Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-09-06

OF znmistakaole resolve. = WIN go.
nor do think that there oe 6ny here
to stop me"
He wheeled about. prepared to fight
his way out of the palace, if need be
indeed. It was 4 : his mind that death
I there were as easy as AT hour afteI
sunrise; for he had little doubt but
that he was to die if he remained oh
durate, and the hospitality Of the raj
put would cease to protect him ths
moment he set foot upon the marble
bund OF his bungalow.
But the woman sprang after him
and caught his arm "Of thy pity"
! she begged, breathlessly. hold for
space until ] have taken thought
/ Thou knowest that If what
thou hast told me be the truth. Their
am widow before my time-widowed
and doomed"
"Doomed?"
"Aye!" And there was real terro
In her eyes and voice. Doomed to
sati. For since I am a widow-since
thou dost maintain thou art not my
husband-then my face hath been
looked upon by man not of mine own
people, and I am dishonored. Fire
alone can cleanse me of that defile-
ment-the pyre and the death by
flannel"
Good God, you don't mean that
Surely that custom has perished."
Thou shouldst know that it dieth
not. What to us women in whose
bodies runs the blood OF royalty. Is
an edict of your English government?
What the Sirkar itself to us in Khan
dawar?" She laughed bitterly. Il am
Rohilla, daughter of kings; my dis
honor may be putged only by flame.
Are! that ! should live to meet with
such fate-I. Naraini. to perish in
the flower of my beauty For
am beautiful. am not?" She dropped
the veil which instinctively she had
caught across her face. and met his
gaze with childish coQuetry, torn
though she seemed to be by fear aud
disappointment
Thou art nssuredly most beautiful
Rance" Amber told her, with a break
in his voice. very compassionate. And
he spoke simple truth. "Of thy
kind there is none more lovely in the
world ="
There was tenderness then In your
tone, my lord" she caught him "
quickly ''Is there no mercy in tay
heart for me7 Who Is this
woman across the seas who hath won
thy love? .. Aye. even that ]
know-that thou dost love this fair
daughter of the English. Didst thou
not lose the picture of her that was
taken with the magic box OF the sa
hibs? Is II for her sake that
thou dost deny me. o my husband?
Is she more fair than |, are her lips
more sweet?"
Il am not thy husband be declared
vehemently. appalled, by her reversion
to that delusion It'll this hour
have never seen thee: nor is the sa
hiba OF any concern TO thee Let me
go. please"
But she had him fast and he could
not have shaken her off bul with no
lence. He had been = strong man in
deed who had not been melted to ten
derness by her beauty and her dis
tress, She lifted her glorious .cce 10
him, pleading, insistent. ard played
upon him with her voice of gold Vet
a moment gone thou d1dst tell ne |
was greatly gifted with beauty. Have
changed in thine eyes. o my king?
Canst thou look upon this poor beauty
and hear me tell thee OF my love-Rnd
indeed l am thine, altogether thine,
Lalji!-and harden thy heart against
me? What though II be as thou
hast said? What though thou art Of
truth not of the house OF Rutton. nor
yet a rajput? Let us say that this is
so, however nard Il be to credit; even
so, am / not reward enough for thy
renunci9tioI7"
Il know not thy meaning. Rance.
T."
Come, then. and l VIII show thee
my king. Come thou with me.
Nay. why shouldst thou falter? There
is naught for thee to iear-saye me
She tugged at his hand and laughed
low. in a voice that sang like smitten
glasses Come, beloved"
Unwillingly. he humored her This
could not last long The WON
an half led, half dragged him to the
northern boundary of the garden,
where they entered a little turret
buiIded out from the walls over an
abyss fully three hundred feet IN
depth And here. standing upon the
verge of the parapet. with naught but
foot-high coping between her and
the frightful fall. utterly fearless and
mutteFably lovely. Naraini flung out
bare, jeweled arm in an eloquent
gesture.
fTO M f.ONrfNyTrpp1