The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-11-15

And all at once the voice of the
astrologer seemed to break the 81
lence.
You must not drop that handker-
chief" he croaked, "or the whole pic
ture will fade away. Remember, this
is nothing but a vision. The reality
comes tomorrow"
Paul crumpled up the handkerchief
and hid it in his sleeve Far beneath
him he still saw the Sikh officer look
upward; he fancied that he detected
an appearance Of uneasiness on the
part of the man. His horse reared,
and, In checking 1t, he pulled the
reins so taut that it was flung back
on its launches. Why was he at
tempting to attract Paui's attention?
A deep. indrawn exclamation an
swered the question. AS every head
hard Paul. instinctively following the
gaze of the crowd perceived the Jam
of Nagshipur advance slowly in his
turn toward the royal dais. Though
chief of all the princes, he had been
held almost to the last before being
permitted to pledge his allegiance; 1t
was a subtle slight devised by the
minds of the rulers of the country In
return for the Jams supposed anti
English proclivities. The people. per-
fectly aware of the meaning Of this
maneuver. watched him with bated
breath. Upon his action depended the
fate Of the empire Would he pledge
himself or would he fling defiance into
the faces of his English rulers?
The Jam advanced uneasily, evil
hess. and CHANGING as he advanced to-
ward the Sikh officer. who, with his
back turned TO him as he sat his
horse, could see nothing, but kept his
gaze fixed steadfastly upon the top
tier of the amphitheater.
Suddenly a sigh ran through the as
sembled multitudes. They quivered.
as wheat Quivers in a summer breeze.
For with a gesture which might have
been either of despair or self-immOla-
ton, the Jam had thrown himself into
the dust before the dais and kissed
the monarch's robe
Suddenly. out of the crowd, a face
burned itself into Paul's heart like
live ember-a beautiful, imperious
face. a woman's face. set sternly in
his
1t was the face of the beautiful I'M
known. whom he had so dramatically
met in America and who had sent him
upon his quest She stared up at him
from among the distinguished guests
and as he met those eyes Paul flung
up his arms and cried.
And the moving picture quivered
and vanished out of the crystal
Paul opened his eyes.
1t was evening and the sun hung, q
ball Of fire. low down in the west. The
tamarisks quivered in the evening
breeze. Somewhere a nightingale was
singing The astrologer the secretary,
the sleeping prince were gone.
He was lying under bench on the
top tier of the deserted amphitheater.
Opposite him was bare stretch OF
ground, where formerly the royal tent
had been. And everywhere tents were
being packed, wagons loaded, troops
deploying over the ground. The city
of tents was gone.
Paul stumbled down the almost end
less stairs toward the city street. His
head ached and his limbs would hard
ly respond to the promptings OF his
will. When at last he reached the
| level of the street he noticed that his
clothes were damp, as though after a
rain, and that he was dishevelled as
tramp.
A passing policeman eyed him sus-
piciously, and then, seeing that he ap-
peared to be a gentleman, admonished
him:
You'd better go home, my man.
What are you doing here the day after
the show, anyway? Where did you
come FROM"
THE show?" Paul cried. The coro-
nation? When is 1t to be-"
The other laughed. Yesterday" he
said CURLY. "Of course there may be
another one in thirty years or SO, but
my advice to you is, go home!"
Paul stood still. staring into the po
liceman's face. Then, thrusting his
hands through his hair, he set OF
wildly toward his quarters. He saw
all clearly now. His cup had beer
) drugged as we'll as the Jams. 1t wal
2 real, then, all that he had seen, ant
{ in his stupor he had attended the Dur
: bar and sat in his appointed place
: while the Sikh officer waited In vail
for the signal that did not come. Ram
v chundra Sing had outwitted both nj
( masters and pocketed their money.
s But the face Of the girl-had tina
been more than a dream? II she wer
y in Delhi, how should he face her, hoy
o confess the reason for his mission
j failure?
:, Disconsolately he flung himself vi
s on his bed All was lost, all that h
n had hoped and dreamed. He had bee
d hoodwinked and had displayed his IL
e capability. He had lost wealth an
n honor, and his hopes Of winning tn
g one whom he priced more than a
else in the world.
IS KNEW THE PREPAYMENT PLA