Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-09-28
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wink deliberately 1t AmDsT the
while he broadly sketched for him bis
ancestry and the manner Of bis life
a. home and abroad.
Thunderstruck, Amber caught him
self Just as he was on the point OF at
tempting to drag the driver from bis
seat and beat him into a more endur-
able frame of mind. He swallowed
the hint and gave up the contest.
"Oh, very we'll" he conceded. ="
presume you're trying to say there
isn't another tonga to be had and it
can't be helped; but I don't like your
tone. However, there doesn't seem
to be anything to do but take you.
How much for the two of u.s."
Your servant, sahib? He cannot
ride in this tonga" asserted the drlV'
er i.npressively.
HE can't. Why not?"
"You can see there is room for but
two, and l have yet another passen-
ger" q.
"Where?r
"At the first dak-bungalow, sahlo'
where the mail tonga broke down last
night. This tonga, which / say Is an
excellent tonga, an aram tonga, a ton
ga for ease. is sent to take its place.
More than this. l am hidden to go IN
haste; therefore there Is little lime
for you to decide whether or n you
will go with me alone. AS for your
servant, he can follow by this alter
moons mall tonga"
Upon this ultimatum he stood, I'M
movable; neither threats nor bribery
availed. 1t was an order, he said; ne
had no choice other than to OBEY.
Shabash! Would the sahib be
pleased to make up his mind quickly
Perforce, the sahib yielded, It'll
be Labertouche; he's arranged this,
he told himself. That loafer said
he'd gone on ahead of US" And
comforted he issued his orders to
Doggott, who received and acceded
to them with all the ill-grace imagin-
able. He was to remain and follow to
Kuttarpur by the afternoons tonga
Climbing aboard, the Virginian set
tied himself against the endless dis
comforts Of the ride which he fore
saw; the tonga was anything but ar
aram tonga-a tonga for ease" there
was no shade and no breeze, ant
the face Of the land crawled will
heat-bred haze.
To a crisp cracking Of the whip
lash over the backs OF the two sturdy
shaggy, f1ea-bitten ponies, the tongf
swept away from the station, swift
as a hunted fox with a dusty plume.
Amber leaned forward, watching
the drivers face. Your name, tonga
wallah?" he enquired.
Ram Nath, sahib." The man spok'
without moving his head, attend!nl
diligently to the management of hi
ponies.
"And this other passenger, VIII
awaits us at the dak-bungalow, Ran
Mathis he, perchance, n know
both to you and to me?"
Ram Nath flcked the faggin
ponies. How should l know he re
turned brusquely,
"One," persisted Amber, "wh
might be known by such a name al
say, Pink SATIN"
What manner Of talk is thls?" d.
manded Ram Nath. Il am no chill
to be amused by a riddle. l kno'
naught Of your Pink Satin" II
bent forward, shortening his gras
upon the reins, as If to signify thi
the interview was at an end,
Amber sat back, annoyed by Il
fellows impudence yet sensitive to
suspicion that Ram Nath was playir
his part better than his passenge
that the rebuke was mer1ted by oil
who had ventlired to speak of seer
things in a land whose very ston'
have ears. For all that he could So
their every move was watched by i
visible spies, of whom the roc
strewn waste through which the
sped might we'll harbor a hide
legion. But perhaps, aft
to all, Ram Nath had nothing whatev'
ar to do with Labertouche. Undeniab
at as had been his wink, 1t might we
at have been nothing more than an IL
'tt %pertinence.
OF Meanwhile the tonga rocked al
bounded fendishly over an infamo'
IN parody Of a road, turning and twi:
ing between huge boulders and in al
let out of pebbly nullahs, Ram Nath to-
en- ing 1t along with the hand of a ms
he ter. But all his attention was Of
ng cessity centered upon the ponies. a.
ed presently his tulwar slipped from /
at knees and clattered upon the floor
IN, the tonga. Amber saw his chance a
phi put his foot upon 1t.
nd Ram Nath," he asked gently, "ha
or you no other arms%
81 were a fool had l not" The m
ed did not deign to glance round. y
hath need of weapons who doth tr
eat fc with the Chosen of the Vol
nd sahib.'
80 <rr@ pr roxrTTNJyTrn