The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-11

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serene face He knew the struggle
that Maanering had gone through:
ee kreS. too. that tie rajAh would
Tot Dc overpleAsed At this dramatic
ending Of all his plans for carving out
an ido.2rroas empire II the heart OF
India
II saan be doae as the sahih says.
he a--Se.ed ., LIST, and withdrew.
Tie ness burred through Bunda
pgr. Within two hours al the inhab
itants Of the state khev that the god
dess Kali. Of the many hands. had
conquered The enthusiasm Vas in
Desirable A huge mob gathered
outside the resi6ency and cheered
itself hoar<e- But inside Nannering
vas pacing up and down, and he paced
al night. and none dared disturb him
Al dawn he called the bearers Of
his palanauin- and. stepping inside. he
allowed himself to be borne through
the enthusiastic nobs that lined the
streets toward KAli's temple Bun
dapur vas en- fese- The opening Of the
great annual festival Was the occA-
sion for frenxies of fAnatical delight
and the approaching conversion Of
MAnnering ~as the cause of the wild
est excitement Through the streets
rushed fanatics. slashing themselves
with knives The golden image Of the
goddess VAS borne hack from the pro
cession 70 the accompaniment Of .
hand OF temple women. ~ danced
and lezpet above the bodies Of the
PROSTATE devo;ees
Mannerins. lying in his palanquin.
Vas aware Of all this He knew that
no punishment could eIpiate his Of
Tense He vas giving 10 his country
that which vas infinitely dearer than
life His love, his soul his honor
he stared az the photograph
which he vas holding II represented
Mary Treve,han as she had appeared
when he wss home four years before
He would never see her again. but
somehow he felt that al this crisis
where dishonor and honor met, her
spirit stood beside him
The palsnquin stopped The eur.
tains we're drawn back Mannering
STEPPED out and entered the erotesaue
temple walking OF path strewn with
flowers Inside he heard the throbbing
Of flutes and the signs of vast multi
tude o. ~orshipers Then he was BE-
fore the altar. beside old Muxrur. who
held the sscrifcial knife. and staring
into his eyes we're the cruel eyes of
Kali, the stone image with the many
hands. each dripping with human
blood
Upon his golden throne lolled the
old rajAh- He was calculating what
step he should take when Nannerink
had accepted Kali. II upset the plans
that he had built: yet he MAS shrewd
enough to have others in view With
Mannerins's aid he could We, carve out
his empire
MannerinE. standing beside the
priest. let his eyes roam over the
huge interior OF the temple He saw
the decorated wallis. the GREATNESS
crowds. completely silent, waiting for
the moment when he would fall be-
fore kalfs statue. TO be anointed with
the blood Of the dreadful sacrifice. the
drawn curtains behind which the "a
jah's wives we're gazing curiously on
him.
And At the last moment. while the
sound of the tom-ioms indicated that
the goddess Was awaiting the sacrifice.
a new thought took possession o. Man
nering. He could not carry out his
plan
He perceived the hideous pit into
which he had so nearly fallen The
world would aseribe his com plaisance
TO fear; il would be said tina, an Eng
lshman had accepted Kali to save his
life Was not the empire built upon
faith and loyalty. and the courage Of
her servants! How could he serve il
better than by remaining true TO his
faith. whatever happened.
Ii vas the moment o. Judgment.
when. unless he ssw his duty clear as
a razor edge before him. lncalculshle
ills must fellow. Mannering say II.
The blood Of the sacrifice vas
dreaching kah's altar Mu1zur turned
toward Nannering. notioaing TO him
to PROSTATE himself Nannering waved
him away and called to the crowd
1 have come here today he said.
to testify TO the truth Since Eng
land became your lord. when has she
sought TO change your faith or Gus
tomss Nevertheless. am here to tell
you nos that your faith In Kali 10 the
faith Of the sandpiper that valks
among the marshes before the sand
has set
He heard . rustic. . sign. and sad
cenly the whole body Of xorshipess
sas upon its feet in terror Of the -
-ilese that vas being cconpsished
For. snatchine from the priests
hand the hammer With which the vic
tin had been slaughtered. Mannerins
brought II down upon the head Of the
abouinAble idol And Kali. the many
handed goddess. fen from her retes-
tai arc rolled hi5eo1s thirs. along
The temple coor
Thea. LAYING Gown the hammer.
awaited death Bat since
lone dared lay hands On hin. he veas
s2t into tie street He walked 10 the
resiteaey AID waited Treaty min
stes later he heard the mob come
dora the es-zsr and toward
he ve1nca On which ne awaited them
alone
He stood there vita folded a-ns. pa
lent ready for the Vengeance Of The
'a1Atical multitude Bat uhen thew