The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-07-03
CHAPTER xlx-Continued.
-13-

going to do it." substituted Mr.. Riggs.
somewhat hastily. shes a wonder
full nurse, She told me bit ago that
she was going to save his life in spite
Of the doctor"
What does Doctor Holder say" de-
manded Brood, pausing in his restless
pacing of the floor.
"He says the poor boy is as good as
dead" said Mr.. Riggs.
"Ain't got a chance in a million"
said Mr.. Dawes.
They were surprised to see Brood
vince. He hadn't been so thin-skinned
in the olden days. His nerve was 60
ing back on him, that's what it was,
poor Jim! Twenty years ago he would
have stiffened his back and taken 1t
like a man. 1t did not occur to them
that they might have broken the news
to him with tact and consideration.
But you can depend on us, Jim, to
pull him through" said Mr.. Riggs
quickly. Remember how we saved
you back there in Calcutta when all
the fool doctors said you hadn't a
chance? Well. sir. we'll still"
IF any Teller can get well with a
bullet through his" began Mr.. Dawes
encouragingly, but stopped abruptly
when he saw Brood put his hands over
his eyes and sink dejectedly into a
chair, deep groan on his lips.
II guess we'd better co." whispered
Mr.. Riggs, after a moment of indie
cision and then, inspired by certain
fear for his friend, struck the gong re-
soundingly. Silently they made their
way out of the room, encountering
Ranjab just outside the door.
"You must stick to II, Ranjab." said
Mr.. Riggs sternly.
with your dying breath" added Mr..
Dawes. and the Hindu, understanding.
gravely nodded his head.
"Well?" said Brood, long afterward,
raising his haggard face to meet the
gaze Of the motionless brown man who
had been standing in his presence for
many minutes.
Miss Lydia ask permission OF sahib
to be near him until the end" said the
Hindu. "She will not 60 away. have
heard the words she say to. the sa-
hibah, and the sahibah as silent as the
tomb. She say no word for herself,
just sit and look at the floor and never
move. Then she accuse the sahibah Of
being the cause Of the young masters
death, and the sahibah only nod her
head to that, and go out of the room,
and up to the place where the young
master Is, and they cannot keep her
from going In. She just look at the
woman in the white cap and the wom-
an step aside. The sahibah is now
with the young master and the doctors.
She is not of this world, sahib, but of
another"
And Miss Desmond? Where is she?"
"She wait In the hall outside his
door. Ranjab have speech with her.
She does not believe Ranjab. She look
into his eye and his eye is not honest
she see 1t all. She say the young
master shoot himself and"
Il shall tell her the truth, Ranjab."
said Brood stolidly. "She must know
she and her mother. Tonight / shall
see them, but not now. Suicide! Poor.
poor Lydia!"
Miss Lydia say she blame herself
for everything. She is a coward, she
say, and Ranjab he understand. She
came yesterday and went away. Ran.
1ab tell her the sahib no can see her."
Yesterday! l know. She came to
plead with me. know" groaned
Brood. bitterly.
"She will not speak her thoughts 70
the world, sahib," asserted Ranjab.
Thy servant have spoken his words
and she will not deny him. Il is for
the young masters sake. But she say
she know he shoot himself because
he no can bear the disgrace"
Enough, Ranjab," interrupted the
master. Tonight shall tell her eyerv.
thing. Go now and fetch me the latest
word"
The Hindu remained motionless Just
inside the door. His eyes were closed.
"Ranjab talk to the winds, sahib.
The winds speak to him. The young
master Is alive. The great doctor he
search for the bullet. 1t Is bad. But
the sahibah stand between him and
death. She hold back death. She
laugh at death. She say It no can be.
Ranjab know her now. Here in this
room he see the two woman in her.
and he no more will be blind. She
stand there before Ranjab, who would
kill, and out Of the air came q new
spirit to shield her. Her eyes are the
eyes Of another who does not live in
the flesh, and Ranjab bends the knee.
He see the inside. 1t is not black. 1t
Is full Of light-a great big light. sahib.
Thy servant would kill his masters
wife-but. Allah defend! He cannot
kill the wife who is already dead. His
masters wives stand before him-two
not one-and his hand is STOP"
Brood was regarding him through
wide-open. incredulous eyes. you
you saw 1t too" he gasped.
The serpent is deadly. Many time
Ranjab have take the poison from its
fangs and 1t becomes his slave. He
would have take the poison from the
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