Crittenden record-press., 1917-10-18
CHAPTER ".

his shoulder. "COmc"
CHAPTER ".
II was muSty smelling entrance. so
dark TINT to see was scarcely possible
after the hot glare outside. Dmly
King made out Rcwa Gunga mounting
stairs 20 the left and followed him.
When he guessed himself two stories
1T least above rond lcvCl. there was
sudden blaze Of rcile-cd hight and he
hlinkcd at more mirrors Than he could
count. Curtains were reelected in each
mirror and little glowing lamps. 50
cunnIngly arranged that It was not POS.
sihlc 20 guess which were real and
which were not. King stood still.
Then suddenly. as II she had done II
a thousand time, before and surprised
thousand people o little nut-brown
maid parted the middle pair Of cur.
talus ana said "Salaum" smiling with
teeth that were ~ white ms porcelain.
King looked scarcely Interested and
not at an disturbed.
Eewa Gunea hurried past him,
lhrus..rg the little maid aside, and led
the way. King followed him into a
long room, whose walls were hung
with richer silks than any he remem.
hered 10 have seen. In II great wide
window 10 one side some twenty WON.
On began at once 70 make flute music.
Sllkcn punkahs swung from chains,
waiting back and forth a cloud OF san
dalwood smoke that velled the whole
scene in mysterious, scented mist.
BE welcome" laughed Rewa Gun.
ga; II am TO do the honors, since she
is not here. BE seated, sahib."
King chose dIyan at the rooms
far,hest end, near ;all cVtaIns that
led into rooms beyond. lie turned his
back toward the reason for his choice.
ON little lyory-inlald ebony table
about ten feet away lay knife, that
was almost the exact duplicate OF the
one inside his shirt. lie could sense
hushed expectancy on every side
could feel the eyes Of many women
fixed on him--and began TO draw on
his guard us u fighting man draws on
arnor. There and then he deliberately
set himself To resist mesmerism. which
is the East'S chief weapon.
Rewa Gunga. perfectly at home,
sprawled leisurely along a cushioned
couch with n grace that the West has
not learned yet but King did not make
the mistake of trusting him any better
for his easy manners and his eyes
sought swiftly for some unrhythmic,
unplnnned thing on which 10 rest. that
he might save himself by sort OF
mental leverage.
CHANGING along the wall that faced
the big window, he noticed for the first
time huge Afrldl, who sat on y stool
ahi leaned back against the sllken
hanrings with arms folded.
"Who Is that manl" he asked.
"licf oh, Ne Is savaee-just q
big savage" said Rewa Gunga, looking
vaguely annoyed.
"Why Is he herei"
He did not dare lei go Of this chance
side issue. lie knew that Rewa Gun.
gn wished him to talk Of Ynsmini and
90 ask questions about her. and that II
he suscumbed TO that temptation all
his self.control would be cunnlngly
sarpcd away from him until his se.
crets, and his very senses. belonged 70
some cn" else.
"NhN, Is h- doing lerei" he INSISTED.
"Hcy oh. he does nothlIr. lie waits"
purrcl the Hangar. nc In to be your
hn'y'scrvast cn your jarrr,v 10 the
North. lie l. nnrh,nE--nebc.ly AZ all!
except sat h. Is to Ice irj we'd ut.
terly because h. loves Iasp.ai. lie Is
obedience A big obeile1; fool! Let
hm bey
mo" said King. "If he's to he my
man I'll speak 10 him"
lie fclt himself winning. hrcady
the spell ~ the room was llf,mg. and
he no longer felt The clond cf sandal.
wood Ike veil across lis brain.
"Wrg'i YOU tell hhn to co.nc lcrc 10
met"
Rcwn Gunga laughed, rcStir. his silk
turhan ngsins, the wall hangings and
caSpins both hands about his knee. n,
was ns n man might laugh who has
been touched In n bout with folls.t
"oh'-lsmull" (" he called, with n
voice lHc he'll hat made King stare.
The Airfli sccscd lo come out of n
Cccp sleep and looked bewl,dcred. rub.
hing his eyes and gling whether his
trrhnn was On M fVtl,. lie co,nhc,,
his beard with ncryons ang, % h
r'Scd e.vut hlr are cur,hi }. Na
"'u"os cyc Thra h. spr ~ I. as
'e.,