Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-10-05

IL VIII Dreak out aIr61n- Iou muss
believe mel know
Night overlook the tonga when Il
was close upon Kuttarpur. swooping
down upon the world like a blanket
of darkness, a. the moment that the
final relay of ponies wss being hitch
ed in.
With fresh ponies the tonga took
the road with a wild initial rush
soon to be moderated, when it began
to 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 it over into black abysses, or
to choke it off between towering,
formidable walls. 1t swerved sud
denly into a broad, clear space. The
tonga paused. Voluntarily Ram Nath
spoke for almost the first time since
morning.
"Kuttarpur," he said, with a wave
of his whip.
Aloof, austere and naughty, the City
OF Swords sits In the mouth of a ra-
vine so narrow that a wall no more
than 100 yards in length is sufficient
to seal its southerly approach. Be-
meath this wall, to one side of the
city gate, a river flows 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 world. White, all
white, from the lake that washes its
lowest walls to the crenellated rim
of its highest roof, It sweeps upward
in breath-taking steps and wide ter
races to the crest of the western hill,
into which 1t burrows, from which 1t
springs; a vast enigma ~propounded
in white marble without a note Of
color saw where the foliage Of a hid
den garden peeps over the edge Of q
jealous screen-a hundred imposing
mansions merged into one monstrous
and imperial maze.
But for a moment were they per.
mitted to gaze In wonderment; Ram
Nath had little patience. When he
chose to, he applied his whip, and the
ponies stretched out, the tonga plung-
ing on their heels down the steep hill
side, like an ungoverned, ungovern'
able thing, maddened. Within a quar-.
ter of an hour they were careering
through the city of tents on the park
ed plain before the southern wall. In
five minutes more they drew up at the
main city gate to parley with the
Quarter Guard.
Here they suffered an exasperating
delay. 1t appeared that the gates
were shut at shutdown, in Difference
to custom immemorial. Between that
hour and sunrise none were permitted
to pass either In or out without the
express sanction of the State. The
commander Of the guard instituted
an impudent catechism, 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 a trooper was sent to advise the
travellers that the tonga would be
permitted to enter with the under
standing that the unaccredited Eng
lishman (meaning AMBER would con
sent to lodge for the night in no othe1
spot than the State ~resthouse beyont
the northern limits of the city.
Abruptly the peace of the night wal
shattered, and the hum Of the en-
campment behind them with the roal
of the city before them was dwarfed
by a dull and thunderous d~etonatior
of cannon from a terrace Of the pal
alec. The tonga ponies reared and
plunged, Ram Nath mastering them
with much difficulty. Sophia was
startled, and Amber himself stirred
uneasily On his perch.
What now?" he grumbled. You'd
think we were visitors Of state and
had to be durbarred!"
Far up on the heights a second red
flame stabbed the night, and AGAR
the thunder pealed. Thereafter CUR
after gun beloved at imperative
stately intervals.
Fifteen" Amber announced afteI
a time. isn't this something ex
traordinary, Miss F~arrell?"
Perhaps" she suggested, there's
a native ~potentate arriving at thu
northern gate. They're very pune
tilious about their s%alutes. yor
know"
Another crash silenced her. Am
Der continued to count. "Twenty-one,'
he said when it seemed that there was
to be no more ca%nnonading. ISM
that a royal salute?"
yes" said the girl; -four mor'
guns than the Maharana of Khanda
war himself Is entitled to-"
How do you explain it?"
II don't" she replied simply, Gar
you"
He was dumb. Could 1t be possible
that this imperial greeting was In
tended for the man supposed to b.
the Maharana of Khandawar-Hal
Dyal Rutton? He glanced sharply a
the girl, but her face was Swallowed
and he believed she suspected moth
ing.
A great hush had fallen. replacing
the rolling thunder of the state ord
nance. Even the voice of the cit
seemed moderate. subdued. In 81
lence the massive gates studded will
sharptoothed elephant-spikes swung
open.
With a grunt. Ram Nath cracked
his whiplash and the tonga sped int