggested Am
Der. with grim significance.
II am the hazoor's slave. l dare not
say
Now look here"
'Hazoor. 1t was charged upon me to
say, I come from. You know whom
The devil it was. 80 Well, what do
you want?
Il was to say Hasten hazoor. for the
night
s'Tve heard that. too You mean you're
to lead me to somebody, somewhere-you
can't say where?''
AYE, haZOOr even So
Get over there in the corner while l
t1iIlk IIlS OSeT-dnQ uOT l move OF III
make you present of a nice young bull
let Dulla Dad
THAT is as Allah wills: only renem-
Der. hazoor. the injunction for haste"
The man. a small. stunted Mohamme-
dan sidled fearsomely over to the spot
ind Gated and waited there. cringing and
suppicating Amber with eloquent ges-
lures. The Virginian watched him close
ly until comforted by the reflection that,
had murder been the object, he had been
q cinna ho If
aside the revolver and began to dress.
only Labertouche would have to COM
municate with me by such STEALTH" he
considered. Besides, that reference to
the photogra PHI
He slipped hurriedly into his clothing
and ostentatiously dropped the pistol into
his right-hand coat pocket. Pm ready,
he told the man. Lead the way, and re-
member. if there's any treachery afoot,
you'll be the first to suffer for it, Dulla
Dad
The Mohammedan bowed submissively.
BE it so. my lord he said In Hindi.
| and. moving noiselessly with unshod feet.
glided through the door which opened
upon the bund. Amber close behind him.
That it was indeed late was shown by
the position of the moon. and the sweet
freshness of early morning was strong In
the keen air. The wind had failed and
the lake stretched fiawless from shore to
shore, sheet of untarnished silver. Over
against them the palace slept, or seemed
to sleep. in its miraculous beauty. glacier
like with it's shining surfaces and deep.
purple Swallowed crevasses. There were
few lights visible in the city, and the
quiet of 1t was notable; SO likewise with
the wards outside the walls and the lake
side palaces and villas. Only in dis
tant temple drum was throbbing, throb-
bling.
| In the water at their feet light boat
was gently nosing the marble bund. Dulla
| Dad, squatting, drew 1t broadside to the
steps and motioned Amber to enter. The
himself at the stern. Dulla Dad dropped
in forward and pushed off. The boat
| moved out upon the bosom Of the lake
with scarce a sound, and the native.
grasping a double-bladed paddle. dipped
it gently and sent the frail craft flying
onward with long, swift and powerful
strokes, guiding it directly toward the
walls of the Raj Mahal.
Two-thirdS of the way across the Vir-
ginian surrendered to his mistrust and
drew his pistol. ''Dulla Dad he said.
gently. and the man ceased padding with
a shudder- "Dulla Dad, you're taking
me to the palace
| Yea, hazoor, that is true" the native
answered. his voice quavering.
who awaits me there? Answer
quickly
"Hazoor it is not wise to speak a name
upon the water. where voices travel
far"
'Dulla Dad"
"Hazoor l may not say
| II think. Dulla Dad, you'd better. If
| lose patience"
| See, you can fire, and thereafter naught
can trouble me. But l. with a single
sweep of this paddle. can overturn us.
Be content, hazoOr, for little time, then