The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-06-05


burdening her soul Remorse is the
result of crime committed uselessly.
Humanity is Interchangeable. for all its
variety of skins.
And here was this woman, wanting
to tell some onei
Umballa had done a peculiar thing:
he had not laid hand upon either RAJ
reason for this generosity toward a
man who but recently put price on
his head. Umballa smiled and ex-
planned that Ramabai was not only
broken politically. but was religious
outcast. 1t was happiness for such a
person to die. SO he preferred that RAJ
mabai should live.
Secretly, however. Ramabais revo-
lutionary friends were still back of
him, though they pretended to bow to
the yoke of the priests.
So upon this day matters stood
thus: the colonel, Kathlyn, Bruce and
Winnie were prisoners again, Ahmed
was in hiding: and Ramabai and his
wife Knocked by those who once had
cheered them. The ingratitude of
kings is as nothing when compared
to the ingratitude of people.
A most ridiculous country: to crown
kathlyn again flor the third time
and then to lock her up! Next to
superstition as barrier to progress
there stands custom. Everything one
did must be done as some one else
had done 1t; the initiative was still
chained up in the temples. it belonged
to the bald priests only
But Umbatla had made two mis-
, takes: he should have permitted the
5 white people to leave the country and
given silken cord to the chief eunuch
to apply as directed There are no
written laws among the dark peoples
; that forbids the disposal of that chat
tel known as a woman of the harem,
or zenana. There are certain Gus
IONS that even the all powerful! Brit
ish raj must ignore
The catafalque Of the dead king
D rested upon the royal platform Two
troopers, stood below; otherwise the
platform was deserted. When Rama.
bal and Pundita arrived and mounted
the platform to pay their last respects
4 to kindly man, the soldiers saluted
gravely, even sorrowfully. Ramabai,
for his courage, his honesty and JUS
tice, was their man; but they no
longer dared serve him, since it would
be at the expense OF their oWn lives.
My lord!" whispered Pundita,
pressing Ramabai's hand. "Courage!'
For Pundita understood the man at
her side. Had he been honorless, she
would this day be wearing a crown
"Pundita, they Kissed US as we
J passed"
: Not the soldiers, my lord
And this poor mani Pundita, he
was murdered, and l am powerless to
avenge him. 1t was Umballa; but
what proof have l? None, none Well.
, Tor me there is left but one thing to
,, leave Alfalfa for good. We two shall
, go to some country where honor and
kindness are not crimes but virtues.
My lord, it is our new religion
, And shall we hold to it and go, or
repudiate it and stay?"
Il am my lords chattel; but
should despise him if he took the base
: course"
And so should |, flower of my
heart!" Ramabai folded his arms and
stared down modify at the man who
had he lived, could have made Pun
dita his successor. "Pundita. | have
not yet dared tell you all; but here
in the presence of death, truth vii
out. We cannot leave Coniscatio1
5 of property and death face US at every
gate. No! Umballa proposes to crush
me gradually and make my life 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 iord?'
ITO kneel in the temple and re.
nounce our religion. Do we that, and
we are free to leave Alfalfa"
Pundita smiled My lord is. not
capable of SO vile an act"
NO"
And hand in hand they stood before
catafalque, forgetting everything but
the perfect understanding between
them.
al, all"
1t was but murmur; and the two
turned to witness the approach OF the
woman of the zenana. She flung her
self down before the catafalque, pas
sionately kissing the shroud. She
leaned back an, 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 drst time seemed to
be aware of his presence. Like a bub-
bic under water, that which had been
| striving n 10 I,