Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-28
CHAPTER VIII.-Continued.

David got nothing from his scrutiny OF
the dark The volcano growled no longer
the shrill fit of cock crow had died away;
SO that through q fresh matin stiffness
there mounted what might have been the
crunching rattle Of wheels.
There she goes now" David cleft the
lily hedge once more and stumbled down
into the path.
No sooner had he leaned out from the
leafy embrasure Of the hill than he OBJ
served a wide and striking alteration in
the abyss. The road members remained
at work. their fasces Of bamboo spltnts
clustered, as before. in steamers OF
murky flame: the clouds prolonged their
milk-white counterpane quilted with puffy
swellings and dimples. Dawn still quiv-
cred. hesitated. on the rim Of the world.
Close underneath. curving with the mighty
curve Of the mountain flank. the road still
cleaned like q tawny fshhook. it's bart
trees and shadows. Yet the aspect of all
this neither scene had changed. There had
been shrinkage.
For a time the watcher was perplexed.
warfare of silhouettes had ended. de-
clined. and left the upper air at peace.
Close above the coolies heads q thick
white billow of mist had rolled up, blank
and solid as wall. and impending with q
face nearly as vertical. Caught by the in
terposition OF this screen the hillmen' s
shadows now waged q tumult more sharp
ly defined. more near and black and in
telligible. though not less than colossal.
even in reduction. The crawling mist had
withered the war OF gods into labor OF
titans.
On all this David cast q negligent eye.
for his ear was not yet satisfied. Up from
the lighted pit came only a scraping OF
shOvels and q slow thud of tamping rods.
At last. however. grinding through these
noises, the carriage wheels drew nearer
and nearer. down sharp declivtty on the
left
The coolies peered up hill. shouted COM
mands to each other. gave here and there
a final hurried thump to the repairs and.
catching up their torches, lodged across
the road. AS men and fambeaux van
ished under the base Of David's battle
ment, SO the whole pantomime OF shadows
took flight. The torches. now ranged out
Of sight below the bank. threw into white
relief the opposing cloud-wall. and lighted
the empty road with fitful. streaming
glory, as for procession OF barbaric roy
atty.
The procession was slow In coming: but
presently the four Sandalwood ponies de-
scended into view, stepping gingerly on
the loosened earth and picking their way.
Points of metal flickered on their harness.
The coachman'S red hat shOne as though
wet with fresh blood and his long whip
glistened In dropping curve. Miss Arnot
remained invisible. David caught only q
glimmer from white linen. where she
leaned back in the deep recess of the
carriage.
Instantly. parallel with their descent, a
black extravaganza lowered into action
along the rearing cloud. as on q marble
screen, tossed the intense and magnified
shadows of horses heads: the coachman's
lifted fists clutching a web Of reins. his
fiat nose. beneath his conical hat. rose
next and slanted downward. tall as a
tree; then a huge radiation Of spokes re-
volved through IN arc wider than a wind
mills. The body Of the carriage passed
in q bulk OF silhouette, without form.
And then David. watching. had called
aloud, for what came last came incredi-
ble like a portent in the heavens.
Drawn slowly across the shining cloud
appeared the giant similitude Of q face.
Even in the wavering projection Of that
stupendous scale it was q face well known
and startling. The rounded nose, the
thick lips parted in a smile, were not to
be mistaken.
"Rosario! cried the young man from
his hilltop. and again, in wonder and dis
may. "Rosario!'
The black portrait blurred like a COL
umn Of smoke, as the native groom.
perching in the ruble, suddenly turned his
head.