Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-23
CHAPTER IV.-Continued.

| CHAPTER 1V.-Contlnued.
| your highness has been most good to
me-" she went on. II can find my way
| perfectly now. I am only puzzled to
know how I should ever have lost 1t so
much as to have wandered into your gar
| dem
Some sentry must have slept" he re-
marked. grirnly.
But you will not punish any one?"
whoever it was. he was only the serv
ant of destiny. like us all" he said NO
harm shall come to him. He paused
and then added. with a slight effort: "One
Of the sentries shall accompany you"
| NO, no." she answered energetically.
THAT is not necessary. 1 would rather
| go alone.
He pointed upward to the sky, whose
blue was deepening into the violet shades
Of night.
| 1T will be dark before you reach your
destination" he said. Are you not
afraid
| She laughed merrily.
| ''Of what should / be afraid? There
are no man-eaters about here. as I un-
| derstand. AS for men. I am prepared to
| encounter at least six of them Look"
She drew from the bosom OF her dress a
| small revolver OF exquisite workmanship
| and held IT out to him. 1T has all six
chambers loaded" she added.
He took the weapon. pretending to ex-
| anime It but his pulses had recommended
their painful beating and he saw nothing
| but her face.
Are all Englishwomen so brave and
beautiful"
| This time she did not laugh at the sim
| pncity of the question.
Come and see" she answered, boldly.
| He said nothing and she went on: AT
any rate. | must 60 now. My people Will
! be very anxious, and / have so much
| to tell them. They will envy me the priv
lege have enjoyed of seeing your Won
derful gardens. shall tell them how
kind you have been TO. foolish wan
| derer."
"If the gardens please you. they are al
| ways open to you,' he said.
She shook her head sadly.
| Il am afraid 1t is not possible. You
see. l could not come alone. Propriety
will forgive me this once. because 1t was
an accident-a second time and my repu-
tation would be gone forever. She held
out her hand frankly. 80 1t must be
| goodbye forever.
An instant he hesitated. torn between a
deep, ingrained principle and desire. Then
| he took the small hand In his own.
1T will not be goodbye forever. he
| said. I'VE shall meet again"
II should be glad. We have been quite
good friends. haven't We? But you see.
you will he in a garden into which I may
not enter, and in a world which for you
is forbidden ground. / am afraid there
is no hope"
Nevertheless we shall meet again." he
repeated.
why are you so certain"
He smiled dreamily.
Nothing in this world happens without
| purpose" he answered SO much my
books and eyes have taught me. We do
l.;Rx SrtD ooh "a Ntro0
| We are borne on the breast of a strong
| current which flows out of the river of
fate. and whether we meet for good or
evil is according to the will of God. But
| of one thing ] am sure-it must be for
| good or evil
For a moment she said nothing. Her
| face was turned away from him. and
when at last she spoke, her voice had lost
something of it's daring certainty.
II hope. then. our meeting Is for our
good" she said
II feel that 1t is." he answered.
He led her past the bewildered, terrified
| sentry on to the gray. dusty high road.
| 1t was the first time that his feet had
| crossed the threshold.
II shall watch you till you are out of
| sight" he said. Goodbye
Good-bye--and thank you!"
| According to his word. he stood where
| she had left him. his eyes fixed immova-
| bly,, Hike those Of a bronze statue. on the
slight. elastic figure. as 1t hurried toward
| the lights Of the distant station. When
at last the purple mist had swallowed her
from his sight, he looked up toward the
heavens.
Just where the mist ended and the clear
sky began, the evening star rose in Its
| first spiendor and shone through the dry
atmosphere. signaling to It's fellows that
night was come. One by one others fol-
lowed. AS time passed the moon in a
cloud Of silver lifted herself in stately
progress above the black outline OF the
jungle and touched with her first beams
the filigree minarets OF the temple.
Nehal Singh bowed his head In prayer.
"Oh, Lord Brahma. / thank thee"
A short-lived breath OF evening air
caught up the passionate murmur OF his
voice and mingled 1t with the rustling of
the sacred tree, whose restless, simmer
| ing, silver leaves hung above his head
He understood their whisper as he lis
tened. It was the accents OF the god to
whom he prayed, and all the poetic mys-
| ticism Of his nature responded to the call
..Oh, Lord Brahma, creator. thank
| thee" he repeated: then turned, and with
| head still bowed passed back through the
| high marble gates.
n ~---