Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-03-10
The Tragedy Of
a Mate at Chess
copyright, By Short Stories Co.
By r w. MckAIL

/ 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 me Calcutta tour
nament thrice II was fated, there
fore, that the two champions should
meet across rho 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,
mere undistinguished commercial
Wayfarer, a little looked down on by
the collector and 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
htghness, the rajah, himself The tea
planter said it 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
they drove together in a landau, the
potentate and the planter lounging
side by side and talking of the game.
A hundred barbaric horsemen es-
corted them and hundred gorgeous
infantry saIuted them as they drove
into the compound through the great
palace gateway And that night the
tea-planter begen d letter to q doc
tors sister in New York, in which
he wrote OF the regular royal recep-
ton, dear, that I've had"
Three games at chess they played,
the rajah and the tea-planter, after
day of feasting and day of rest.
They played game 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 rajahs manner grew less
silky. On the second day his highness
got 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
silent hour, and then spoke:
My lord the rajah is king of the
game OF games spoke KHAKI Futteh
+ X IN h xuI,f ~f1
himself against all famous players
Never yet hath his highness been van
pushed; 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
ness richly rewardeth the vanquished."
But the tea-planter did not under.
stand
For the winning bout OF the rubber
the board was spread in the shade of
ner garden OF the zenana, and many
dark eyes behind gilded lattice work
saw the game unseen 1t was
mighty struggle; never had the tea
planter SO keenly enjoyed the fray, for
he did not understand Check" he
cried, gleefully, at the end of the
fourth hour of contest. The rajah
rose. scowling, and passed behind the
giided lattices; the dark eyes turned
to comfort him and peeped no more.
'Twere i'll that my lord the rajah
should be vanquished; let my lord the
American move thus and thus, and
all shall yet be well" said KHAKI Fut-
teh Khan. But the tea-planter was
porting over the board and did not un-
derstand
Il s'pose he's coming out again
soon, isn't hep said the American
presently, getting UP from his cush-
ions and walking about to stretch his
legs. Because, you know, it's mate
in six moves. .
The chief minister of Baghadur
shrugged his shoulders and fingered
the hilt of his sword
In little while they brought from
the zenana sweet dates and ripe fruits,
and drugged tobacco and potent wine.
The American ate, smoked and drank,
unaffected, and pored over the wait
ing board. Then his highness emerged
from the gilded lattice-work and the
game went on.
The tea-planter played the hrst of
his six inevitable moves. AS he lifted
the piece for his second, soft touch
fell on his left hand He turned his
head abstractedly and saw that q
slave girl, young, lissom, beautiful,
had stolen to his side She looked at
him with soft. inviting gaze But he
did not understand
He lifted pawn for his third move,
and as he placed it within the des-
tined square tray of flashing jewels
and gteat gold coins was set down at
his right hand. Behold the reward
of the loser" whispered KHAKI Futteh
Khan; but the tea-planter did not I'M
derstand.
He lifted the piece for his fourth
move and the rajah gave an angry
stir The board was shaken and the
pieces fell among the cushions But /
the tea-planter, as If nothing had
happened, replaced them, so that the
game might go on
Again he played his piece, and as
he did so the shadow of lifted sword
fell over his bent head across the
board But his eyes were intent on
the game, and II he saw the shadow