The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-25
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Goddesa In Armor.

SoooSes w TWoT.
Z They tell OF it to this day in Alfalfa.
To be sure, they will elaborate and
preyaricate, twist and distort. as only
the Asiatic knows how, having an in.
nate horror Of brevity and directness;
but the basic truth Of Kathlyn's ex.
plot is held intact. The hoary old
beggarg who sits with his beggar's
bowl near the steps Of the mosque,
loquacious,, verbose, and tlowery, for
an Sauna piece will tell you the tale,
which. happened all Ok .sofyears ago.
Thanks. huzoor!" he will begin,
carefully scrutinizing the coin and
testing Its soliditys between two fine
rows Of teeth for a man Of seventy.
"Ah, that was a day! 1t was like a
day ] knew in Delhi. when was a
child; for saw the great Mutiny. !
saw tho powder magazine. J. All.
yes, huzoor; 1t is about the, white god.
dess that you wish to know. But help
me over to Ais coffee house. for 1t Is
hot here, and it is a long story
So you take the old rascal over to
and seat him under the umbrellas Of
Ali, and you will buy him a sugar
drink and a smoke from water; bot
tle,l he having brought forth sugges
tivelyfa cracked amber mouthpiece.
"Huzoor, she came out Of nowhere
in chain armor that shone like rip.
ping water in the sunshine. She was
tall and 1.-the and vigorous, and as
beautiful as a dream of paradise.
when we saw the sahibs and Ra.
mabai trapped by the cowardly sol
diers Of the palace we found Ourselves
without a head The men who led us
had vanished. We huddled like sheep,
scattered, formed. fired aimlessly, be-
gan to run away. And brave Lal
Singh, with bullet through his stom,Y
ach, staggered of. We were without
hope. We were brave enough, but
bravery has to be directed. We knew;
only part of Ramabai's plans"
And what about this man Ahmed?"l
"As the kite flies, he ran back to the
house Of Ramabai when everything
had apparently come to an end. For
Ahmed loved the white goddess even
as you and love life. He was brave
but as the serpent is-wisely. Did not!
the white queen Of all the English
give him bit Of copper to wear on
his breast because he was wise as well
as braye?" Il,
The old beggar tilted his cup with
out touching 1t with his lips and let
the sweetened water trickle down his
throat. 4,
when, one, is old, one is always
thirsty" he observed. ITO 20 on. So
there we. were, like sheep. The ma,
!jority Of US did not have sense enough
to run away. g Huzoor, Umballas had
lined up the white men and Ramabai
against the wall in the throne room
and was about to send them to their;
gods. when suddenly noticed a com
motion in the rear Of us. We We're
thrown about like sticks in a swhirl.
pool. vi
"And then saw her! All. protector
Of the poor, you white people rule the:
world because you always know what
you want and when you want It. But
1t is not natural for US brown people!
to think and act quickly ut the same
time. I saw her; and ! thought at first
that the gates Of paradise had opened
and Allah himself had set her down
among us!" i
/ The water bubbles I'M the bowl OIL
the pipe and a thin stream Of smoke
trickles from his bearded lips. You
must have patience. for he will tell
this tale only in his own fashion.
Straight to the palace steps she,
ran, waving her arms. Behold! She!
spoke to us in her own tongue, but
Allah Is witness that we understood
what she was saying! First we. grew
ashamed, then we stopped running,
then we became men, huzoor. The
lead tubes began to speak again: and
we, too, found our, voices. With yells
we followed. And there was battle.
battle, battle to the very foot Of the.
throne. ., 3
"she threw herself between the lev!
eled guns and her people. The sol!
diers could not fire And Umballa.
seeing that in5truth he had lost this
time-Umballa fed toward the CORR.
doris. and none was quick enough TO
prevent. him. q
But we went shouting after him.
through this corridor and that. Wo
could not find him. It seems he es.
capped through one Of the chambers 81:
the zenana.s