Semi-weekly herald., 1912-01-08

left themg Has your heart turned
to waterf'
The Swami did not answer. stu
with folded arms, he kept his gaze
on the papers. his features set in quiet
determination.
Are you afraid7" pursued the
prince. Does your soul shrink. your
hand draw back. now that the ap-
pointed hour is nigh? Are yoil a t-ne
believer and master of the faith. OF
and he almost screamed, AN apos-
tate?"
The Swami's copper face turned .
darker shade. A fash of fury scared
his eyes as he raised them to those
OF the prince. He lowered them
again, however. and said. stolidly
i am unable to conquer the feeling
that 1t cannot be for the good of tho
brothers to wade through blood as
did our fathers for possession of what.
after all, is simply a stone. | know
what 1t means to the chosen ones-to
nave that stone taken back to the
temple, ieel more keenly than
you can feel the yearning they send
across the seas for the success of our
mission But, prince, the Maharanee
diamond, in its journey across the
world, has been purged perhaps of the
scarlet stains that were upon It Can
we not take It back in all its present
purity? Are we not skilled enough
in the ways of the East TO recover our
own without bearing death to the
men of the West?"
kananda spurned the chair away
and. gripping the table with both
hands, leaned toward the scholar
Listen. to me, masterl" he said
savagely. 1T was all these possibili
ties my father anticipated when he
sent me as your companion In this en-
terprise. He knew was experienced
in the wiles of these Western dogs
He was aware that In the English uni
versity and the British capital. as well
as In the cities OF the European cont.
nent. had mingled with them in
their pastimes and In their homes
that had seen and heard their puer-
lie philosophy-that had studied
their womanish religions, and that
had experienced all the soul poison
by which their so-called civilization
turns men to children Can you guess
the orders the Maharatah laid upon
me when he bade me come with your"
The Swami still maintained q dig.
nified silence.
Il will tell you," continued the
prince. My father said: The time
may come. my son. when your friend,
the great teacher, Quails from that
which is before him. If it comes, then
when 1t comes, strike as swiftly and
surely as you would strike to save
your throne And l Will strike, my
masterl" kananda added grimly res
olute. III you finch from any neces-
sity that arises la carrying out this
task OF ours, will warn you once
even as | am warning you now-and
then. II you still stny your hand or seek
TO save the least Of those who may
stand between us and the sacred
jewel. by God I'll kill you!"
The scholars imperturbability was
proof against Kananda's violence of
word and manner. The only sign he
gave was a slight tightening of his
fingers as they clasped his arms, and
a lightning look straight into the eyes
OF the young man across the table. 1t
was in a tone of perfect control that
he replied:
Death. when 1t comes to myself.
is the least of my concerns. You may
strike when you will. Your Highness.
am a master of the faith, but, none
the less, servant of the throne. Ny
life belongs to your royal father to do
with It as he pleases. And since you
tell me that you are the long arm Of
the Maharajah. 1t Is at your disposal,
too"
His calmness reminded the Prince
of his own Oriental origin. The ve-
hemence he had acquired In western
lands slipped from him like loosened
robe. In an instant. under his out
ward seeming of an English or Amer
lean man-about-town, he rspossessed
the composure of his race.
sorry" he said with little forced
laugh. Rather bad. you know, to
take things to heart that way, but
this really is serious proposition,
and we mustn't fall down on it As
we are so near success, | will tell
you It is a question not only OF piety,
but OF politics. There is dash OF
mild statecraft In It. The Mahara1ah