The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-06


Wild and beautiful she was as the
old mahout turned her over toia pro
tessional seller
"Circassian!"
From the north!"
"a bride from the DESERT" 4
"a yellow.hair!r
Ia daughter OF the north seas!"
The old mahout squatted close by
and rubbed his, hands. He would be a
rich man that night bags OF rupees;
q well thatched house to cover his
gray hairs till that day they placed
him on the pyre at the burning CHAT.
The gods were good. 3
sDurga Ram, known Familiarity as
umballa.i at this hour came forth into
the sunshine. brooding. He was not
in happy frame of mind. Many
things lay heavy upon his soul; but
among these things there was not one
named remorse. To have brought
about all these failures. this thought
irked him most. Here was a crown al.
most within reach OF his greedy fn.'
gers. the water to- Tantalus. To have
underestimate this yellow haired
young woman. he. who knew women
SO well-there lay the bitter sting.
He had been too ,impetuous; he should
have waited till all her fears had been
allayed. That spawn of silva, the mil.
itary. was insolenti again, and rupees
to cross their palms were scarce:
Whittier had she blown? Was she
dead? Was she alive? ii, ,.ts,rs.
The white hunter had not returned
to his camp yet, but the sly Ahmed
was there. The perpetual gloom on
the face Of the latter was reassuring
to Umballa. Ahmed,s master had
not found her. To wiring the white
mans heart was something. He dared
not put him out of the way; too many
knew. 81 Z; In, ~. 3. Is, i.
And the Council was beginning to
grow uneasy. How long could he hold
them in leash? h. 4. 4
What a woman! AS magnificent as
the daughter Of. Firoz. shah of Delhi.
Fear she knew not. At one moment
he loved her with his whole soul, at
another he hated her, longed to get
her into his hands again, to wreak
his vengeance upon her for the hui.
initiation she had by wit and courage
heapcd upon him. Il am ready" He
could hear 1t yet. When they had led
her away to the ordeals-"I am
ready" A woman, and not afraid to
die! j., 80. !i
Money! How to! get It! He could
not plunge his hand into the treasury;
there were too many about, too many
tongues. But Colonel Hare knew
where the silver basket lay hidden
heaped with gold and precious stones:
and torture could not wiring the hid.
Ing place from him. May he be
damned to the nethermost hell. Let
him, Durga Ram, but bury his lean
hands In that treasure, and .Naraka
swallow Alfalfa and all its kings!!
Rubies and pearls and emeralds, and
a far country to idle in. to be feted
In, to BIO fawned upon for his richest,
And Ramabai and his wife; Punditas
let them beware; let them remain
wisely in their house and NEEDLE not
with affairs Of state.
"a thousand rupees!"
Umballa looked up with start.
Unconsciously he had wandered into
the slave mart. He. shrugged rand
would yhave passed on but for the
strange, unusual figure standing on
tho platform. A golden haired WON:
an with neck and arms like Chinese
bronze and dressed in skirt Of grass!
He paused. },,.s-,.,,5
Two thousand rupeesiss III. Il
What" jeered the professional sci.
Ter. For an ,houri from paradise?
Q, We Of weak hearts, what is this Il
hear? Two thousand rupees?-for an
honrl fit. to dwell in the .zenana of
heaven!. n. i. TX 4. Il
"A keen,eyed ,Mohammedan, edged
closer to the. platform. He stared
and sucked his breath. He found
himself pulled two ways, He had no |
money, but he had knowledge.
"Who sells this maiden?" he asked. |
"Mohammed Ghori."
Which is her. Ill, H., i
HE squats there" u
The Mohammedan stopped and
touched the old mahout on the shout,
der. i
Call of this sale and my master
will make you rich. d II
The old sinner gingerly felt Of the !,
speakers cotton garb. rTAh!aa'My mas:
ter must be rich to dress thee in cot
ton: Whereiis your gold? Bid" satirEE
cally. II
Two thousand rupees!" shouted
the professional seller. j Il \
Il have no gold, but my master will
give 10000 rupees for yonder maid.
Quick! Old fool. be quick!" II
BE gone, thou beggar!r And the
old man spat. II
NNTaynonbfbu A. s.,-E