The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-09-14
AUTHOR OF THE BRASS BOWL" ETC.

gateway of Kathiapur that is lie!
Speak, brother of jackals and father
Of swine, lest my temper overcome
me and maze carri0n Of you'll"
my lord. hear mel" protested the
man in an extremity Of fright. These
be the words Of truth. If otherwise,
let my head be forfeit. Early
in the morning you returned from the
lake, heavy with sleep. and 80 soundly
have you slept since that hour that
no effort Of mine could rouse you,
though many came to the door, ma
king inquiry. / am Ram Lal, true
man, and no traflcker in drugs and
potions."
Even SOL" said Amber. ironic.
But II. on taking thought, find
you've lied to me. Go now
and hold yourself fortunate in this,
that am not q man OF hasty judg-
ment"
"Hazoor!" Like a shadow harried
by wind of night, the kbansamah
scurried from the room. But On the
threshold he paused long enough to
lay significant finger upon his lips
and nod toward the table.
From the khansamah's quarters
came an occasional clash OF crockery
and pattering Of naked feet. Outside,
in the compound, the sepoys were
chattering volubly; their words were
indistinguishable, but from their con-
stantly increasing animation Amber
inferred that they were keenly relish
ing the topic of discussion. He be-
came sure OF this when, at length,
his curiosity aroused, he went to the
window and peered out between the
wooden stats of the blind. The little
company was squatting in circle
round the fire, and bottle was pass
ing from hand to hand.
He turned back. puzzled, to find the
khansamah calmly seated at the table
and enjoying one OF Amber's choicest
cigarettes.
Thank God" he said, with profound
emotion. for a civilized smoke!"
"Labertouche," cried Amber
The khansamah rose. bowed
formally, and shook hands with con.
siderable cordially IT'S good to see
you whole and sound" he said. Il had
70 wait until Ram Mathis work began
to show results. He's out there, You
know, keeping the bottle moving. l
don't believe those damned sepoys
will bother US much, now, but we've
got no time at all to spare. Now tell
me what you have to tell. emitting
nothing Of the slightest consequence.
Amber dropped into chair. and the
Engilshman sat near to him. II say,
thank God for you. Labertouche! You
don't know how I've needed you"
Il can fancy. I've had a ripping
time Of 1t myself. Sorry I couldn't
communicate with you safely before
you left Calcutta. But we've not q
minute to waste Get into your yarn,
please; explanations later, II we can
afford EN-"
Inhaling with deep enjoyment, he
narrowed his dark eyes, listening In
tently to Amber's concise narrative OF
his experiences since their parting b.
fore the stall of DhOla Baksh In the
Machua bazaar Not once was he In
terrupted by word or sign from Laber
touche; and even when the tale was
told the latter said nothing. but
dropped his gaze abstractedly to the
smoldering stump OF his cigarette
And your demanded the Vlrginian
Have pity, Labertouche! Can't you
see I'm being eaten alive by curios-
ity?"
Labertouche eyed him blankly for
an instant. oh" he said, with an
efrort freeing his mind from an In
tense concentration Of thought. ~
What's there to tell? I've been al
work. That's all. was
Jostled on to one side when the row
started In the bazaar, and so lost you
There WAS then nothing to do but
strike back to the hotel and walt for a
clew. You can figure my relief when
you dropped out Of that ticca- ghari'
gave you the word to go on to Oar
feeling. intending to join you en- route.
But you know why that iaunt never
came on. ! found out my mistake be-
fore morning, wired you, and left Cal
cutta before you, by the same trail
that conveyed the maharana of Khan
dawar Fortunately enough we had
Ram Nath already on the ground,
xrly t,N.v
aoout II some time. He's one OF our
best men-a native, but loyal to the
core, and wrapped up In his work
He'd contrived to get billet as tonga
wallah to the Kuttapur bunia who has
tho dak-service contract. | myself
had arranged to have the telegraph
babn here transferred, and myself ap-
pointed In his place. So was able to
attach myself to the tail of the ma,
harana without exciting comment.
Miss Farrell came by the same train.
but Sally Singh was In too great a
hurry to get home to pay any atten-
ton to her, and |, knowing you'd be
along. arranged that tonga accident
with Ram Natn. He bribed his broth.
er tonga wallah to bring 1t about
Thank you" said Amber, from his
heart.
| Labertouche impatiently waved the
interruption aside. II looked for yop
at the telegraph Office this morning
but Of course when you didn't appear
! knew something was up, SO | con
cocted message 10 you for an ex
cuse. came down, engaged the khansa
nah IN conversation q think he had
some idea / was an agent OF the other