Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-13

Il
the money, though not till he had pro-
tested in heartrending terms agains
the iniquity of exacting from a pool
man such exorbitant payment for
nights lodging.
The chauki was a small mud build
ing facing the road, with a single dooi
opening inwards and an iron grating
as a window in the back wall. vishnu-
dass, after docking the door, threw
himself down on a charpoy (bedstead)
and tried to sleep, but was kept awake
by the doubts and fears which tor
mented his mind. He had intercepted
the glances of his hosts as their eyes
fell on his money bag, and had liked
them not at all. The constables had
already shown the cloven hoof by ex-
torting money from him. How weak
he had been to accede to their de-
mands! Why had he not pushed bold
ly on to Talagaum and risked encoun-
tering the dacoits? He might have
reached home without losing an anna;
whereas now-agonizing thought!-he
was a clear ten rupees out Of pocket
Consoling himself as best he could
with the reflection that on his return
to Talagaum he would call upon the
superintendent sahib and make a
charge Of blackmailing against his
protectors, he at last fell into a fitful
.slumber.
vishnudass, after brief spell OF
sleep, was awakened suddenly by the
sound of low voices in stealthy con-
versation without. Springing up, with
all his faculties on the alert, he stole
cautiously to the grating and listened
The speakers, Of whom there were
three, were seated with their backs
against one Of the side walls Of the
chauki. The usurer recognized imme-
diately the voices Of the two consta-
bles; and he discovered to his amaze
ment, that the third person was no
other than Jemadar Abdul Kadir, an
influential and much-respected police
officer Of Talagaum. What he heard
made his blood run cold. He could
hardly believe his ears. 1t was plot
to rob and murder him, and, what was
worse, to bury his body. The inhuman
monsters actually contemplated COM
mitting to the earth the remains Of the
noble and upright Vishnudass-most
orthodox Of Hindus, celebrated for his
piety and for strict observance Of the
tenets of his faith-whereby the sacred
rites of cremation would be denied to
him, and his soul would be lost. What
sacrilege! 1t was a wonder the earth
did not open up and swallow the des-
tardly trio as they sat concocting their
devilish scheme.
Vishnudass the wary, found himself
for the first time in his life, in a situa-
ton Of extreme peril. How to save
both his pelt and his pelf was the diff
cult problem he now had to solve. II
was characteristic Of the man that
even with death impending. he should
calculate his chances Of saving that
which was only one degree less dear to
him than life itself-his money. His
first impulse was to try bribery. pc
cuniary argument being one to which
poorly paid native official seldom OF
never turns a deaf ear. He would Of
fer his enemies a large sum Of money
to spare his life, swearing at the same
time, by all he held most sacred not to
betray them. Then 1t occurred to him
that Mohammedans, so truthful them
selves, know exactly what reliance can
be placed on the oath Of Hindu, and
that the axiom Dead men tell nc
tales" Is thoroughly appreciated by
the Indian police, who as rule leave
nothing to chance. To reveal himself
would but precipitate his doom. 1t be-
hooved him, therefore, to remain ST.
lent, and to trust to luck to extricate
himself from his unpleasant dilemma
He conjectured rightly that the con-
spirators, to avoid the possibility OF
detection by chance wayfarers. would
defer the execution of their design un-
til they could act safely under the
cover Of darkness. The moon was
shining brightly in the. heavens; with
out it was as light as day. Vishnudass
therefore, had still a few hours of ex-
| istence before him.
The unhappy usurer, crouched on the
floor of the chauki, trembling in every
limb, heard the details of the hideous
plot being gradually unfolded: how ne
was to be murdered in his sleep; aftel
which his corpse was to be dismember'
ed and buried under the mango trees
where, it appeared, lay the mortal re-
mains Of several other victims OF the
guardians of the peace. The numbering
and burying part Of the business was
to be performed by the constables. The
Jemadar, who scorned to sully hi!
hands by dipping them in the blood o.
a Hindu, would eonfine himself tt
seizing the lions share of the booty
This worthy, after giving final instruc'
tions to his subordinates, and assuring
them that he would return in a few
hours time, mounted his horse ant
rode back to Talagaum. Vishnudass
though in the last stage Of misery ant
| dejec ton, could not but admire the as
tuteness of the police officer, who, TAX
ing no risks, yet stood to win larg'
stake; for he knew that. under similaI
circumstances, he would have acted ex
actly in the same way himself.
| Faiz Ahmad and Sheik Hoosein ther
/ arranged that each should sleep II
turn, while the other kept watch. Wish
nudass, meanwhile, passed a wear!
vigil, hoping and praying for succor
| Not q sound reached his ears save TIT
bowling of the jackals securing th
surrounding desert in quest Of food
and he shuddered at the thought tina
these ravenous beats might ere lons
be rending the flesh from his bones
Two hours passed, and the moon wa
beginning to fade from the sky whei
the two constables commenced to con
verse together in whispers. Vishnudas
with his ear applied to the grating
heard Sheik Hoosein. the younger o
the pair. expostulate with his compan
| ion apd declare he would be no part