Evening star., 1911-06-03
CHAPTER XI.
Within the Gates.

Nehars Singh's servants stood with the
horses outside Travers' compound and
waited. Their master did not disturb
them. Glad as he was to get away from
the crowd Of strangers and the dazzling
lights and colors. 1t still pleased him to
be within hearing Of the music which,
softened by the distance. exercised a mel
ancholy yet soothing influence upon his
disturbed mind. For the dreamy peace
had gone forever-as, indeed, it must be
when the soul Of man is roughly shaken
into living, pulsating life, and he fevered
with a hundred rs yet disordered hopes
and ambitions. To be a benefactor to his
people and to all mankind, to be the flrst
pioneer of his race in the search AFTER
civilization and culture-these had been
the dreams of his hitherto wasted life,
only he had never recognized them. never
understood whittier the restless Impulses
were driving him. 1t had needed the
pure soul of a good woman to unlock the
best from his own: 1t had needed the
genius OF a clear brain 10 narness .ne
unframed faculties to some definite aim:
The soul of q woman had come and had
planted upon him the purity OF her high
ideal: the genius had already shot It's
hrst illuminating ray into his darkness:
Henceforth the watchword for them all
was to be Forward" and Nehal Singh,
standing like a white ghost In the desert
ed compound, shaken by the force OF MS
own emotions, Intoxicated by his own
happiness and the shining future which
spread itself before his eyes, sent up q
prayer such as rarely ascendS from earth
to heaven. To whom? Not to Brahma-
His mind had burst like raging tlde
over the floodgates OF caste ana creed
and embraced the whole world ana the
one God who has no name. no creed. no
dogma, but whom in that moment he
recognized in great thanksgiving as the
Universal Father
Thus far had NehaI Singh Travelled In
two short weeks-guided by q woman
who had no God and q man who had no
God save his own ends. But he did not
know this. AS he began to pace slowly
backward and forward. listening to the
distant music, he thought OF her, and
measured himself with her ideal In hu-
mility which did not reject hope. One
day he would be able to stand before her
and say, Thus far have l worked and
striyen for inner worth and for the good
Of my brothers. I have kept myself pure
and honest. I have cultivated in myself
the best have, and have been inexorable
against the evil. Thus much have at
tanned"
Further than that triumphant moment
he did not thint. but he thanked God for
the ideal which had been set hin-the
great peoples ileal OF man-and for the
afterward which he knew must come.
Thus absorbed in his own reflections. he
reached Travers' bungalow. and ray Of
h6ht ta1iiHS ACfO8S uiS pain Drought MIN
sharply back to the present reality. He
looked UP and saw that q table had been
pulled out on to the veranda, and that
four of1cers sat round II, playing cards
by the light Of Q lamp. At Marut there
was always q heavy superhuity Of men.
and these four. doubtless weary OF stand
ing uselessly about, had made good their
escape to enjoy themselves In their own
way. Nehal Singh hesitated. He felt .
strong desire to 60 up and join them, to
learn to know them outside the enervat-