The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-09-14
CHAPTER xiv.
over the Water.

Fam Nath, patient and impassive
hs ever, had the tonga waiting for
Amber before the Residency Elk
alted beyond words, the American per-
knttted himself to be driven On
through Kuttarpur's intricate network
OF streets and backways, toward des-
kination OF which he knew as little as
ne cared He was a guest Of the state,
officially domiciled at the designated
house 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
puriieus He was Indifferent, abso-
autely; the matter interested him as
scantiIy-which is to say not at all
as did the fact that an escort of troop
ers of the state, very we'll accoutred
and disciplined, followed the tonga
with a great jangling Of steel and tu-
mutt OF hoofs.
Allghting in the compound, Amber
nisbursed a few rupees to the troop
ers, paid off Ram Nath-who was
swift to drive off city-wards, in mad
haste lest the gates hpe shut upon
MIN for the highland entered the
bungalow An aged, laxative, and
au1fable khansamah met him at the
threshold with expressions of exagger-
ated respect, no doubt genuine enough.
and followed him, mumbling shadow,
as the Virginian made brief round
of inspection.
Standing between the road and the
water. the resthouse proved to be
moderately spacious and clean; on the
lake front it opened upon a marble
bund, or landing stage, its lip Tapped
by whispering ripples of the lake.
Amber went out upon this to discover.
lseparated from him by little more
ran half mile Of black water, the
N1stly white wall Of the Raj Mahal
Sbfng in dim majesty to the stars.
- The Virginian remained long IN
eapt wondering contemplation OF II,
dntfl the wind blowing across the wa
GERS had chilled him to the point or
ahfverfng: when he turned indoors to
MS bed. But he was to have little rest
that night. The khansamah who at
sended 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
uressinggown and slippers went to In
vestigate. and found Ram Nath In
violent dispute with the sergeant OF
che escort which, it appeared, had
bufided 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 guard
Tess of honor than Of espionage, less
In formal courtesy than in demonstra-
ton of the unsleeping vigilance Oh
the Eye-kindly assisted by the Ma
harana of KhandaWar.
A man who, warmed by the ardor OF
hfs first love, feels suddenly the snad-
ow death falling cold upon him, IS
ant to neglect nothing. Amber con-
efdered that he had given Ram Natn
no commission of any sort, and bert
an attentive ear to the communication
which the tonga-wallah insisted upon
making to him.
sesely for the purpose of informing
Amber in accordance with his desires.
AThe telegraph Office for which you
endured. sahib, stands just within the
Gateway OF the Elephants" he an
uounced. 1.-THE telegraph-babu will be
On duty very early In the morning,
should you desire still to send the
message"
ooh. yes" said Amber indinerentiy.
bsTd forgotten. Thanks"
He returned to his charpoy with
eufrits considerably higher. Ram Nath
had not winked this time. but the fact
WAS indisputahle that Amber had not
expressed any interest whatever In
khe location of the telegraph office.
Wondering II the telegraph-baDu Dy
ANY chance wore pink satin, he dozed
81 on the decision that he would need
10 send message the first thing -
Ire morning