Bridgeton pioneer., 1917-10-04
The RANGES
Crystal
Story of an Adventure
In Bombay
By CLARISSA MACKIE
By CLARISSA MACKIE

A' A'NiNios. u yOoIS man plOAll-
nent in New York society and still
more prominent in diplomatic circles
had just completed most delicate
mission which had taken him first tt
London, where he had met many dis
tinguishcd people in high life; then OF
to India where lis task was finished
Never having been in that part of the
world before. he wandered around fol
some time making himself familiar
with the sights and customs of the
country.
For week he had been in Bombay
fascinated by the odd streets, beauti
full temples and palaces and the gen
eral mysticism of the Life of a people
so totally different from that expert
enced in any other part of the world
On the eve before his departure from
the city John Barclay stood ON Temple
hill, and Bombay seemed very faI
away that breathless night as he look.
ed toward the mystic towers of the
city that lay a few miles distant.
Temple hill was in a suburb of In.
dia's great city, and John Barclay had
spent delightful day in examining
the ruins Of ancient temples and in
wandering through the beautiful gar.
den Of deserted palace.
Now the garden lay behind him, al
the foot of Temple hill. Overhead the
moon shone, soft, luminous disk
against the dense blue sky. The great
stars beamed; not cloud flecked the
sky; not zephyr stirred the hair 0r
his temples.
From some distant garden came th,
sounds Of music and merrymaking.
After awhile that died away, ant
there was no sound save the weird
call of night bird or the distant cry
of a jungle prowler.
John Barclay was lost in dreamy
abstraction when he felt touch on his
arm.
lie started violently and drew away
from the gaunt framed Hindu who had
touched his sieege.
What do you want?" demanded Bar
clay sharply.
The man salaamed.
Pardon, sahib," ile said softly, "but
the rance requests your presence ct
once"
'"The rance? Let me see," unused
Barclay. ''Fhe rance is the woman
ruler OF Il district or province. Sort
of lady raiah. eh?"
"E%at!i Rlt /, tie Hindu calmly
Tile dickens. SO you understand
English pretty plainly, my man! Well,
what does her royal highness want of
a poor American tourist?"
The Hindu sa,aamed again.
"She would speak with the sahib."
VERY well, lead the way" decided
Barclay, ready for adventure. 81 hear
the rance is young and lovely" He
smiled to himself as he followed his
guide down the hill and through the
gate that led into the very garden in
which lie had spent the beautiful! after
noon.
The guide walked silently and swift
ly through the garden, and Barclay,
thrilled with the mystery and romance
attending his summons to the presence
of the rance, followed.
Heavy scents Of roses, jasmine and
lilies clung close to him as he walked
A nightingale burst into rapturous
song from some hidden covert.
The walls of the palace rose dark
and forbidding There was not one
ray of light to be seen. Only the white
furhan of tho Hip6,1
for the American to follow.
'Here sahib," said the man, pausins
suddenly before low arched doorway.
"Follow me-
A man of weaker nerve than Ban
clay might easily have quailed at tho
risk taken in following SO blindly 6
guide on an unknown mission in a
country like India. He well knew how
mysteriousy people disappeared IL
those big cities of India, never to bt
heard of again. OF course sense of
the danger flashed through his mind.
but his nerve was good, and he rather
enjoyed the thrill of excitement in the
adventure. Added to this was bis
curiosity to see the inside of one of
those wonderful palaces of India and
to be in the presence, according to re-
port, of one Of the worlds most beau
tiful women.
Barclay stepped close behind the 9th,
er as the mans softly shod feet noise.
iessly trod stone passageway and
mounted narrow flight of stone steps
Up. up they went until at last they
emerged upon the fat roof of the pal
ace.
Here was all the warm luxury of
eastern life-gay awnings, soft, silken
rugs, cushioned divans. delicately shad-
ed lights swinging to and fro. sweet
meats and luscious fruits heaped on
low tables and over all the sweet per-
vading fragrance of many flowers.
Under silken awning a lovely wom-
an reposed on a soft divan. Barclay
caught general impression of perfect
fnatl1reS duSkv hair twinad with flow