The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-10-26
CHAPTER XIII.
The Photograph.

That same night Amber dined at
the Residency, on the invitation OF
Raikes, the local representative Of
government, seconded by the insist
ence Of Colonel Farrell. It developed
that Sophia's telegram had somehow
been lost In transit, and FarrelTs sur
prise and pleasure at sight OF her were
tempered only by his keen apprecia-
tion Of Amber's adventitious services,
slight though they had been. He was
urged to stay the evening out, before
proceeding to his designated quarters,
and the reluctance with which he &C
ceded to this arrangement which
worker SO happily with his desires.
may be imagined.
Ease Of anxiety was more than
food and drink to Amber; his feeling
Of relief, to have conveyed Sophia to.
the company and protection q Anglo
Saxons like himself, was intsnse. Yet
he swallowed his preliminary brandy
peg In a distinctly uncomfUrtaDlc
frame OF mind, strangely troubled By
the reelection that round that lone
white table was gathered together the
known white population Of the state;
q census Of which accounted for Just
Eve souls.
Amber was relieved when at length
the meal was over, and Miss Farrell
having withdrawn in conformance with
inYiolable custom, the cloth was
deity Whisked away and cigars, ciga-
rettea, liquors, whisky and soda were
served
Amber took unto himself cigar
and utilized an observation Of the
POLITICIANS as lever to swing the con-
versatiOn to plane more likely to
inform him. Farrell had grumbIed
about the exactions Of his position as
particularly instanced by the necessi-
ty Of his attending tedious and tire
some native ceremonies In connection
with the tamasha.
What's, precisely, the nature Of
this tamasha, Colonel Farrell?''
Why. my dear young man, I
thought you knew. Isn't 1t what you
came to seer?
mo-" Amber admitted cautiously;
Il merely heard q rurnor that there
was something uncommon afoot. Is it
really anything worth while?''
Rather" Raikes interjected drily.
the present rulers abdicating in "a
vor of his son, a child OF twelve. That
puts the business in class by itself" "
But why should prince hand over
the reins Of government to a child
Of twelve? There must be some rea-
son for 1t. Isn't it known?' asked
Amber
Who can fathom Hindu's mind?"
grunted Farrell Il daresay there's
some scandalous native intrigue at
the bottom Of 1t. Eth, Raikes 2,
The Resident shook his head.
Don't come to this shop for informa-
ton about what goes on in Khanda-
war. doubt If there's another Resi-
dent In India who knows as little Of
the underhand devilment In his state
as do. His majesty the Rama loves
me as q cheetah loves his trainer.
He's an intractable rascal"
There have been number Of
deaths from cholera In the Palace late
", the grand vizier's amongst them.
White arsenic cholera?"
'1That, and the hemp poison kind"
Refractory vizierg' questioned Far
rel. ''The kind that wants to re-
trench and institute reforms rail-
ways and metalled roads and SO
forth7"
no; he was quite suited to bis
master. But the bazaar says Naraini
took dislike to him for one reason
or another"
@Naraini? Queried Amber.
THE genius Of the place" Raikes
bodied toward the Raj Mahal, shining
ike q pearl through the darkness on
be hillside over against the Resi-
ency. She's salig,s head queen. At
least that's about as near to her
atus as one can get. She's not actu-
ply his queen, but some sort Of q
eritage from the Rutton dynasty
ardly know what o. Why. saIig never