The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-03

corridors roared. and Winnie crouched
into her cushions. What were they
going to do to her? For she under
stood perfectly that she was only
prisoner and that the crown meant
nothing at all so far as authority was
concerned. She was the veriest puppet
What with Ahmed's disclosures and
Kathlyns advice she knew that she was
nothing more than a helpless pawn In
this oriental game Of chess. At any
moment she might be removed from the
board.
She became tense again. She heard
the slip slap of sandals in the corridor,
key turn in the lock. The door
opened and in the dim light she saw
Cmballa.
He stood by the door, silently con-
,emplating her. What a certain
dungeon holds!" still eddied through
the current of his thoughts. Money,
money! he needed 1t; 1t was the only
.barrier between him and the end,
which at last he began TO see. Money,
baskets and bags of 1t. and he dared
not 60 near. May the fires of he'll burn
eternally in the bones of those greedy
soldiers. his only hope.
His body ached; liquid fire seemed to
have taken the place of blood in his
veins. His back and shoulders were
mass of bruises. Beaten with gun
butt. driven. harried. curscd-hc, Durga
Ram. A gun butt in the hands of a
low caste, He had not only been
| beaten; he had been dishonored and
defiled. His eyes flashed and his fingers
closed convulsively, sbut he was sober.
To take yonder white throat in his
hands! 1t was true: he dared not harm
hair OF her head,
Your sister Kathlyn persisted under
the wheels Of the car OF Juggernaut."
! Winnie did not stir. The aspect ot
! the man fascinated her as the ncarness
of a cobra would have done. Nipers not
only crawled in this terrible land; they
walked. one stung with fangs and the
other with words.
| "She is dead, and tomorrow your
father dies"
man did not in her eyes confirm this
Indeed the longer she gazed at him tn,
more strongly convinced she becam,
that he was lying. But wisely sh,
maintained her silence.
Dead" he repeated. within a week
you shall he my wife. You know. They
have told you. I want money. and 10y
all the gods of Hind yours shall be the
hand TO give it to me. Marry me, and
one week after will give you means OF
leaving Alfalfa. VIII you marry me?'
Yes" The word slipped over Win
MES lips family. She recalled Ahmed's
advice: to humor the man. to play fol-
time: hut she knew that IL he touched
her she must scream.
| Keep that word. Your father and
sister are fools"
Winnie trembled. They We're alive
Kit and her father: this man had lied
Alive oh. she would not be afraid oi
any ordeal now. They We're alive, ant
more than that, they were free.
Il will keep my word when the time
comes" she replied clearly.
They are calling me Durga Ram III,
Mad. Beware. then. for madmen do mac
things"
The door opened and shu, behind him
and she heard the key turn and the out.
side bolt click into its socket.
They We're alive and free. her lovet
ones. She knelt upon the cushions. hel
eyes upifted.
Alone. with a torch in his shakini
hand. Umballa went down into tn,
prison to the row of dungeons. In th'
door Of one was sliding panel. H.
pulled this back and peered within
something lay huddlcd in a corner. IL
drew the panel back into its plac,
climbed the worn steps. eNtinGuishe,
The torch and proceeded To- his owl
home. a Gift Of his former master
standing just outside the royal confines
OnC" there he had slaves ano.nt hi
bruised back and shoulders with I'm
gucntS. ordered his peg, drank ii an
lay down to sleep.
On the morrow he was somcwha
dauntcd upon meeting Ramahai in tn
corridor leading to the throne room
whore Winnie and the council w,r
gathered He started to summon tn
guards. hut the impressive face If hi
enemy and the menacing hand stage
the call.
You are a brave man. Ramahai, t
enter tn" lions den in this fashion. Yo
shall never leave here alive"
) YES, Durga Ram. l shall depart as
came, a free man
You talk like that to me-" furlously.
Even so. shall so out on rhe bal
cony and declare that I know what
certain dungeon holds?"
> Imballa's fury vanished and swca
ooZed from his palms.
"You?"
Yes. | know. \ truce, The peopl
| are mutterlng and murmuring agains
2 YOU because they We're forbidden To- al
| tend your especial Juggernaut. Best f.
both Of us that they be quoted an
). amused"