St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1914-12-26


!. Il am my lords chattel; but /
should despise him II he took the base
course"
! And SO should /, flower Of my
heart!". Ramabai folded his arms and
stared down moodily at the man who,
had he lived, could have made Pun
dita his successor. "Pundita, I have
not yet dared tell you all; but here.
In the presence Of death, truth will
out. We cannot leave. Confscation
Of property and death face us at every
gate. No! Umballa proposes to crush
me gradually and make my life a hell.
No man who was my friend now dares
receive me in his house. Worship is
denied US, unless we worship in secret.
There is one pathway open" He
paused.
"And what is that, my lord d?'
ITO kneel in the temple and re-
pounce our religion. Do we that. and
we are free to leave Allaha. =
Pundita smiled. sMy lord is not
capable Of so vile an act"
mo"
And hand in hand they stood before
catafalque, forgetting everything but
the perfect understanding between
! them.
Al. al!
It was but murmur; and the two
turned to witness the approach OF the
woman Of the zenana. She flung her
self down before the oatafalque. pas
sionately kissing the shroud. She
leaned back and beat her breast and
walled. Ramabai was vastly puzzled
over this demonstration. That a hand
some young woman should wall over
the corpse Of an old man who had
never been anything to her might have
an Interpretation far removed from
sorrow. Always in sympathy, how
ever, with those bowed with grief, Ra-
mabai stopped and attempted to raise
her.
She ~shrank from his touch, looked
up, and for the first time seemed to
be aware Of his presence. Like bub-
BILE under water, that which had been
striving for utterance came to the sur
face. She snatched one Of Ramabai's
hands.
"Ai. al! am wretched, lord, wretch
ed! There is hot lead in my heart and
poison in my brain! ] will confess.
{ s,nfess!"
Ramabai and Pundita gazed at each
OF Il Ell, astonished.
slNhat is It? What do you wish to
Co af ess?' cried Ramabai quickly. Per
he clung to his hand "They viii
ord er my death by the silken cord. !
am afr aid. Krishna fend for mel"
What do you know?"
!. His majesty was murdered" she
VIII kperee'.
II know, that. replied Ramabai.
But Who murdered him? Who built
tha. cage in the palanquin? Who put
The tiger there? Who beat and over
poyr cred the real bearers and confls-
cate d their t,lrbans? Speak, girl; ana
II > ou can prove these things, there.
viii be no silken cord.
Il ,ut who will Lelieye a poor wom7
an ,of the zenana?''
II will
u 3ut you cannot save me from the
corsl. They have taken away your
pow err
Sand you shall give it back to mel!
I?''
.Even SO. Come with me now, to
the temple"
= The temple?"
aye; where all the soldiers are,
the priests -. and Durga Ram!
"lli, al! Durga Ram; it was he!
And helped him, thus: secured per-
miss ion to go into the bazaars. There
IN assault took place under the COM
uanG Of Durga Ram, and my bearers
, we're made prisoners. Durga Ram,
j, Nguised as bearer, himself freed
Ii. , tiger which killed the king, Yes!
ro the temple. She who confesses In
he temple, her person is sacred. It
4 tn. ! law, the law! / had forgotten!
ro th ; temple. my lord!"
Befo se the high tribunal Of priests,
,efore the unhappy Kathlyn, before
l,e asto Wished Umballa, appeared Ra-
nahai an d Pundita, between them the
1oung wo, ~an o. the zenana' no" -
most dead VIII terror.
Hold" rzad hamaDai Wnen lne
oldiers sta, ted toward him to eject
i'm from the temple.
Z what. sai 4 Umballa; will you re-
ant?''
No. Durga an. stano nelo os
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