The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-08-03

ne Is like a rajput; he kisses as a man
kisses"
The east was gray with dusk Of
dawn-a light that grew apace, ma
king garish the illumination Of the
Pickering. smoking, m~any-colored
lamps in h e'garden. Naraini clapped
her hands. Soft footsteps sounded in
the gallery and one of her landmarks
threaded the shrubbery to her side.
The lamps, linda" said the queen;
their light, l think. little becomes me.
Put them out" And when this was
done, she ~composedly ordered her pipe
ed threw herself lazily at length
upon a pile Of kincob cushions, her
posture the more careless since she
knew herself secure from observation;
the garden being private to her use.
The tread Of boots with juggling
spurs sounded in the gallery, warning
her. She sighed, smiled dangerously
to herself. and carelessly adjusted her
veil, leaving rather more than half her
face bare. Salig Singh entered the
garden and found his way to her. tow
ering over her beneath the canopy,
brave In his green and tinsel uniform.
She looked up with a %listless hauteur
that expressed attitude toward the
man.
"Achcha!" she said. sharply. Thou
art tardy. heaven. born. Yet have I
waited for thee this half hour gone,
heavy with sleep though l be-waited
to know the pleasure OF my lord"
There was a mockery but family
disguised In her tone. The maharana
seemed to find It not unpleasant, for
he smiled grimly beneath his mus
tache.
There WAS work to be done" he
said ~briefly-"for the cause. And thou
how has thou wrought, o Breaker OF
Hearts?"
The woman olssped her hands be-
hind her head. Am I not Narainif"
The man Is ours7"
Nine" she corrected amiably. His
face darkeped with a soowl of 1eal-
ousy and she laughed in open derision.
Were Naraint gould 7 not divine
the heart Of q MANI"
by what meansY"
What Is that to thee. o heaven
bornT" She snuggled her body com.
plaoently into the luxurious pile Of
cushions. III I have accomplished the
task thou didst set for me, what con-
Germ hast thou with the mean l did
employ? Thou art only Sally Singh.
maharana Of Khandawar, but I am
Naraini, q free woman"
Thou" Rage choked the rajput
Thou he sputtered-"thou art"
Softly, ~heaven-born, softly-lsst I
loose a thunderbolt for thy dsstruo-
ton. Is 1t wise to forget that Naraini
holds thy fate In the hollow Of her
hands?" She sat forward, speaking
swiftly and with malice. Thou art
pledged to produce Har Dyal Rutton
in the Hall Of the Bell before another
sunrise, and none but Naraini knows
TO what a perilous resort thou art
driven to redeem thy word"
Il was lied TO-" he argued sullenly.
"A false tale was brought me-by one
who hath repented of his error! II I
was told that Har Dyal Rutton would
be In India upon such-and-such q day,
am I to blame that l did promise to
bring him to the Gateway"
And seeing that the man is dead.
art thou to blame for bringing In his
place a substitute, even 80 poor a
changeling as this man Amber2 Nay,
be not angry; do l blame thee? Have
I done aught but serve thee to the end
thou lost desire9 Thou
shouldst be grateful to me, rather
than menace me with thine anger.
And" she added, sweetly, 1T
were we'll for thee that thou shouldst
bear always In mind my intimacy with
thy secret. II thou art king, then !
am more than queen, In Khandawar."
Il am not angry. Naraini." he told
her humbly, but mad with love for
thee"
And lust, my lord. for-power." she
~interpolated.
But II what thou has said be
true"
"'Who lies to the king, Ia already a
dead man Why should I trouble to
uCNcIFc IhSc, HOdNcA-Uolh tcii
thee, the man Is won. The day shall
declare It; this night will he ride with
me to Kathiapur. Why didst thou not
tarry to e~avesdrop? Indeed thou hast
lost an opportunity that may never a
second time be thlne-to learn OF the
wiles of a woman"
There was work to be done" he re-
peated. Il went to take measures
against thy failure"
20 thou of little faithl"
NAY, why should l neglect proper
precautions? Whether thy confidence
be justified or not, this night will Har
Syal Rutton-or one like him-endure
the ordeal of the Gateway"
80 | have told thee" she assented
equally. He Will come, becaues
Naraini bids him"
1T may be so. II not, another lure
shall draw him.
She started with annoyance. Tho
Englishwoman OF the picture?"
Have I named herr" He lifted his
heavy hroua In afYactad surprisa