The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-09-14
CHAPTER XIV.



Ram Nath. patient and tmpassiye
rs ever. had the tonga waiting for
Am5cr before the Eesidency Ex-
alte1 beyond words, the American per
3n;tted himself to be driven of
9hrouEh Kuttarpur's intricate network
of streets and backways, toward dcs-
1{nation of which he knew as little as
TIE cared. He was guest of the state,
officially dOmiciled at the designated
mouse of hospitality; without especial
permission, obtained through the eff
forts of the Resident, he could sleep
IN no other spot in the city or its
turlieus. He was Indifferent absO-
iutcIy; the matter interested him as
scantily which is TO say not at all
as did the fact that an escort Of troop
ers of the state very well accoutred
hnd disciplined, followed the tonga
with a great jangling of steel and tu-
mutt of hoofs
! Alightng in the compound, Amber
disbursed few rupees to the troop
ers, paid off Ram Na-h-who was
ewift to drive off city-wards. in mad
haste lest the gates be shut upon
him for the highland entered the
bungalow. An aged, taikative, and
smiable khansamah met him at the
threshold with expressions of eXagger-
hted respect, no doubt genuine enough.
and followed him, a mumbing shadow,
as the Virginian made a brief round
of inspection.
Standing between the road and the
water, the resthGuse proved to be
moderately spacious and clean; on the
lake front it opened upon a marble
tsund, or landing stage, its lip Tapped
by whispering ripples of the lake.
amber went out upon this to discover,
separated from BIN by little more
than half a mile OF black water the
Sbostly white wall of the Raj Mahal
climbing in dim majesty to the stars.
. The Virginian remained long in
fapt wondering contemplation Of it,
until the wind blowing across the wa
tiers had chilled him to the point of
shivering; when he turned indoors to
his bed But he was TO have little rest
that night. The khansamah who at
tended him had hardly turned low
his light when Amber was disturbed
by the noise of an angry alteration
IN the compound He arose and in
dressing gown and slippers went to in
kestigate, and found Ram Nath in
violent dispute with the sergeant of
builded a fire and camped round it in
the compound circumstance which
furnished food for thought
; Amber began to suspect that the
troops had been furnished as a guard
yess of honor than Of espionage less
tE formal courtesy than in demOnstra-
Nfon of the unsleeping vigilance Of
the Eye-kindly assisted by the Ma
harana of Khandawar
A man who, warmed by the ardor Of
his first love. feels suddenly the shad
ow death falling cold upon him. is
hpt to neglect nothing. Amber con-
sidered that he had given Ram Nath
no commission of any sort, and bent
an attentive ear to the communication
(which the tonga-wallah insisted upon
tnaking to him.
ssrely for the purpose of informing
Amber in accordance with his desires.
1.-THE telegraph office for which you
enquired, sahib, stands just within the
gateway of the Elephants" he an
nounced. The Telegram h-babu will be
On duty very early in the morning,
shouId you desire still to send the
message"
ooh, yes" said Amber indifferently.
I'D forgotten. Thanks"
He returned to his Charpoy with
spirits considerably higher. Ram Nath
had not winked this time, but the fact
was indisputable that Amber had not
expressed any interest whatever in
the location Of the telegraph Office
+ Wondering If the Telegraph babu by
Any chance wore pink satin, he dozed
on on the decision that he would need
10 send message the 1rst thing in
the morning