The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-14

with a skin white like this new queens and hair like spun
wool, dressed in a long black cloak and a broad brimmed
hat, had started the agitation Of lberating the slaves.
More than that, he carried no idol of his God, never
bathed in the CHATS, or took flowers to the temples, and
seemed always silently %communing with the simple iron
cross suspended from his neck. But he had died during
the last visitation Of the plague:
They had wearied of their tolerant king, who had died
mysteriously they were now wearied of the council and
Umballa; in other words, they knew not what they
wanted, being People.
Who was this fair skinned woman who stood so straight
before Umballa's eye? Whence had she come? To be
ruled by a woman who appeared to be tongue tied! Well,
there we're worse things than a woman who could not talk.
Thus they gabbled in the bazaars, round 5raisers and dung
fires. And some talked Of the murder. The proud
Ramabai had been hailed to prison his bankers gold had
not saved him. o, this street rat Umballa generally got
what he wanted. Ramabais wife was one of the beauties
of Hind.
Through the narrow; evil smelling streets of the hazaars
a man hurried that night, glancing behind frequently TO
see if by any ~mischance some one followed. He stopped
at the house Of Lal Singh, the shoemaker, whom he found
browsing over his writer pipe.
as it well2' said the newcomer, intoning.
"It is WELL" answered Lal Singh, dropping the mouth
piece Of his pipe. He had spoken mechanically. When
he saw who his visitor was his eyes frightened " Ahmed"
Hush =" with a gesture toward the ceiling.
"she is out merrymaking, like tn. rest of her kind,
The old saying; if a man waits, the woman comes to him.
I am alone. There is news2" ..-, n
"There is a journey. Across Hind to simla."
1.-THE hour has arrived? p
"At least the excuse. Give these to one in authority
with the British Raj, whose bread we ;eat.' Ahmed slid
across the table a very small scroll. "The Memsahib is
my masters daughter. She must be spirited away to
safety .:>"#& =. -. a g.,
"Ah!' Lal Singh rubbed his fat hands. So the time
. nears when we shall wiring the vulture's mack? Al, it is
good! Umballa, the toad, who swells aud swens as the
days go by. SILVA has guarded him well. The king picks
him out of the gutter for q pretty bit Of i%mpudence, sends
him afar to Umballa, where he learns to speak English,
where he learns to wear shoes that button and stiff linen
bands round the neck. He has gone on, gone on! The
higher up, the harder the fall u .y.. ...u-
"The cellar?"
There are pistols and guns and ammunition and
strange little wires by which 1 make magic 1dres"'
"Batteries?" &w s% >s.@ #: &sa. -
" One never knows what may be needed. You have the
keyr ,......... 2.
eyes" .*
twinkling eyes. g@
In some dungeon, mayhap. There all avenues seemed
closed up"
umnaIla needs money! SAD Lal Slngn' tnougntiuhy'
"Buth he will not End it." in afterthought
Tomorrow? r.
"At dawn
These two men were spiders in that e.eat web of secret
service that the British Raj weayes up and down and
across Hind, to Persia. and Afghanistan, to the borders Of
the Bear.
Even as Lal Singh picked up hill. mouthpiecel again and
Ahmed sailed forth into the bazaars Lnoballa had brought
TO him in the armory that company Of soldiers who hat
shown such open mutiny, not against the state but against
him.
Grayely he questioned the captain.
PAY our wages, then, heaven born" said the captain
with yelled insoience. " Pay us, for we have seen not s.
M much as betel money since the last big rains N.
8#a Money q unused Umballa, marking down This gallan
captain for death when: the time cane.
All, money bright rupees, Or, better still. yellow
VI British gold. Pay usi"