The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1911-10-19
The BRON 81
BELL, ~ \
ByLOIJIS JOSEPH VANCE, \
AUTHOR OF 1THE BRASS BOWL" ETC. u
ILLUSTRATIONS BY G16NY NzRlUGAS n
IIlILlgST[lllJlWEdG BY Gl6NY NYAlI[3NG

cult. And. by the roadside, in com
pound fenced with camel-thorn. sat an
aged and INDECENT dak-bungalow,
marking the end of the FIRST stage, the
beginning OF the second.
Ram Nath refined in with flourish
and lifted raucous voice, hailing the
syce. while Amber, painfully olsen
gaging his cramped limbs, climbed
down and stumbled toward the veran-
da. The abrupt transition from yio-
lent and erratic motion to solid and
substantial footing affected him UNI
pleasantly, and with an undeniable
Qualm; the earth seemed to rock and
flow beneath him as If under the in
| f1uence OF an antic earthquake. He
was for some seconds occupied with
the problem Of regaining his poise,
and It was not until he heard an Eng
lishwoman's voice uplifted In accents
Of anger, that he remembered the
other wayfarer with whom he was to
share his tonga, or associated with
the whtte-clad figure In the dark door
way Of the bungalow with anything
but the khansamah. coming to greet
and cheat the chance-brought guest.
Where is that tongarwallah who
deserted me here last nightT' the
woman was demanding Of Ram Nath,
too preoccupied with her resentment
to have eyes for the other traveller,
who at sight Of her had stopped and
removed his pith helmet and stood
staring as II he had come from a
land in which there were no women.
Where" she continued, with an Inn
perative stamp Of daintily-shod foot,
is that wretched tonga-wallah?"
"Sahiba," protested Ram Nath, with
a great show of difference, how
should ! know? Belize he is in Bad
shah Junction, whittier he returned
very late last night, being travel-worn
and weary, and where left him, be-
ing sent with this excellent tonga to
take his place"
You were? And why have been
detained here, alone and unprotected,
this long night7 Simply because that
other tonga-wallah was a fool, am I
to be imposed upon in this fashion 7"
What am l." whimpered Ram Nath,
ito endure the wrath Of the sahiba for
q fault that Is none Of mine r.
II beg your pardon, SIR" said the
girl. turning to Amber, but It is very
annoying" She looked him over, first
with abstraction. then with q puzzled
| gathering Of her brows, for he was
far from her thoughts--the last per-
son she would have expected to meet
in that place, and very effectually dis
guised In dust and dirt besides. "The
tire came of the wheel just as we got
here, late yesterday evening, and in
trying, or pretending to try, to flt it
on again, that block-head of a tonga
wallah hammered the rim with rock
as big as his head and naturally
smashed it to kindling-wood. Then,
before could stop him, he flung him
self on the back Of a pony and went
away, saying that It was the will Of
God that he should return to Badshah
for better tonga. Since when l
have had for company one stable
scye, one deaf-and-dumb patriarch Of
q khansamah and the usual
dak-bungalow discomforts ~ insects,
bad food, and terrible fear OF da-
colts"
II am so sorry, Miss Farrell" Am
Der put in III had only been
| here
The girl gave little gasp and sat
down abruptly In one Of the veranda
chairs, thereby threatening 1t with
instant demolition and herself with a
bad spill; for the chair was feeble
with the burden Of its many years,
and she was quite substantial young
person. Indeed, SO loudly did it croak
protest and warning that she Inn
mediately arose in alarm.
"Mr. Amber!" she said; and,
well /"
You'll forgive me the surprise?' r.
he begged, going up on the veranda
Ito her. II myself had no hope Of
finding you here"
But" she protested, with pretty
flush Of color-"but / left you in the
States such little while agoI"
"Yes?" he said grayely. 1T seems
so long to me. And when
you had gone, Long Island was very
lonely place indeed" he added, with
calculated impudence.
Her color deepened and she sought
another chair, seating herself with
gingerly decision. I'm sure you
don't mean me to assume that you've
followed me half round the world?"
i'Why notT' He brought another
chair to face her. Besides, haven't
seen anything Of India for q
good many years"
"Mr. Amberl"N
"Ma'am?" he countered with AFFECT
ed humility.
you're spelling It all. / was SO
glad to see you'd have been glad
TO see any white man, of course"
Much obliged, I'm sure"
"And now you're actually flirting
with me-or pretending to-"
I'm not" he declared soberly. "As
matter Of solemn fact, l had to
| 1890 ~ Tndfn -