The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22


1t took the best part of the morning. When
this was accomplished the journey to Allaha
begun But for the days of and quiet of the will
and the hardness of her esh kathyn
would have suffered greatly. Half the time she
PEELED to walk. There houdahs, and it was
difficult feat to sit of the mahou The rough skin
of the elephant had the effect the calves of
her legs that sandpaper would have had. Sometimes she
stumbled and fell and rudely jerked to her feet.
Only the day before they arrived she relieved in
any way: she given litter and in this manner she
entered the hateful city.
In giving her litter the chief mahou had been in
spred by expressions of pity simply they desired her
to appear fresh and attractive when they carried her into
the slave
In ftfu dreams all that had happened came back to
herhe story her father had told about saving the old
kings life and the grim, ironcal gratitude in making
Hare his heir--as If such things could be- And
then journey Alfalfa; the nghtmarsh dur
bar during which she had been crowned; the escape
from the ordeas with John Bruce; of the
temple OF the sum- the fight from there John
Bruce She could still the fire in his eyes she could
still feel the touch of his gentle yet reless hand Would
she him again?
On the way the they passed under the shadow
of the grim prison walls of the palace. The elephants
veered off here into side street toward the huge square
where horses and cattle and elephants bought and
sold. The litter, in charge of the chief mahout, pro-
,wonderngy. Was her father alive? Was he in some
bleak behind that crumbing masonry? Did he know
hat she here? Or he really dead? All, perhaps
better that death should have taken him--better
that than having his living heart by the tale of
lis daughters unspeakabe mseries.
Even she last lingering look at the prison the
prisoner Within his head buried in his thn wasted
hands, beheld her in a vson-but in happy, joyous
rsion busyins about the living of the bungalow.
And far away a younger beheld vision very
tenderly he gazed at Kathyns discarded robe and
sumed his determined Often, standing beyond his
evening fires he would ask the silence, Kahlyn, where
you: Even then he riding fast toward Alfalfa.
A slave is a thing these days, but at the
time these being enacted there existed
9. them here and there the face of globe
Men buy ana sell and women these tmes-enlight-
nned. they saybut they do il by legal contract
from vile hiding places
Alaha had in its prime 1t had
drawn the agents of princes from all India Persia
Belooclisan Nfghanisan and southern Russia had
been rhed of their beauties adorn the of the
sothful Hindu princes
The slave mart in the capital town of Alaa stood in
the center of the bazaars great square platform with
roof but all four sides. Here the slaves
exhibited, the things intended for daiance and
those who to struggle and and die under the
overseer's lash
Every fortnight day was set aside for the business
OF the mart Owners and prospective buyers met chewed
beel nut smoked their hookahs slipped coffee tea,
and exchanged the tattle of the hour was as much
amusement business; indeed it was the oriental
idea of club, and sch the things were discussed
Thus. Appsj bought beautiful girl at the last barter
and Roya found male who good iuggler and
only night before last they had traded The
what they used to be- Dewan Ali had sold his wife
to Punjab opium merchant Aunut Sngh's daughter
lad run away with the of bhsti All white people
ate pig. And read the slokas or moral stanzas
any more Yes, the English would come some day when
there would be enough money to warrant it.
All about there barkers and fruit sellers and
bangle walas or slave girls should have rupee
silver about their ankles and wrists and Brah-
MINIS and men who painted red and ochre marks
forehead and ash covered fakirs withered
hands Nautch girls girls from the perpatec
jewelers., kites and red headed vuturesths being
proper place for them.
The chief mahout purchased for Kathlyn beautiful
VEIL which partially concealed her face and hair
Chalu !" he said, touching Kathyns shoulder when
she. Jagged for they had dispensed with the litter
go on
She understood. Outwardly she appeared passive