The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-06-22
" II

out. In the struggle Amber caught
his eye, II il was bright with mean
ing. Pink Satin!" he Kissed. He's
Sono ahead. You're to keep
on to Agra. Change for Bad
shah Junction. Rajputana Route. +,
Then tonga to Kuttarpur. . =.
Farrsll's there and his daughter. . :.
That's right. my man. throw me
His downfall was spectacular. In
his enthusiasm for the part he played,
ering a blow In Doggott's face, moro
forcible, probably, than he had in
tended It TO be. Promptly he landed
%sprawling On the station platform.
And the train continued on its ap-
pointed way, bearing both Amber and
the injured Doggott.
Thus they came to the heart OF
Rajputana.
In the chill OF dawn they were de-
posted at Badshah Junction. A scanty
Length of rude platform received them
and their two small travelling bags.
They stood. then, forlorn I'm "A howl
ing desolation. For signs of life they
had the station. a fimsy shelter roof
ed with corrugated iron, a beaten
track that wandered off northwards
and disappeared over a grassless
swell. a handful of mud huts at a
distance, and the ticket agent. The
latter, n sleepy, SIrly Eurasian in
pyiamas, surveyed them listlessly
from the threshold Of the station, and
without a sign either of interest or
contempt turned and locked himself
in
Amber sat down on his upturned
suit case and laughed and lit a ciga-
rctte. Doggott ETowled.
Presently the 5, rose in glory and
sent its burning level rays to cast a
shadow several rods long of an en-
ragged American beating frantically
wish clenched fists upon the door Of
az ~unrsponsive railway station.
lie hammered until he was a-weary.
then deputized his task to Doggott.
who resourcefully found him a stone
Of size and proceeded to make dents
in the door. This method ELECTED the
Eurasian. He came out. listened at
tentiyely to abuse and languidly to
their demands for a tonga to bear
them to Kuttarpur. and observed that
the mail tonga left once a day-at
three I'm the afternoon. Doggott
caught him as he was on the point OF
returning to his interrupted repose
orI co11aI hig attention IN tho IN
wisdom Of his ways.
Apparently convinced, this ticket
agent announced his intention Of en-
deavoriHg to find a tonga for the
sahib. Besides, he was not unwilling
to acquire rupees. He scowled
thoughtfully at Amber, ferOciously at
D0egott. W nj back into the station.
g%oseinpcd casually with the telegraph
sounder for a quarter OF an hour. and
finally rcappoaring, without q word or
a nod left the platform for the road
and walked and walked and walked
and walked.
An hour passed rs three. Tho heat
became terrific. not a breath OF wind
stirred. The face Of the world lost
fits contours in wavering mirage.
In the simple fulness Of Asiatlc time
a tonga came from heaven knew
where Amber got up and looked II
over with n Just owe ana q temper
none the ewootor for his experience.
It was a brute OF n tonga. a patched
and ~ramehaoklo wreck Of what had
once been q real tonga, with no top 20
protect tIe travellers from the sun.
and accommodation only for three, in
Guiding the driver.
The Furaeian ticket agent alighted
and solicited rupees. He got them
and with them Amher's unvarnished
opinion Of The tonga; something
which was not received with clvIlity
by the driver.
He remained in his seat-a short.
swart native with an evil cOuntpnance
and, across his knees, a sheathed tut
war-arguing with Amber in broken
English and abusing him scandalous-
ly in impurest Iiindi, hinging at him
In silken tones untranslatable scraps
Of bazaar Billingsgate. For, as he eX-
planned In an audible aside to the
ticket agent, this sahib was an out
lander and, being as ignorant as most
sahibs, could not understand Hindi.
At this the Eurasian turned away to
hide a grin Of delight and the driver
wink deliberately at Amber the
while he broadly sketched for him his
ancestry and the manner OF his life
AT homo and abroad
Thunderstruck, Amber caught him
self Just as he was on the point OF at
tempting to drag the driver from his
seat and beat him into a more endur-
able frame of mind. He swallowed
the hint and gave up the contest.
"Oh, very WE'LL" he conceded. Il
presume you're trying to say there
isn't another tonga TO be had and 1t
can't be helped; but don't like your
tone. However. there doesn't seem
to be anything to do but take you.
How much for the two Of us?"
Your servant, sahib? He cannot