The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-08-31

/
down upon the world like blanket
of darkness, at the moment that the
final relay Of ponies was being hitch
ed In. %
with fresh ponies the tonga took
the road with Wild initial rush
soon to be moderated, when 1t began
Ito climb the last steep grade TO the
pass that gives access TO Kuttarpur
from the south. For an hour the ROAD
toiled up and ever upward; steep
| cliffs Of rock crowded It, threatening
to push 1t over into black abysses, or
to choke. it off between towering.
formidable walls It swerved sud
[denly into broad, clear, space. The
tonga paused. Voluntarily Ram Nath
spoke for almost the first time since
morning s.
.Kuttarpur.".. he. said. with q wave
OF bis whip.
Aioof, austere apd naughty, the CITY
Of Swords sits in she mouth Of q RAJ
vine so narrow THAI 8 wall no moro
than. 100 yards IL langth Is sufficient
to seal its southezsy approach. Be-
meath this wall. to enc side Of the.
city gate, river ftyws 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 worf6. White. all
white, from the. lake st1a* waahes its
lowest walls to the c-eaellated rim
Of it's highest roof, It sweeps upward
in breath-taking steps and wide ter
races to the crest Of the western hin,
| into which 1t burrows, fro91 which H
springs; a vast enigma prcpounded
hin white marble without 8 aote OF
color save where the foliage Of hid
den garden over the edge OF .
/ jealous scrx hundred imposing
/ mansions merged into oSis monstrous
and imperial maze.
| But for a moment were they per
mitted to gaze in wondernens; Ram
Nath had little patience. When he
chose to, he applied his whip, and the
ponies stretched out, the tonga piung-
Ing on THAR heels down the steep hill
side, like an -ungoVerned, ungoYern'
able thing, maddened. Within guar.
ter Of in hour they were careering
through the city Of tents on the park
ed plain before the southern wall. In
| five min ltes more they drew up at the
main CITY gate 20 parley with the
/ Quarter Guard.
! Here they suffered as exasperatfng
delay 1t appeared taat the gates
were shut at sundown, In Differences
| to custom immemorial Between that
/ hour and sunrise more were permitted
Ito pass either In or oat, without the
express sanction Of tie State. The
commander of the Gasard Instituted
i an impudent catechisnn, 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 trooper was sent to advise the
/ travellers that the tonga would be-
| permitted to enter-Mith the updsTss
standing -that-sthe 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 dWarfeds
by dull and thunderous defamation
of cannon from a terrace OF the pal
alec. The tonga ponies reared and!
Iplunsed, Ram Nath mastering them
with much difficulty Sophia was
startled, and Amber himself stirred
Euneasily on his perch.
What now?' he grunSisd. .You'd
think we were visitors 81 state and
had to be durbarred!"
Far up on the heights second red
/ fame stabbed the night md again
the thunder pealed. Tkassafter gun,
after gun beloved at imperative,
! stately intervals.
fsIfeen, AMBER annos1,ced after
1 i TINE. ISM tiisz@soassthing exs
traordinary. I MISS Farrelis
sPerhaps.' she suggeste.4 there's
q native potentate arriving at the
northern gate. They're very pune
tilious about their sa.utes, you
know" 81 49, = sa2 & q
Another crash silenced her. Am.
Der continued to count. Twenty one.
he said when Il seemed that there waa
| to be no more cannenading. isn't
that a royal. sainte?"
yes, said The girl; -four more
guns than the Maharana Of Khandat
war himself Is entitled to-" s
ssrr<-v - 49, o,,y,iat, AZ 9ss IL 49,