Evening star., 1934-08-04
CHAPTER xxxIv.

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one mans life stand in
the way Of something he wants,
Diana Lindsay asked the Swastiks
sadhu.
Because. at the first signs OF
tresehery. the veiled man, who can
foresee 1t even as can and who
possesses certain powers OF life and
death. would destroy that incarnation
Of evil called the Cobra"
What powers7" she questioned in
nocently.
The lips Of the asoetic curved into
q faint smile.
Powers that lie under the earth,
and above It, are controlled by him. 2"
Fearful Of being overheard by the
guard, whose footsteps were clearly
audible as they paced up and down,
Diana crept a little nearer.
There is one who 10 o prisoner
she hreathed.
L know him" answered the sadhu.
The grave face was lit by kindly
smile. And / viii be with him when
the time comes-not I, as you see me
but the power which Is mine to strike
from afar The eternal Al-Good
is on our side
These and many other things which
need not be written here Diana heard
from the sadhu. Almost before she
knew Il. the hour was up.
"Dilkoosh, thou imp OF Satan, where
art thou?" II was the voice OF the
Nublian woman. And twice again
came the signal.
Diana rose TO her knees. listening,
A light tap-tapping on the sun-oakeo
earth up the path outside had at
tracted her attention. She had not
noticed that the sadhu had left her.
There was q sound of running feet.
and the light OF bobbing lantern
fiickered down the pathway =. came
nearer nearer =. shone redly In
the mouth of the grotto, and fell upon
a slim form in hillman's dress.
Come out. thoul" exclaimed the
guard, a lanky Afridi youth. And
his gaze fixed warily on the frightened
sea a-green eyes staring into his. he
set down the lantern and unslung
his rife. barring the exit.
Driven by q blind instinct OF self
preservation, Diana fumbled for the
phial Of poison. But 1t slipped from
her trembling fingers. and falling
upon the floor was shattered into o
thousand pieces.
'Ho, brothersl" shouted the young
guard Come quickly I'have caught
a robberl"
"A rcbber! A robberl" Some one
fred q rife. The cry was taken up by
other patrols and in the twinkling Of
an eve the inclosure swarmed with
armed men
A small, squat man was now lashing
Diana's hands behind her back, mud
ging her as he tied the rope. She
looked down. YEARLY, but her heart
missed a beat when she saw it was
Limbu, Gray's Ghurka orderly. He
had managed to get himself enrolled
under the Cobra's banner, in spite
of being Hindu.
"I have come to find him!" he
whispered.
Then the other guards closed round
her.
What means all this tamaSha?"
doomed the Cobra's voice. Bring
hith.r the robber ye have caughtl"
He was standing on the balcony OUT
side Shireen's apartments, the Per-
sian by his side. In the room behind,
lit by heavy silver lamps burning
perfumed oil, was a huddled crowd
Of musicians and dancers. The alarm
had caused the nautch to be hurriedly
abandoned.
Shireen's fear filled eyes were burn
ing in the pale oval of her face like
brown fires
Seizing the Cobra's hand, the Per-
sian fell upon her knees.
1T is the Inglis girl, lord Harm
her not-for my sake! Give her to mel
I love her. I swear by Allah that I
die unless thou givest her to mel"
She threw herself at his feet.
The Cobra was strangely moved.
Never before had he seen Shireen so
distraught. After all, pondered the
gigantic hillman, why should this
Inglis girl be killed? She might still
be useful to him.
Free herl" he commanded.
Shireen seized the Cobra's hand and
covered it with kisses. II love thee,
1 love thee-thou great-hearted one!"
she cried.
Hold heri Or we die--all of YET"
rang out a harsh voice. From the
tower of the mirror, a black-veiled