New Britain herald., 1930-10-01
DAGGER !
 by Mary Dahlberg

o65
 Synopsis: Two men are loved and lost by Dagger Marley. spirited young niece of Texas rancher. Elaine Howard, whom she rescues from some Mexican insurgents, is killed in action on the Western Front in France. Captain John Va neering, war ace, whom she mar ries, dies in an airplane crash. Dag ger cherishes most the memory of Howard, her first love. In Paris she meets the Due de Pontoise, a French nobleman, who also falls in love with her, but she refuses to marry him. Instead she decides to make a pilgrimage around the world following a route once trav- elled by Howard on a similar trip, visiting friends in Africa, India and and China in search of an answer to life's riddle. Dagger spends some time in Africa with Sidi Ma rut. Arab sheikh. the first of How ards friends. His philosophy is to do what one thinks is right. Leav- ing Sidi Marut he goes to AleXan- dria. on the way to India.
 Chapter 30
 INTO FORBIDDEN PLACES
 Egypt tempted Dagger. She would have liked to wander amongst it's antiquities, to ascend the Nile and continue overland by safari into the alpine fastness of the Mountains of the Moon. But the venture extended no prospect of achievement; it could do no more than furnish an outlet for her restlessness. So she contented herself with a brief visit to Cairo, and two weeks later board ed P. & O. liner for Bombay.
 Long before the Red Sea had been traversed she was known through the ship as the American girl who'd lived with the Senussi, and she learned from the passen- gers much that was valuable about India = even something about the man she intended to visit.
 What? Ghulam Buk?" said a District Commissioner from up Jul lundur way. "Of course, I know him -or of him, rather. Everyone does. He's a bit of a saint, one of the healthiest influences in India. A very remarkable old chap. doesn't believe Tn much of anything that we dc, doesn't like Westernism but holds out against violence, and that sort of thing. Abbot of the Gelugpa Monastery in Lahore, has a lot to say about what the Buddhists do that Is, the pure, uncontaminated Buddhists.
 "Old Ghulum Buk's lot are the real thing, followers of the Way. See him7 I should think you'd have difficulty. But when you seem to be able to do things, Mrs. Naneering. No harm in having try, anyhow"
 This only served to promote Dag gers impatience. She could scarce ly wait for the steamer to reach Bombay, and alas for the Gateway Of India, she left it overnight. But she was unable to resist the bizarre
 
 the Central Provinces as revealed from her car-window.
 Never in a single forty-tWo hours of travel had she seen. so many hu- man beings. They swarmed about the stations like gnats; wherever the land was arabic villages showed through the foliage, men and wo- men toiled in the fields, innumer- able children raced beside the tracks.
 The cities were equally strange. baroque, unkempt, each one huge sum. She received an impression Of the utter cheapness of human life. There was no trace of the native dignity of the desert folk; and at times she was profoundly depressed.
 But nothing could quench her growing excitement as the train steamed north. She lay awake the second night, and was early awake to watch for the domes and nina rets Of Lahore, a city lovelier far, she soon decided, than any other she had judged by fleeting impress sion.
 At the hotel she explained her wishes, as soon as she had bathed and changed her clothes, to a defer ential Babbu clerk, who was quite put out by her intention.
 Yes. truly, Madame must have nn Nnto clipped, singsong English, spoken with the painful accuracy of one who rehearsed it all in his mind; but 1t is not cUstomaree for Buddhist priest to receive foreign lady in monastery. I doubt if sue cess attends Madame's effort"
 You may leave that to me" Dag ger answered curtly. Secure me the guide, and I'll do the rest"
 The guide, suaye Bengali, was equally discouraging; but perfectly willing to carry out his employers instructions, and procured a motor for the journey across the city to the mnastery. which was situated in the oldest quarter. Sitting back with teeth clinched and frowning brows. Dagger had no eyes for he colorful pageantry of the streets. She looked straight ahead at the hollowed back of the Sikh chauf- feur and the round form of the Bengali. Immersed in thought, she
 AUNT HET