The Carlisle independent., 1915-04-15

| does. either Jim thinks a good deal and so does Lydia. It's darned-" MT. Riggs happened to look up at i that instant Ranjab was standing in front of him. his arms folded across ! his breast, in the habitual pose of the | Hindu who waits. The man was | dressed in the costume of high-caste | Brahmin; the commonplace garments of the Occident had been laid aside, and in their place were the vivid, dag zling colors of Ind, from the bejeweled | sandals to the turban which crowned ! his swarthy brow and gleamed with rubies and sapphiTes uncounted. MT. i Riggs mouth remained open as he stared blankly at this ghost of another day. Not since the old days in India had he seen Ranjab in native garb, and even then he was far from being i the resplendent creature of tonight, | for Ranjab in his home land was a l poor man and without distinction.
 Am l awake?" exclaimed Mir Riggs | in such an awful voice that MT. Dawes gave over staring at the cabinet and favored him with an impatient kick on the ankle
 T guess that'n wake you up if" and then he saw the Hindu. Ran 1 jab!" oozed from his lips.
 Ranjab was smiling, and when he smiled his dark face was joy to be- hold. His white teeth gleamed and l his sometime unfeeling eyes sparkled with delight He liked the two old men. They had stood, with Brood be- | tween him and grave peril far back l in the old days when even the faint 1 est gleam of hope apparently had been plotted out.
 Behold" he cried, magnifcently l spreading his arms. T am made glo- rious! See before you the prince of magic! See!" With a swift, delft movement he snatched the half smoked cigar from the limp fingers of Mir Riggs and, first holding it before l their blinking eyes, tossed it into the air. It disappeared
 Well, of all the" began Mir. Riggs. sitting up very straight. His eyes were following the rapid actions of the Hindu. Unlocking a drawer in the big table the latter peered into it and then beckoned the old men to his side. There lay the cigar and beside it much-needed match
 ''I don't want to smoke it." said MT. i Riggs, vigorously declining his prop erty "The darned things bewitched." 1 Whereupon Ranjab took it out of the l drawer and again threw 1t into the 1 air. Then he calmly reached above i his head and plucked a fresh cigar out of space obsequiously rendering 1t to the amazed old man. who accepted l 1t with the sheepish grin of be- 1 added schoolboy.
 You haven't lost any of your old 1 skill" said MT. Dawes, involuntarily glancing at his own cigar to make sure that he had 1t firmly gripped in his stubby fingers. You ought to be l in a sideshow, Ranjab."
 Ranjab paused, before responding. to extract a couple of billiard balls and a small paper knife from the lapel of Mir. Dawes coat.
 'I am to perform tonight, sahib, for l the mistress guests. It is to be-what 1 you call him? A sideshow? Ranjab is to do his tricks for her, as the dog performs for his master" The smile 1 had disappeared. His face was an inn penetrable mask once more. Had their eyes been young and keen, however. they might have caught the flash of l anger in his.
 Going to do all the old tricks?" cried MT. Riggs eagerly. By George. I'd like to see 'em again. wouldn't you. Dan? I'm glad we've got our good clothes on. Now you see what comes of always being prepared for"
 Sorry, sahib, but the master has request me to entertain you before the guests come up. Coffee is to be serve here"
 That means we'll have to clear out?" said Riggs. slowly.
 But see!" cried Ranjab, genuinely sorry for them. He became enthusias- tic once more. See! I shall do them all-and better. too. for you"
 For ten minutes he astonished the old men with the mysterious feats of the Indian fakir. They waxed enthu-