Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-12-30
The Tragedy Of
a Mate at Chess
Copyright, by Short Stories Co., Ltd)
By T. w. McKAlL.


dur, was known far and wide in the
peninsula as the best native chess
player in India, and there was a GER
tain tea-planting American in the
north who had won the Calcutta tour
nament thrice. 1t was fated, there
fore, that the two champions should
meet across the checkered board.
South came the tea-planter, at the
bidding of perfumed letter written
in Persian and carried in a box of
fretted gold He travelled south alone,
a mere undistinguished commercial
wayfarer, little looked down on by
the collector ana the major who rode
in the same train. But the major
and the collector stared when they
saw him descend at the appointed rail-
way station, for there awaited him not
only the retinue Of rajah, but his
highness, the rajah, himself. The tea
planter said 1t was too much honor,
but his highness remarked that he
could not sufficiently honor "a prince
of the game of games"
For 80 miles of vale and plateau
potentate and the planter lounging
side by side and talking of the game.
A hundred barbaric horsemen es
corted them and hundred gorgeous
infantry saluted them as they drove
into the compound through the great
palace gateway. And that night the
tea-planter began letter to doc
tors sister in New York, in which
he wro' Of 1.-The regular royal recep-
Ton, dear, that I've had"
Three games at chess they played,
the rajah and the tea-planter, after
a day Of feasting and day of rest.
They played a game a day. The
squares of the board were of ebony
and silver, and the chessmen of solid
gold. The first game lasted two
hours, the second three, and the last
game five by the clock.
The tea-planter won the first game,
and the rajah's manner grew less
silky. On the second day his highness
lgot the game, and the American said:
I'm glad you've won, sir" at which
the rajah's brow grew black. The tea
planter saw him no more that day, but
KHAKI Futteh Khan, chief minister of
Baghadur. sat long with the honored
guest in the divan and smoked for a
silent hour, and then spoke:
MY lord the rajah is king of the
game of games" spoke Khazi Futteh
Khan. ut is his royal within to pit
himself against all famous players.
Never yet hath his highness been van
quished; that Is his dearest pride. 1t
were i'll that in the winning game my
lord the American should put his
! highness to shame. Always his high
But the ea-planter did not under
) stand.
: For the winning bout Of the rubber
: the board was spread in the shade of
! geranium trees, within the secret in
:. ner garden of the zenana, and many
dark eyes behind gilded lattice-work
saw the game unseen. 1t was a
mighty struggle; never had the tea
D |planter SO keenly enjoyed the fray, for
i. be did not understand. Check" he
q cried, gleefully, at the end of the
f fourth hour of contest. The rajah
!. rose, scowling, and passed behind the
s gilded lattices; the dark eyes turned
y to comfort him and peeped no more
:. "'Twere ill that my lord the rajah
6 should be vanquished; let my lord the
l. American move thus and thus, anC
!. all shall yet be WE'LL" said KHAKI Fut
teh Khan. But the tea-planter was
porting over the board and did not I'm
derstand.
II s'pose he's coming out agar
: soon, isn't he?" said the American
presently, getting up from his cush
y ions and walking about to stretch hi
legs. Because, you know, it's mate
in six moves"
The chief minister Of Baghadu
!, shrugged his shoulders and fingered
u the hilt of his sword
!. In a little while they brought from
the zenana sweet dates and ripe fruits
i. and drugged tobacco and potent wine
The American ate, smoked and drank
unaffected, and pored over the wait
= ing board. Then his highness emerge'
i from the gilded lattice-work and tn
. game went on.
4 The tea-planter played the first O
i his six inevitable moves. AS he lifte
+ the piece for his second, soft toucl
& fell on his left hand He turned hi
n head abstractedly and saw that
h slave girl, young, lissom, beautiful
v had stolen to his side. She looked a
him with soft, inviting gaze. But h
10 did not understand.
He lifted pawn for his third move
z and as he placed it within the de.
/. tined square tray of flashing jewel
/ and great gold coins was set down a
\ his right hand. Behold the rewar
Z of the loser" whispered Khazi Futte
I Khan; but the tea-planter did not III
4 derstand.
3 He lifted the piece for his fourt
& move and the rajah gave an angr