The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-07-20
Q/Chy 81 LOLLS UOSEN EANxE
CHAPTER xIV-Continued.

The man, a small stunted Moham-
medan, sidled ~fearsomely over to the
spot indicated and waited there, cring-
ing and s~upplicating Amber with elo-
quent gestures. The Virginian watch
ed him closely until comforted by the
reflection that, had murder been the
object, he had been q dead a long
since. Then he put aside the revolver
and began to dress.
"Only Labertouche would have to
communicate with me by SUCH
stealth" he considered. Besides,
that reference to the Photograph
He slipped hurriedly into his cloth
ing and -ostentatiously dropped the
pistol into his right-hand coat-pocket.
I'm ready" he told the nan Lead
the way; and remember, If there's
any treachery afoot, you'll be the first
to suffer for 1t, Dulla Dad"
The Mohammedan bowed submits
sively. BE 1t SO, my lord" he said In
Hindi, and, moving noiselessly with
unshod feet, glided through the door
which opened upon the bund, Amber
close behind him.
In the water at their feet q light
boat was gently nosing the marble
bund. Dulla Dad, sQuatting, drew 1t
broadside to the steps and motioned
Amber to enter. The Virginian board
ed It gingerly, seating himself at the
stern. Dulla Dad dropped In forward
and pushed off. The boat moved out
upon the bosom Of the lake with
scarce a sound, and the native, grasp
ing a double-bladed paddle. dipped it
gently and sent the frail craft flying
onward with long, swift, and powerful
strokes, guiding it directly toward the
walls of the Raj Mahal.
Two-thirds Of the way across the
Virginian surrendered to his mistrust
and drew his pistol. "Dulla Dad" he
said gently; and tho man ceased pad
ding with a shudder- "Dulla Dad,
you're taking me to the palace"
Yea, hazoor; that is true" the ma
tive answered, his voice quavering.
"Who awaits me there? Answer
quickly"
"Hazoor, it is not wise to speak a
name upon the water, where voices
travel far"
"Dulla Dad!"
"HaZoOr, | may not say!"
The boat surged swiftly on, while
again and again Amber's finger trem-
bled on the trigger. Though already
the white cleaning walls lowered
above him, it vas not yet 100 late
not too late; but should he withdraw.
force Dulla Dad to return, he might
miss what?
He did nothing save resign himself
TO the issue. AS they drew nearer tho
moonlit walls he looke1 In vain for
sign Of a landing-stage, and wondered,
the lighted bund that he had seen
from over the water being invisible
to him round an angle of the build
ing, But Dulla Dad held on without
a pause until the moment when It
seemed that he intended TO dash the
boat bows first against the stone;
then, with a final deXtrous twist OF
the paddle, he swung at a sharp angle
and simultaneously checked the speed,
Under scant momentum they slid
from moonlight and the clean air OF
night into a close we'll between two
walls, and then suddenly beneath an
arch and into a %caVernous chamber
filed with the soft murmurings OF
rotar op1 uitb Iorlynocc
Here the air was sluggish and heavy
and rank with the odor of slime.
"HaZoor!"
1t was Dulla Dads voice, sleek with
fawning. For all the responsiveness OF
the accents, Amber was not sorry to
hear them. At least the native was
human and this experience
wasn't, hardly. . He leaned to
ward the man, eyes aching with the
futile strain of striving to penetrate
the blackness. He could see nothing