The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-05-29

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-slip of sandals in the eorri
dor. a key turned in the lock. The |
door opened. and in the dim light she /
saw Umballa.
lie stood by the door, silently con
temDlating her what q certain dun
geon holds." still eddied through the
current Of his thoughts. Money.
money! He needed it; it was the only
barrier between him and the end,
which at last he began to see. Money,
baskets and bags of it, and he dared
not go near. May the fires OF hell
burn eternally in the bones of these
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
a mass of bruises. Beaten with gun
butt, driven, harried. cursed-he, Dur
ga Ram! A gun butt in the hands OF
low caste! He had not only been
beaten; he had been dishonored and
defiled. His eyes flashed and his fin
gers closed convulsively, but he was
sober. To take yonder white throat
in his hands, 1t was true; he dared
not harm a hair of her head.
Your sister Kathlyn persisted under
the wheels CT the car of Juggernaut.
Winnie did not stir. The aspect OF
the man fascinated her as the near
ness of cobra would have done
Vipers not only crawled in this ter
: rible land: they walked. One stune
. with fangs and the other with words
! "She is dead, and tomorrow youi
: father dies"
The disheveled appearance of the
}. man did not in her eyes confirm this
Indeed, the longer she gazed at him
the more strongly convinced she be
came that he was lying. But wisely
). she maintained her silence.
: Dead" he repeated. within a
!. week you shall be my wife. You know
l. They have told you. l want money
and by all the gods of Hind, yours
shall be the hand to give it to me
e Marry me, and one week after ! viii
70 give you the means of leaving ALA
az ha. viii you marry me?'
= Yes" The word slipped over Win
MES lips family. She recalled All
meds advice; to humor the man, t
rs play for time but She knew that i
a. he touched her she must scream.
ng Keep tAat word. Your father an,
of sister are fools"
9, Winnie trembled. They were alive
m Kit and her father: this man had lied
al Alive! o, she would not be afraid o
OF any ordeal now. They were alive, ant
- more than that, they were free.
u Il will keep my word when the tim
- comes" she replied clearly.
"They are calling me Durga Raj
the Mad Beware, then, for NADINE
do mad things"
The door opened and shut benin
~. him, and she heard the key turn an
I'D the outside bolt click into its socke
IT, They were alive and free, her love
ones! She knelt upon the cushion
ra her eyes uplifted.
oa Alone. with torch in his shakin
~ hand, Umballa went down into Il
~ prison, to the row Of dungeons. In tt
- door of one was sliding panel +
pulled this back and peered With
I'M Something lay hidden in a corner. +
lg- drew the panel back into it's plac
ing climbed the worn steps, extinguisht
ib- the torch, and proceeded to his ow
nar | MI Of bic fnrmpr nlngtf
or standing just outside the royal co
III fines. Once there he had slaves anoi
at his bruised back and shoulders wi
VI unguents, ordered his peg, drank
~ and lay down to sleep.
On the morrow he was somewh
he daunted upon meeting Ramabai in t
loo corridor leading to the throne roo
ing where Winnie and the Council we
TT. gathered. He started to summon t
i'm, guards, but the impressive face of |
feet enemy and the menacing hand stay
ing the call
q. "You are a brave man, Ramabai
'all enter the lions den in this fashic
- You shall never leave here alive"
ue Eyes, Durga Ram l shall depart
~. | came, free man."
,ast You talk like that to me?" fu
ainp ously.
,wn. Even so. Shall | go out on
ates balcony and declare that know WI
for a certain dungeon holds?'
stol Umballa's fury vanished, and swe
oozed from his palms.
ton "You?"
res yes. know. A truce! The PEG
des- are muttering and murmuriag agail
mug you because they were forbidden
'ia'- attend your especial Juggernaut. b
~ for both Of us that they be Iuieted q
rhth amused
"a "Ramabai, you shall never wear
ourt crown"
bove Il do not want it,
lcon Nor shall your wife,"
Ramabai did not speak.
with "You shall die first!"
day "War or peace?" asked Ramaba
WAR"
Ill. so be it. l shall proceed to str
the first blow"