The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1917-12-14

which King saw him the Sleeper's like
ness to himself was actaally startling.
Startling-weird-like IN Incarnation
were Yasmini's words when at last she
spoke.
"Muhammad uedi He lied IN his
teeth His sons have multiplied his
&c S.cdhattha, whom men have called
Gotarna, the B2ddha. was before Mu-
hammad and he knew more! He told
Of the wheel of things. and there Is .
wheel! Yet, what knew the Buddha Of
the wheel? He who spoke of Dharma
(the customs Of tie law) not knowing
Dharma This is true-of old there
was wish of the gods-of the old
gods. And so these two were. There
is wish again now of the old gods.
SO, are we two not as they two werei
1t is the same wish. and loI We are
ready, this man and I. We will obey,
ye gods-ye old gods!"
She raised her arms and, going closer
TO the bed. stood there in an attitude
of mystic reverence, giving and re-
ceiying blessings.
Dear gods - she prayed. "Dear old
sods-older than these Ilills'-show
,Ie in a vision what their fault was
why these two We're ended before the
end
81 know all the other things We have
shown me. l know the worlds silly
crecds have made it mad and il must
rend Itself, and this man and l shall
reap where the nations sowed--if only
we obey! Wherein, We old dear gods,
who love me, did these two disobey? ]
pray you, tell me in vision"
She shook her head and sighed. Sad.
ness seemed to have crept over her,
like a cold mist from the night. II
was as If she could dimly see her
plans fOredooncd. and yet hoped on in
spite of il. The fatalism that she
scorned as Muhammad's lie held her
In its grip, and her natural courage
! fought with 1t. WOmanlike, she turned
TO King in that minute and confided TO
him her very inmost thoughts. And he,
without an inkling as to how she must
fail, yet knew that she must, and pitied
her.
Have you seen that breast under
the armorT she asked suddenly.
Come nearer! Come and look. Did
she kill him? Was that a dagger-stah
in his breast? I found perfume in
these caves-great jars of it. and use
it always. / think that scent is the
! preservative. Athelstan-listen,
think he would have failed her! ]
think she stabbed him rather than see
him fail, and then swallowed poisoni
Afterward their servants laid them
there. She smiles In death because she
4 knew the wheel will turn and that
death dies too! He looks grim be.
cause he knew less thar she. 1t is al.
ways woman who understands and
man who fails! l think she stabbed
him. She should have loved him bet
ter, and then there would have been
no need. I will love you better than
she loved himv
She turned and devoured him with
her eyes. so that it needed al his man.
hood to hold him back from being her
slave that minute. For in that min
ute she left no charm unexerciSed--
sex - Tesmerism - beauty flattery
| Cher eyes could flatter as a dumb dogs
| fiatter huntSman)-gruce unutterable
-mystery-she used every art on him
she knew. Yet he stood the test.
"Even If You fail me. well-beoved,
| I will love you! The gods who gave
you me will know how to make YOU
| love; and lessons are to Learn II YOU
| fail me l will forgive, knowing that in
the end the gods will never let you fail
me! You are mine, and earth is ours.
for the old gods intend it sol"
She seemed to expect him to take her
in his arms again: but he stood re-
! spectfully and made no answer, nor
any move. Grim and strong his jowl
| was. like the Sleeper's, and the dark
hair three days old on II softened moth
ing of its lines. His Roman nose and
steady. dark, ful, eyes suggested no
| compromise. Yet he was good to look
| at. She had not lied when she said
! she loved him. and he understood her
| and was sorry. But he did not look
sorry, nor did he offer any argument to
quench her love. He was servant OF
the raj; his life anC his love had been
India's since the day he first buckled
on his spurs, and Yasmini would not
have understood that.
Nor did she understand that, even
| suppOsing he had loved her with all his
heart, not on any conditions would he
have admitted ii until absolutely free.
| any more than that il she cruciiied him
he would love her the same, supposina
that he loved her at all. Nor did she
trus: the "oiG gods" too well, or let
| them work unaided.
"Come with me, Athelstan !" she said.
She took his arm-found little jeweled
slippers in closet hewn in the wall
put them on and led him to the cur
talns he had entered by. She led down
the steps, and at the foot told hin 20
put on his slippers, as if he we're a
child. Then. hurrying as If those opal
eye of hers were indifferent to dark
or daylight, she picked her way among
| bOwlders that he could feel but not
see, along floor that was only smooth
| In places. for a distance that was long
enough by two or three times to lose
L hin, oil yulnv, =, vonIynxl book