Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-04
CHAPTER XIII-Continued.

A sultan's guest in a paradise, he might
not enjoy these things He waited, s1nok-
ing. more gloomy than a bankrupt He
had failed In his mission: he fingered
here alone. as far from its purpose as
when, on that morning in the banca he
lad first opened the silver locket; he sat
a prisoner to hospitality. bound hy the
whims of this arbitrary friend. this petted
monarch, who was in no hurry. Worst
of all, thought David. even while he
fumed he liked the man
Thus detected he was listening without
comfort to the song of the beilbrd. when
up beside his veranda bohhed a neat lit
tie piebald turhan and a keen. htl"
swarthy face, with twinlllinG ewes. in
qnisitive and friendly. like d mongooS'
peering over a threshold.
"Sidin.' cried the Young man. with d
start of surprise that wa almost nope.
"Sidin!''
1t was no other. The small chamber
lain from the mountain top, smiling, COM
petent. very much alive and awake. hade
him, good morning The man stu Wore
at his waist the kriss of her faitheSS
coachman. He carried himself like one
who enjoys Importance.
Whats happened. Sdin? Are YOU here
alone"
Alone. Tuan.' sidin fumbed in the
folds of his red sash Il bring the lady )
message. paper writing.
He pulled out folded sheet of thin
Dutch paper David read his own name,
written in a hand which he had never
seen before and was never to forget.
The other words inside were set to music
for all time. accompanied. tWined beyond
eXtrcation. with that song pouring from
the high trees:
Dear Mr. Bowman: You will under
stand why ! was selfish Yesterday
morning as to send YOU into danger.
did not think. Every scrap from Gerald
is precious to me and | wanted that one
have been dreading and hoping to hear
once more from him. Please forgive me
Mrs. IIemmes and her husband APP
peared hcre-cOntrary to our planS-and
have persuaded me to turn hack for a
week or TWO At their CinchOnd plantation.
Batu Blah. 1t is beyond the upper fork
OF the Arvana road, on the right-hand
branch. They both join me in hoping
that YOU will be able to come up and see
lis. We arrive there this evening. Sin
cerely YOURS MARY ARNOT
Your boy Sidin is Invaluable lie
brought me here to the station quite
safely, went back TO discover your where
ahouts and reports that YOU are in en-
cellent hands.
Sidn appeared to be smiling. but inof
fensively. downward al his own toes.
| Where is she? What did she tell YOU?
The messenger looked up in all due
gravity.
II do not know. Tuau She comes.
Gated the village gates, the village walls
IF woven gold, the serried bamboo and
plantain sreenerN and the lowlands hid
den beyond them She will come this
evening. my lord"
| More questions brought forth no more
details. The lady would he among the
hills by nightfall Sdin could project his
mind no farther; he had PLAYED his
meager part. spoken his few lines. and
yet. when ciinking a handful of silver
| . de- he "A q
and went singing up the mountain, he
left behind him a whole scene trans
| formed. The green twilight was at once
brighter and cooler. The women fitting
| in gay kabaias from door to door, like
birds of party-coored feather: the under
! tone Of gossip from shady rooms and
| Towering alleys: the laughter OF children:
| the click -clack Of looms. the grinding
| thump of rice peStle; the sour puneenCy
| from betel nuts sweating in d hidden
! StOrehouse-all these became parts of
something different and happier than be
fore David saw, and heard, and smeIled.
and behold il was good. He forgot his
worries of last night. Mary was coming
back. Whatever had unsWcetened the
world it was gone. The very cheroot he
smoked had suddenly got flavor above
tobacco grown on planetary soil
| Where does old Rama buy these" He
watched the smoke in lazy delight.
They're wonderful
Into this propitious mood broke the
voice of the sultan himself.
| What do You Sa~ to swim In his
! plain Arab dress Of Yesterday Sir Rama
stood before him unattended. Better
than lounsing among women"
/ swim. David upset his rattan stool
and vaulted down from his Nerauda like a
! schOoboy invited to play truant. 'Bulfy.
! WhereH'
! The Young monarch smiled in rather
sad approval
! How fun Of energy you chaps are
! he unused: then, gls:.:.ng disconSoiateIy
! round the desSa Women. these women,
always the same everywhere, It's like
! Stufting Sugared amondS all day. You're
| better company than that she-tdilor.
| Iasan. Here. Armat' Follow US
| Through a sliding lattice wicket the
back gate of the village. they stepped at
once into towering jungle an abrupt chute
OF Ia ndsCape. cataract of sunlight and
! billoUing green. StaS-horn ferns, banks
! of white paschal lilies. surScd waist high
about them and from many a branch. in
many hue. great orchids danglcd until
the skyUard vista seemed like all i'm
menso dollhouse tilted upon end
! To the Chnamans. Anat. Guide lIs.
! \ little path. half hidden. assembled in
! loops and smothered wlIirls. I'p these
| the hillman went skipping like goat
| David and the sultan followed at leisure