The Raymer enterprise., 1911-10-26
CHAPTER XVII.
The Way to kathiapur,

Gall and wormwood In his mouth,
more bitter than remorse. Amber be.
came conscious. Or perhaps It were
more truly to say that he struggled
out OF unconsclousness. dragging his
ego back by main will.power from
the deep oblivion OF drugged slumber
One by one his faculties fought their
way past the barrier, until he was
fully sentient, save that his memory
drowsed. His head was hot and heavy,
his eyes burned In their sockets like
balls Of live charcoal. n dulled buz.
zing sounded In his ears. his very
heart felt sore and numb he was as
one who wakes from evil dreams TO
the blackness OF foreknown despair.
Suddenly he raised himself upon
the charroy and called huskily for
the khansamah. Promptly the squat
white figure that he remembered ap,
peared in the doorway. Bring lights.
Amber ordered. peremptorily. Bring
lights quiCkly-and water" And when
the man had returned with a lamp.
which he put on the table. Amber
seized the red earthenware Watering
and drained II greedily. Returning 1t.
empty, to the brown hands, he mo.
toned TO the man to wait, while he
consulted his watch. 1t had run down.
He thrust It back into his pocket and
inquired; Whats o'clock"
Eight IN the evening. sahib"
Amber gasped and stared. Eight
OF the Let me think. Go and
bring me food and brandy-peg-or
hold on! Bring bottle OF soda water
and glass only"
The khansamah withdrew. Amber
fell back with his shoulders TO the
wall and stared unwinking at tie
lamp. He distinctly remembered un.
dressing before going to bed: he now
found himself fully clothed He felt
OF his pocket. and found the emerald
ring there. instead OF in its ChamoIs
case. Then It had not been n night
mare,
He had bottle Of brandy which
had never been uncorked. In his trav.
cling kit Rising. he found It and In.
spected the cork narrowly to make
sure It had not been tampered with;
then he drew IL
The khansamah returned with the
glass and an unopened bottle OF
Schweppc's. and prepared the drink
under eyes that watched him narrow
ly. While Amber drank he laid n
place for him at the table. When he
left the room second time the Vir.
Einlan produced his automatic pistol
md satisfied himself that Il remained
loaded and in good working order
In the course Of few minutes the
native rcappcared with a tray Of food
and pot of coffee. These arranged.
he stood by the chair, ready to serve
the guest Then he found himself
looking into the muzzlc OF Ambers
weapon, and became apparently rigid
with terror,
"Sahlb-!"
Make no OutCry. dog and tell me
no lies. II you value your contemplate
life. Why did you drug meat whose
instance"
"Sahibl ="
Answer me quickly. son OF vIpers!"
by Dhola Baksh. hazoor. am In.
nocent! Another has done these
things-he who served you last night.
belize. and whose place have taken"
Now the oaths OF India are many
and various. so that new specimen
need not be held wonderful. But Am.
Der sat bolt upright, his eyes widening
and his Jaw dropping. "Dhola-," he
said. and brought his teeth together
with an audible click, staring at the
khansamah as II ho were q rcctu.
descence Of prehistoric mammal lie
caught motion OF the head and q
wave OF the hand toward the window.
warning him that there might be an
lurking without. and
rose admirably to the emergency.
"Tha, is q lie. misbegotten son OF