Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-10-26

Oh unmibUAKt6t9 TcbOlFoh ! WIN koI
nor do / think that there be any bare
to stop me"
He wheeled about prepared to fight
his way out of the palace. If need be.
indeed, 1t was in his mind that a death
there we're as easy as an hour after
sunrise; for he had little doubt but
that he was to die If he remained OBJ
durate, and the hospitality Of the rat
put would cease to protect him the
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 a
space until I have taken thought
l.. Thou knowest that II what
thou hast told me be the truth, then
am l widow before my time-widowed
and doomed"
"Doomed?"
"Ayei" And there was real terror
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 a man not of mine w
people, and l am d%ishonored. Fire
alone can cleanse me Of that defile-
ment-the pyre and the death by
fame!g
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 uns 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, a daughter of kings; my dis
honor may be purged only by flame.
Are! that l should live to meet with
such a fate-I, Naraini, to perish in
the flower of my beauty. For
1 am beautiful, am l 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 and
disappointment.
Thou art assuredly 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 up
quickly. rs there no mercy in thy
heart for me? . Who is this
woman across the scar who hath won
thy love2 :. Aye, even that l
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 it 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" he declared
vehemently, appalled, by her reversion
to that delusion. "Till 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 but with VIC
lence. He had been a strong man in
deed who had not been melted to ten
derness by her beauty and her dis
tress. She lifted her glorious face t.
him, pleading, insistent, and playef
upon him with her voice Of gold. Eye
a moment gone thou didst tell me
was greatly gifted with beauty. Hav'
I changed in thine eyes, o my king
Canst thou look upon this poor beaut
and hear me tell thee of my love-an
indeed / am thine, altogether thine
Lalii!--and harden thy heart agains
me? . What though it be as tho
hast said? What though thou art Of
truth not of the house of Rutton, no
yet a rajput? Let us say that this /
so, however hard it be to credit; evel
so, am l not reward enough for tn,
renunciation?"
81 know not thy meaning. Rance
L"
Come, then, and I will show thee
my king. Come thou with me.
Nay, why shouldst thou falter? Their
Is naught for thee to fear-save me.
She tugged at his hand and laughe
low, in a voice that sang like smitte
glasses. Come, beloved"
Unwillingly, he hundred her. Thi
L could uof 1oct long The won
: an half led, half dragged him to tn
northern boundary Of the garden
where they entered a little turre
: builded out from the walls w a
:, abyss fully three hundred feet |
1 depth. And here, standing upon tn
8 verge Of the p~arapet, with naught b1
a foot-high coping between her an
= the frightful fall, utterly fearless an
:, unutterably lovely, Naraini flung OF
a bare, jeweled arm in an eloQuel
\ gesture.