Gilpin observer., 1911-11-30

els scintiilating cold Hrs In hopeless
emulation Of the radiance of her tear.
gemmed eyes.
"Naraini?" stammered Amber, re-
calling what he had heard of the WON.
an. "Narainii"
AYE, my lord, thy welded wife!"
The rounded little chin went up q
trife and her eyes cleaned ansrily.
Am no longer thy Naraini. then? ?
Or, wouldst thou deny that thou art
Har Dyal. my king and my beloved
Hast thou indeed forgotten the child
that was given thee for wife when thy
father reigned in Khandawar, and thou
vert but boy-a boy Of ten, the Ma.
haraj Har Dyal? Hast thou forgot
ten the little maid they brought thee
from the north, Lalji-the maiden who
had grown to womanhood ere thy re.
turn from thy travels to take up thy
fathers crown? Ale! Thou
canst never forget, beloved: though
years and the multitude Of faces have
come between US ~ . veil, thou dost
remember-even a. thou didst remem-
ber when the message Of the Bell
came to thee across the great black
waters. and thou didSt learn that the
days of thy exile were numbered, that
the hour approached when again thou
shouldst sit in the place of thy fathers
it."
A denial stuck in Amber's throat.
The words would not come, nor would
they, he believed, have served his
purpose could he have commanded
them. II he had found no argument
wherewith to persuade Salig Singh,
he found none wherewith to refute the
claim Of this golden-faced woman who
recognized him for her husband. He
was wholly dismayed and aghast. But
while he fingered in indecision, star
ing in the woman's face. her look of
petulance was replaced by one Of di-
vine forgiveness and compassion. And
she gave him no time to think or to
avoid her; in a twinkling she had
thrown herself upon him again. was in
his arms and crushing her lips upon
his.
NAY" she murmured, but ! did
wrong thee. beloved! Perchance." she
told him, archly, thou didst not think
to see me SO soon. or in this garden
Perchance surprise hath robbed thee
of thy wits-and thy tongue as well,
o wordless one? Or thou art over
come with Joy, as I am overcome. and
smitten dumb by 1t, as l am not
Aho, Lalji. was ever woman at loss
for words to voice her happiness?"
And nesting to him she laughed quiet
ly. with note as tender and sweet
as the cooling of a wood-dove to its
mate.
May, but there Is mistake" He
recovered the power of speech tardiiy.
and would have put her from him; {;
but she held tight to him. Il am not
thy husband, nor yet rajput. l come
from America, the far land where thy
husband died. Nay, 1t doth
pain me to hurt thee so. Rance, but
the mistake is not of my making. and
1t hath been carried too far. Thy hus.
band died in my presence"
"It is SO, them" she cut him short.
And his arms were suddenly empty,
to his huge relief. Indeed, they had
warned me that thou wouldst tell this
story and deny newly, l know not.
unless 1t be that thou art unworthy of
thy lineage, a coward and a weak
ling!" Her small foot stamped angri-
ly and on every limb of her round
body bracelets and anklets clashed
and shimmered. And SO thou hast
returned only to forswear me and thy
kingdom. o thou Of little spirit!" The
scarlet lips curled and the eyes grew
cold and hard with contempt. III that
be so. tell me, why hast thou returned
at all? To die? For that thou must
surely come to, II 1t be in thy mind
to defy the behests Of the Voice, thou
king without kingdom. :.
Why. then, art thou here, rather than
running to hide in some far place.
thinking to escape with thy worthless
life-worthless even to thee. who
art too craven to make a mans use Of
it-from the Vengeance of the Body?
Dost think l am to be tricked
and hoodwinked. in whose heart
many weary years?"
II neither think. nor know. nor
greatly care, Rance" Amber inter.
posed. wearily. Doubtless l deserve
thine anger and scorn, since I am not
he who thou wouldst have me be. II
death must be my portion for this of.
fense. for that I resemble Har Dyal
Rutton then 1t is written that
I am to die. My business here in
Khandawar hath concern neither with
thee, nor with the state. nor yet with
the Gateway OF Swords-of the very
name of which I am weary.
Now" with his mouth settled in lines
OF unmistakable resolve. II will go;
nor do l think that there be any here
to stop me-"
He wheeled about. prepared to fight
his way out OF the palace, II need be.