Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-01

other in the woodland sepulcher. Over
head f1tfui series OF squeaks. petulant
and evil. disturbed their solitude. David.
looking up into the sunlight, saw the BAN
yam top shining leathery brown aloft.
What. from the lake. he had taken for
dead leaves on a blasted tree. was q sleep
ing multitude OF flying foxes. that hung
head downward in ponderous hanks and
bundles. 1t was strange to see. against
| the blue sky. pinnacle Of arborescence
that was not vegetable but animal.
They won. overhear u.s." The sultan
glanced up at the giant bats with q smile.
| then, lowering his eyes. regarded soberly
the mound below the banyan pillars.
"And can trust you. So here's my Sc
cret." He pointed at the grave. What
do you see there?"
The burial place was ancient. for even
In that profound shelter its contour
showed sunken. worn by the attrition of
years Midway a slight convexity
heaved the moss-the outline of a round
stone, like a buckler smoothly covered
| with green velvet.
"A stone" replied David.
The sultan nodded his fez
"A stone" he echoed. THAT stone is
| written upon, like the Batu Tulis but not
| with the cursed inscription of idolaters.
1t lies above my great ancestor Sri Rama
Vicrama, called the Sultan Muda, who
held the world on his knees; king of an
old country under the wind as we say.
this land, with Raden Patah, many life
| times ago."
He paused. A flying fox. jostled from
| its high dormitory. fell with a snarling
cry. caught some lower branch and
swayed to rest in a subsiding fiutter
Every third year. on this day at sun
| rise. his descendant comes to the island
and turns the stone. No matter from
how far. The moss will be dead. you see,
from the under side and withered. So
| all men living by this lake, when they
| look on the bare face OF the stone may
live and remember. and that the true sui
tan has come at his appointed time
| The speakers face glowed with sember
pride.
For In their hearts," he added. "se-
cretly, in their hearts. I am their true
| sultan"
The flying foxes overhead measured an
a fainter rrstling among the high leaves.
When young Rama spoke his voice trem-
bled with rising anger.
! Not one OF them would speak OF me
outside. Not one, Bowman. They all
know I am here and they are glad. But
! this thief of yours" He broke off in
! contempt stable talk is easily over
heard. And now. II your thief goes to the
lang. master Of concubines. who calls
| himself the Nail Of the Universe-chiss!'
Rama shook his head bitterly. 1.-THE devil
to pay, then!-our little play-actor. the re-
gent, faring up among his women here
complaints. kilograms; Dutch resident
arriving in all his glory. to play he's dis
covered plots and rebellions- Oh. damn
them
David would have spoken.
mo, no." continued the sultan. more
calmly. ITS not your fault, Bowman.
But you see your stable parrot can make
Ga m hap n
| you call it?-on the sly"
He considered for q moment. dismissed
the matter with wave OF the hand, ana
fixed his eyes once more upon the grave
| and its green velvet pail
| WELL" he said. TRANQUILITY, mere ID the
stone to be turned"
| He stopped for an obeisance. brief but
reverent. Then. removing from a. hollow
frangipani blossoms. he knelt. and began.
with slim, strong fingers, to feel for the
circumference of the stone. singular
change crossed his features. He sat up
right rigid from knee to fez.
..Bowman! What dog The green
light and shade. pickering in the banyan
chapel, shifted curiously on face gray
and still with wrath. What dog has"
Again he choked do you see? The
stone has been--aiready: Before me-be-
David though chaffng to be gone, had
stood by, with no choice but to watch
The sultan's cry, and that strange look
OF petrifed anger. now brought him
quickly beside the mound.
Circling the green buckler OF the I'M
bedded stone ran q tawny line drawn tn
fresh earth. q crack no wider than
thread.
What devil did this?" whispered the
sultan to himself. furiously. Furiously
bending, he thrust his fingers into the
cracked moss and pried. The red earth
CAPPED. Rama caught a fresh grip. heaved.
tugged at full stretch What devil
The heavy stone, in shape double con.
vex. tilted and fell clear Of its socket. dis
CLOSING an under surface bare and brown.
chiseled with writing either In Arabic or