The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-05-29
CHAPTER Xxx.
A Goddess In Armor.

They tell of it to this day in Alfalfa.
To be sure, they will elaborate and
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
beggar 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 of 80 years ago,
Thanks. huzoor!" he will begin,
carefully scrutinizing the coin and
testing it's solidity between two fine
rows of teeth for man of sevensy'
All that was a day! 1t was like a
day knew in Delhi, when was a
child; for ] saw the great Mutiny.
saw the powder magazine. All,
yes, huzoor; it is about the white god
dess that you wish to know. But help
me over to Ais coffee house. for it Is
hot here, and it is long story
So you take the old rascal over to
and seat him under the umbrellas oil
Ali, and you will buy him a sugar
drink and smoke from water bot
tie, he having brought forth sugges'
lively 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 dream Of paradise.
when we saw the sahibs and RAJ
mabai trapped by the cowardly sol
diers of the palace we found ourselves
without head The men who led us
had vanished. We huddled like sheep,
scattered, formed, fired aimlessly, be.
gan to run away. And brave L.al
Singh, with bullet through his stom.
ach, staggered off. We were without
hope. We were brave enough, but
bravery has to be directed. We knew
only part of Ramabafs plans
"And what about this man Ahmed?'
las the kite flies, he ran back to the
house of Ramabai when everything
had apparently come to an end. Fol
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 or
his breast because he was wise as wei
as brave"
The old beggar tilted his cup with
,,,+ +onaJ,;pu ;t with bic line and Iq
the sweetened water trickle down hi:
throat.
when one is old, one is Away!
thirsty he observed. ITO go on. 81
there we were, like sheep. The ma
jority of us did not have sense enough
to run away. Huzoor, Umballa hat
lined up the white men and Ramaba
against the wall in the throne room
and was about to send them to thei
gods, when suddenly l noticed a com
motion in the rear of US. We wer
thrown about like sticks in whirl
pool
And then | saw her! All, protecto
Of the poor, you white people rule tn
you want and when you want it. Blu
it is not natural for US brown peopl
to think and act quickly at the sam
time. saw her; and thought at frs
that the gates of paradise had opene
and Allah himself had set her dow
among us!'
The water bubbles in the bowl {
, the pipe and thin stream of smok
trickles from his bearded lips. 70
, must have patience, for he will tie
this tale only in his own fashion.
Straight to the palace steps sf
F., ran, waving her arms. Behold! ST
), spoke to US in her own tongue, b.
a Allah is witness that we understood
what she was saying! First we gre
. ashamed, then we stopped runnin
then we became men, huzoor. I'll
q lead tubes began to speak again; al
we, too, found our voices. With vel
4 we followed And there was battl
. battle, battle to the very foot Of Il
y throne.
. "She threw herself between the lie
d eled guns and her people. The 81
a diers could not fire. And Umball
:. seeing that in truth he had lost tn
n time-Umballa fled toward the cor
i. doris, and none was quick enough
h. prevent him.
But we went shouting after hi
through this corridor and that '
/
IL could not find him. 1t seems he
in capped through one OF the chambers
,e the zenana-"