The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1912-02-26
CHAPTER XIV. (continued)

See. my king!" she cried, her voice
vibrant, her eyes kindling as they met
his. Look down upon thy kingdom
North, south, east, west-look!" she
commanded. wherever thine eyes
may turn, and farther than they can
see upon the clearest day, this land is
all thine for the taking. Look
and tell me thou hast strength to re-
nounce 1t and me, beloved"
She opened her arms with infinite
allure. 1T is so little that Is asked
OF thee-only to ascend thy fathers
throne and be honored of all Bharuta,
only to WELD the scepter that is thine
by right, only to reign an undisputed
king in two kingdoms Khandawar
and thy Naraini's hearth"
Il am very sorry" he returned. 1T
Is quite impossible. Besides, 1t seems
that you leave the sirkar altogether
out OF your calculations It-may not
have occurred to you that the supreme
government Of India may have some
thing to say about the contemplated
change"
He saw her bite her lips with cha
grin, and the look she flashed to his
face was anything but kind and ten
der. "Arre!" she laughed derisively.
And of what account is this frail.
tottering sirkar's will besides tho Will
Of the Body? OF what avail its dicta
against the rulings Of the Bell? Thou
knowest-"
Pardon, know nothing. I have
told thee, Rance, that I am not Har
Dyh Rutton."
She was mistress of thousand ar
adces. Brought to a standstill on the
one line OF attack. she diverged to an.
other without culver of an eyelash
to betray her discontinue.
Yea, thou hast told me-" she purred.
But l, Naraini, know what know.
Thou dost deny thyself even as thou
dost deny me, but art thou
willing to be put to the proof. my
king?"
If you've any means Of proving my
identity I would thank you for ma.
king use of it, Rance.
There is the test Of the Token,
Lalji."
II am not aware Of it."
Tho test of the Token-the ring
that was brought to thee, the signet
OF thy house. Surely thou hast it with
thee?"
He thrust a hand within his shirt
and brought forth the emerald. Here
1t is" he told the woman, cheerfully.
Nov this test7"
place 1t upon thy fnger-so. even
upon thy little finger, as was thy IA
Tiers wont with 1t. Now lift up
thine arm, SO. and turn the stone to
the west, toward Kathapur."
Without comprehension he yielded
to this within. holding up his right arm
and turning the emerald to the quar-.
ter indicated by Naraini.
The hour had drawn close Nunop
dawn. A cold air breathed down the
valley and was chill to them in that
lofty eyrie. The moon. dipping to-
wards the rim OF the world. was
poised. globe of dull silver. upon the
ridge of far, dark hill. AS thew
watched 1t dropped out of sight and
everything was suddenly very bleak
and blact.s
And curious thing happened.
Naraini cried out sharply-"Aho!"-I
rs II unable to contain her excitement.
Somewhere in the palace behind
them great gong doomed like thun.
der.
pause ensued, disturbed only BY
the fluttering of the woman's breath:
for the space of thirty pulse beats
nothing hannened Than N..,,,
fingers closed like bands OF steel about
Amber's left wrist.
"See!" she cried in a voice of ava
while the bracelets shivered and
FLASHED upon her outstretched arm.
"The eye. my king. the eye!"
Amber shut his teeth upon an az.
caamation of amaze. For Just ABOVE
the fhc dark mountain xdxa ...>.-