Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-06-11


country you hailed from. Etay i ask
your nameY
Il am called Jalisingrao Jitendra,
sar," he said in a low voice, but sim
gularly clear. sand yours?"
eBucls Williams" smiled back the
stalwart CHAP across the table. Sorry
I'm leaving at El Paso. l should like
to talk with you about your country
some day | hope to visit it, 1t must
be very interesting, from what 1 have
heard"
eyes" The monosyllable suggest
ed more than mere acquiescence, espe-
cially when combined with the enig-
matte smile which fitted over the
Orientaps intelligent face, then van
ished leaving his features emotionless
save for an expression of polite l.
Quiry.
''I've heard some wonderful stories
about India" observed the mining man
reflectively. "Some of them strongly
resembled conscientiously told triple
plated lies; but they were Endorsed by
sentative. For instance, is it true that
in your country people can disappear
and reappear almost instantly miles
away?"
Jitendra's answer came hesitatingly.
"There are many things, sahib,
which [ may not discuss save with
those who have prepared themselves
by the Hatha-Yoga or the RagahYOga.
The wisdom Of our people is Old-very
old. Their ways are not your ways,
sahib, and what they practice is for
some purpose which we are taught is
right and in necessary preparation for
our next reincar--"
His unfinished sentence was
drowned in a horrible, grinding roar.
The dining car, directly behind the
svaying engine, seemed to rear up in
the front and fold back upon itself.
Buck Williams caught sight of the
calm. untroubled face of Jitendra
peering over the top of the table above
him. simultaneously he was catapult-
ed backward to the rear of the car.
The roar died down into sickening.
eslithering crash, as the balance of the
cars in the rear impinged against the
wooden end of the diner, crushing it
resistlessly against the heavy steel
tender of the locomotive in front.
In the first moment of utter silence
except for the kissing of the leviathan
of steam now quivering, but stationary
ahead, Buck picked himself up from
the vestibule of the car.
"God bless the man who invented
steel platforms, he whispered to him
self as he contemplated the wreckage
in front. Then he leaped through the
open space to the Pullman behind and
tumbled to the right Of way.
From the front of the diner, which
was twisted and doubled back upon it.
self, arose an agonized screen. The
negro cooks and walters, penned in or
close beside the tiny kitchen, were
shrieking for aid-such as them as
still remained alive.
The locomotive stood half sidewise
on the embankment, the broken drlv-
ing-rod which had caused the disaster
driven far in the earth. The desert
wind swirling around the curve of the
hill dropped a piece of paper OF
strange texture at Buck Williams
feet.
Involuntarily he picked it up and
read, drawn by an impulse which he
could not fathom:
Beloved:
Until long after I had crossed the
sacred water Of the Gauges, with its
burden of true believers progressing
to their next incarnation, and lived
among the people Of this far-off coun-
try, ! never understood the meaning
Of tr'le love; but now, after your many
sacrifices for me, believe do.
GAS I have knelt before the shrine
of the Blue Buddha, have Learned
the meaning of such devotion as
yours; come, therefore, TO me and
speedily. / write in English that you
may see how have improved
"INDIRA."
Buck thrust the missive into his
pocket and turned to the twisted
tangle of the wrecked diner. He re-
GREETED that he had read the note
through on the impulse of the mo-
ment, for the intimate affairs of
chance travelling companion were sure
~ no business of his.
The texture resembled that Of the
paper which Jitendra had been read
ing at the beginning of their conversa-
ton. The peculiar style and idiom Of
the communication left little doubt
that it was the same and had some
how escaped from him at the instant
of the crash.
A sinister jet of fame spiraled up
from the splintered fragments. The
trainmen were already hewing fran
tically at the debris, and presently a
negro craWled painfully through the
orifce they made, dragging a broken
leg.
Another followed, then another, his
face grimed with the smoke of the
fast rising fire which, in spite of des-
perate efforts, seemed destined to con-
sumo the demolished car.
But of Jitendra the mining man saw
no sign, and he smothered an impre-
ot;op OF bo +ipu al of