Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1911-08-17
CHAPTER XIV.
Over the Water.

Ram Nath, patient and impassive
as ever, had the tonga waiting for
Amber before the Residency. Ex-
allied beyond words. the American per-
mitted himself to be driven on
through Kuttarpur's intricate network
OF streets and backways, toward des-
tinatlon Of which he knew as little as
he cared. He was a guest OF the state
officially domiciled at the designated
house Of hospitality; without especial
permission. obtained through the eff
forts of the Resident, he could sleep
in no other spot in the city or its
Durlieus. He was Indifferent, abso-
lutely; the matter interested him as
scantily-which is to say not at all
as did the fact that an escort OF troop
-ers of the state, very we'll ACQUIRED
and disciplined, followed the tonga
with a great jangling Of steel and tu-
multi of hoofs.
Alighting in the compound, Amber
-disbursed a few rupees to the troop
ers, paid OF Ram Nath-who was
swift to drive of city-wards. In mad
haste lest the gates be shut upon
him for the highland entered the
bungalow. An aged, talkative, and
amiable khansamah met him at the
threshold with expressions Of exagger-
ated respect, no doubt genuine enough.
and followed him, mumbling shadow,
as the Virginian made a brief round
of inspection.
Standing between the road and the
water, the resthouse proved to be
moderately spacious and clean; on the
lake front 1t opened upon a marble
bund, or landing stage, its lip Tapped
by whispering ripples Of the lake.
Amber went out upon this to discover,
separated from him by little more
than half a mile of black water, the
ghostly white wall Of the Raj Mahal
climbing in dim majesty to the stars.
The Virglnian remained long in
rapt wondering contemplation OF It,
until the wind blowing across the wa
tiers had chilled him to the point Of
shivering; when he turned indoors to
his bed But he was to have little rest
that night. The khansamah who at
tended him had hardly turned low
his light when Amber was disturbed
by the noise of an angry alteration
in the compound. He arose and in
dressing gown and slippers went to In
vestigate. and found Ram Nath in
violent dispute with the sergeant Of
the escort-which. It appeared. had
builded a fire and camped round It in
the compound: a circumstance which
furnished food for thought.
Amber began to suspect that the
troops had been furnished as q guard
less Of honor than Of espionage, less
in formal courtesy than in demonstra-
tion Of the unsleeping vigilance Of
the Eye-kindly assisted by the Ma
harana Of Khandawar.
A man who, warmed by the ardor Of
his first love, feels suddenly the shad-
Iow death falling cold upon him, is
apt 10 neglect nothing. Amber con-
tsidered that he had given Ram Nath
no commission Of any sort, and bent
an attentive ear to the communication
which the tonga-wallah insisted upon
making to him.
Ram Nath had returned, he asserted,
solely for the purpose Of informing |
Amber in accordance with his desires.
1.-THE telegraph ONCE for which you
enquired. sahib. stands Just within the
Gateway Of the Elephants" he an
nounced. The telegraph-babu win be
on duty very early in the morning,
should you desire still to send the
message"
"Oh, yes" said Amber indinerently.
-Td forgotten. Thanks"
He returned to his charpoy with
spirits considerably higher. Ram Nath
had not winked this time. but the feet
was indIsputable that Amber had not
expressed any interest whatever IN
the location Of the telegraph once.
Wondering II the tslsgraph-babu By
any chance wore pink satin, be dosed
OF on the decision that be would ned
. Sud msnsagS thS ar1t thing b
- mol1inE !