Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-10-26
With no other word Salig Singh
turned and strobe down the corridor.
CHAPTER XIV.
From a Hob Place.

The passageway was long and dark
and given to sudden curves n an
giles, penetrating, it seemed, the very
bowels of the Raj Mahal. 1t ended IN
expectedly in a low arch through
which the two men passed into an
open courtyard, apparently given over
entirely to stables. Despite the late
ness of the hour It was tenanted by
several wideawake syces, dancing at
tendance upon a pair of blooded stall
lions of the stud royal. who saddled,
bridled and hooded, paved ana
champed impatlently In the center OF
the yard, making It echo with the
ringing OF iron on stone and the jim
Cling Of their silver ~curb-chains.
Salig Singh paused. with a wave OF
his hand calling Amber's attention to
the superb brutes.
"Thou canst see. hazoor, that all is
prepared"
For what?"
But Salig Singh merely smiled eng
matically, and shaking a patient head,
passed on.
A second arch gave upon a corridor
which led upwards and presently
changed into a steep flight of steps,
Of ancient storm worn smooth u
grooved with the traffic Of generations
Of naked feet. At the top they turned
aside and passed through a heavy
door which Salig Singh unlocked with
a private key, into a vast, vacant
room, with a lofty ceiling supported
by huge, unwieldy pillars Of stone,
sculptured with all the loves and wars
of Hindu mythology. At n end the
ftful, eerie flare of a great bronze
brazier revealed the huge proportions
Of an ivory throne, gorgeous with
gems and cloth Of gold, standing upon
d dais and f1anked by two motionless
figures which at first sight Amber took
to be pieces Of statuary. But they
quickened, saluting with a single
movement and a flash of steel, as the
maharana drew nearer. and so proved
themselves troopers OF the state,
standing guard with naked swords.
There is no need, perhaps, to tell
thee, hazoor," Salig Singh muttered,
bending to Amber's ear, shat sitting
upon this throne, in this Hall Of Au-
dience, for generations thy forefathers
ruled this land, making and admins
tering its laws, melting out Justice,
honored of all men-and served, my
lord, for generations by my forebears,
the faithful stewards Of thy house;
ever as I would prove faithful"
Interesting" Amber interrupted,
brusquely, "if true. Is this what you
wanted to show me-"
NAY, hazoor, not this alone. Come"
The raiput led him out of the hall
by way of a small doorway behind the
throne, and after a little turning and
twisting through %tortuous passages
they began to ascend again, and sc
went on up. eve upwards. the fight OF
steps broken by other corridors, other
apartments, other galleries and gar
dens, until at length they emerged
into q garden laid out in the very top.
most court of all-the Hottest spot in
all Kuttarpur. VI
1t was a very beautiful garden, a
jungle Of exotic plants and shrubs
threaded by narrow walks that led
to secluded hooks and unsupported
pleasaunces, and lighted by low-swung
festoons of dim lamps, m~any-colored
my lord" said the maharana, paus
ing, "if thou wilt wait here for a little
permitting me to excuse myself"
"All right" Amber told him toler
antly. Run along.
Salig Singh quietly effaced himself
and the American watched him gt
with an inward chuckle. Il presume
I'll have to pay for my impudence il
the end" he thought; "but it's costing
Salig Singh a good deal to hold him
self In" He moved away from the els
tern, idling down a path in a direction
opposite that taken by Salig Singh.
An abrupt turn brought him to thu
outer wall, and he stopped to gaze
leaning upon the low marble balus
trade.
Amber turned away to rejoin Salt
Singh by the cistern. But the ralph
was not there; and, presently, anothe
path tempting him to unlawful explc
ration, he yielded and sauntered ain
lessly away. A sudden corner cloake,
with foliage brought him to a littl
open space, a patch Of lawn owe
which a canopy had been raised. Be
I meath this, q woman sat alone. Fl
halted, thunderstruck. Il
simultaneously, with a soft swis
Of d~raperies, a clash of jeweled brace
let's, dull and musical. and a flash G
~coruscating color, the stoo
B before him, young, slender, graceful
. CARRIED in indescribable sp~lendor-an
yelled.
q For the space Of three long breath
the Virginian hesitated, unspeakabl
v amazed. Though she were yelled,
d we're deep dishonor for a woman of
rajput's household to be seen by
8 stranger. 1t seemed inexplicable ths
Salig Singh should have unwittingl
left him in any place where he migf
encounter an inmate OF the zenan;
9 ~et the maharana must have know
y Amber made an ~irresolut
movement. as If to go. But 1t was ia
y late.
With a murmur, inaudible, and
swift, infinitely alluring gesture, til
woman swent the veil away from hs