The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-10-05
CHAPTER XVII.
The Way TO Kathiapur.

ne way 70 kathi5Pur.
Gall and wormw0od in his mouth,
more bitter than remorse, Amber be-
came conscious. Or perhaps it we're
more truly to say that he struggled
out of unconsciousness, dragging his
ego back by main will-power from
the deep oblivion of drugged slumber.
One by one his faculties fought their
%ay past the barrier, until he was
fully sentient, save that his memory
drcws2d. His head was hot and heavy,
hie eyes burned in their sockets like
balls of live charcoal, a duled buz-
zius sounded in his ears, his very
heart felt sore and numb: he was as
o0e who wakes from evil dreams to
the b!ackness of forel.nown despair
Suddenly he raised himself upon
She charroy ana called hrskily for
the khansamah Promptly the squat
white figure that he remembered ap-
pcared in the doorway. Bring lights
Amber ordered, peremptorily. bring
Sights quickly-and water" And when
fhc man had returned with a lamp,
which he put on the table, Amber
ec;z0a the red oarthcnware water-jug
and drained it greedily Returning it,
empty, to the brown hands he mo-
stoned to the man TO wait, while he
consulted his watch, It had run down.
lie thrust it back into his pocket and
Inquired: whats o'clock?"
Eight in the evening, sahib."
Amber gaspcd and stared Eight
of the Let me think. Go and
bring me food and a brandy-pcg-
Bold on! Bring a bottle Of soda water
and a glass only"
The khansamah withdrew. Amber
fell back with his shoulders to the
wall and stared unwinking at the
faTnp. He distinctly remembered IN
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 a night
mare,
tie had bottle Of brandy which
had never been uncorked in bis trav-
cling kit. Rising he found it and in
spccted the cork narrowly to make
sure it had not been tempered with;
then he drew it.
The khansamah returned with the
glass and an unopened bottle OF
.Schweppe's, and prepared the drink
smder eyes that watched him narrow
iy. While Amber drank he laid a
place for him at the table. When he
left the room a second time the Vir-
gilman produced his automatic pistC1
and satisfied himself that it remained
loaded and in good working order.
I'm the course of a few minutes the
native reappeared 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 muzzle Of Amber's
weapon. and became apparently rigid
with terror.
"Sahib-,"
Make no outcry. dog, and tell me
10 lies, If you value your contemplate
life. Why did you drug meat whose
fnstance?"
''Sahlb, ="
Answer me quickly, son of viEers!'
by Dhola Baksh, hazoor, ! am in.
nocent! Another has done these
th;ngs-he who served you last night
belize, and whose place l have taken.
], Now the oaths Of India are many
ana various, so that a new specimen
need not he held wonderful. But Am
Der sat bolt upright his eyes widening
end his Jaw dropping. "Dhola-." he
said. and brought his teeth together
witt an audible click, staring at the
khansamah as If he were a recru
descence of prehistoric mammal. He
caught a motion of The head and q
wave of the hand toward the window
warning him that there might be al
eavesdropper lurking without, and
irose admirably to the emergency.
THAT is a lie. misbt gotten son Of