The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-07-20
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DELL ~ ~
ByLOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
AUTHOR OF THE BRASS BOWL" ETC. NJ
ILLUSTRATIONS WnM WAQJiDS
lTJTIOl or "THE BRASS BOWI" ETC.
llWSUNNUOONS BY nNW WAlUE[DS

aye, hazoor.'
And what next?"
Il am to wait to conduct you back
to your place Of rest
"Um? You are, eh?" Amber,
doubtful, tried the stone again; it was
substantial enough; only the boat
rocked. He struck a match; the short
lived fame afforded him a feeble, I'M
satisfactory impression OF q long, mar
row, vaulted chamber, whereof the
floor was half water, half stone. There
was a landing to the left, a rather mar
row ledge, with a low, heavy door,
bossed with iron, in the wall beyond.
Shaking his head, he lifted himself
cautiously out of the boat. You stay
right there, Dulla Dad" he warned the
native, until l see what happens. If
| catch you trying to get ~away-the
boatll show up nicely against the
opening, you know-Ill give you cause
for repentance"
Il am here, hazoor. Turn you and
knock upon the door thus"-rapping
the gunwale of the bOat-"thrice."
Amber obeyed, wrought up now to
so high a pitch Of excitement and sus-
pense that he could hardly have with
drawn had he wished to and been able
TO force Dulla Dad to heed him. As
he knuckled the third signal, the door
swung slowly inward, disclosing, in a
dim glow of light, stone walls-a bare
stone chamber illuminated by a single
iron lamp hanging in chains from the
ceiling. Across the room a dark en-
try opened upon a passageway equal
ly dark.
By the door a servant stood, his at
titude d~eferential. AS the V~irginian's
gaze fell upon him he salaamed re-
spectfully.
Amber entered, his eyes quick, his
right hand In his pocket and grateful
for the cold caress Of nickeled steel,
his body poised lightly and tensely
upon the balls of his feet-in a word,
ready. Prepared against the worst he
was hopeful of the best: apprehen-
sive, he reminded himself that he had
first met Labertouche under auspices
LaIhIg wv "a pOSSCOSlIl5 Illdu l1GS0.
The clang Of the door closing be-
hind him rang hollowly in the still
ness. The warder moved past him to
the entrance of the corridor. Amber
held him with a sharp question.
Am I to wait here?"
For a moment, h~eaven-born!" He
disappeared.
Without a sound a door at Amber's
elbow that had escaped his cursory
notice, so cunningly was It fitted in
the wall, swung open, and a remem-
bered voice doomed In his ears, not
without a certain sardonic infection:
Welcome, my lord, welcome to Khan
dawar!"
Amber swung upon the speaker
with a snarl. "salig Singh!"
THY steward bids thee welcome to
thy kingdom, hazoor,"
Dominating the scene with his i'm
posing presence-a figure regal In the
regimentals Of his native ~army-the
Rajput humbled. himself before the
Virg'njan, dropping to his knee and
offering his jeweled swordh1t in tolseR
u his fealty.
"Oh, get up" snapped Amber tm-
patiently. I'm sick of all this damned
t%omfoolery. Get up, d'you Heartburn
less YOU want me 10 take that pretty
sword OF yours and spank you with
it,"
A culver, as of self-repression,
moved the body of the man at his
feet; then, with a jangle Of spurs,
Salig Singh leaped up and stood at a
distance of two PAGES, his head high,
his black eyes glittering ominously
with wellnigh the sinister brilliance
of his vibrating emerald aigrette.
my lord!" he cried angrily. Are
these words to use to one who offers
thee his heart and hand? Is this inso-
lence to be suffered by a Rajput, a
son of Kings?"
las for that" returned Amber
steadily. giving him look for look,
your grandfather was a bunia and
you know it. Whether or not you're
going to suffer what you call my in
science, l don't know, and l don't
much care. You've made a fool of
me twice, now, and I'm tired of It. /
give you my word l don't understand
why l don't shoot you down here
and now, for l believe in my heart
you're the unholiest scoundrel unhung.
Is that language plain enough for
your"
For an instant longer they faced n
another extensively, Amber cool
enough outwardly and inwardly boil
ing with rage that he should have
walked into the trap with his eyes
open, Salig Singh trembling with re-
sentiment but holding himself in with
splendid restraint.
AS for me-" continued Amber, Il
suspect I'm the most hopeless ass In
the three Presidenciss. If that's any
comfort to you. Salig Singh. Now
what d'you want with me-"
A shadowy smile softened the black
ness of the Rajput's wrath. He shrug-
ged and moved his hands slightly, ex-
posing their palms. subtly signifying