The Raymer enterprise., 1911-09-21

II Will preak OUT 6lTe6Q. 1ou muSt
believe mel know
Night overlook the tonga when n
was close upon Kuttarpur. swooptnl
down upon the world like a blanket
of darkness, at the moment that the
final relay OF ponies was being hitch
ed in.
With fresh ponies the tonga tool
the road with wild initial rush
soon to be moderated. when 1t began
to climb the last steep grade to the
pass that gives access to KuttarpuI
from the south. For an hour the read
toiled up and ever upward: steep
cliffs OF rock crowded 1t, threatening
to push 1t over into black abysses, OF
to choke 1t OF between towering.
formidable walls. II swerved sud.
denly into a broad. clear space. The
tonga paused. Voluntarily Ram Nath
spoke for almost the first time since
morning.
'Kuttarpur," he said. with a wave
Of his whip.
Aloof. austere and naughty. the City
Of Swords sits In the mouth Of q rs
vine so narrow that = wall no more
than 100 yards In length Is sufhcient
to seal it, southerly approach. Be
meath this wall. to one side Of the
city gate. q river flows from the lake
that is Kuttarpur's chiefest beauty.
Northwards the palace of Khanda
wars kings stands, exquisite. rare,
and marvellous. unlike any other
building In the world. White. all
white, from the lake that washes its
lowest walls to the crenellated rim
of its highest roof. 1t sweeps upward
In breath-taking steps and wide ter
races to the crest Of the western hill,
into which 1t burrows, from which II
springs; vast enigma propounded
In white marble without . note Of
color save where the foliage Of hid.
den garden peeps over the edge Of .
jealous screen-a hundred imposing
mansions merged into one monstrous
and imperial maze.
But for q moment were they per.
mitted to gaze In wonderment; Ram
Nath had little patience. When he
chose to, he applied his whip, and the
ponies stretched out, the tonga plung'
Ing on their heels down the steep hill.
side. like an ungoverned. ungoyern.
able thing. maddened. Within quar-
ter Of an hour they were careering
through the city Of tents on the park.
ed plain before the southern wall. In
five minutes more they drew up at the
main city gate to parley with the
Quarter Guard.
Here they suffered an e1asperating
delay. 1t appeared that the gates
were shut at sundown. In Difference
to custom immemorial. Between that
hour and sunrise none were permitted
to pass either In or out without the
express sanction Of the State. The
commander OF the guard Instituted
an impudeut catechism. in response to
which Ram Nath discovered the sew.
eral identities and estates OF his
charges. The commander received
the information with impartial equa.
nimity and retired within the city to
confer with his superiors. After some
time a trooper was sent to advise the
travellers that the tonga would be
permitted to enter with the under.
standing that the unaccredited Eng.
lishman (meaning AMBER would con.
sent to lodge for the night In no other
spot than the State resthouse beyond
the northern limits of the city.
Abruptly the peace Of the night was
shattered, and the hum of the en-.
campment behind them with the roar
Of the city before them was dwarfed.
by a dull and thunderous detonation
of cannon from terrace Of the pal.
alec. The tonga ponies reared and
plunged. Ram Nath mastering them
with much difficulty. Sophia was
startled. and Amber himself stirred
uneaslly on his perch.
What now" he grumbled. You'd
think We were visitors OF state and
had to be durbMrred!"
Far up on the heights a second red
flame stabbed the night, and again
the thunder pealed. Thereafter gun
after gun beloved at imperative.
stately intervals.
Fifteen" Amber announced after
time. Isn't this something ex.
traordinary. Miss Farrell?"
Perhaps" she suggested, there's
native potentate arriving at the
northern gate. They're very pune
tilious about their salutes. you
know"
Another crash silenced her. Am.
Der continued to count. "Twenty-one,"
he said when It seemed that there was
to be no more cannonading. isn't
that royal salute?"
Yes" said the girl: -four more
guns than the Maharana Of Khanda.
war himself is entitled to-" Il
How do you explain IT."
Il don't" she replied simply. "Can
your"
He was dumb. Could It be possible
that this imperial greeting was In.