The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-18

Miss MacDaid waited in the hos
pital until Major Safti arrived and
brought the mason's wile's baby into
the world She served tea 10 the
Major and MIR Smiley. and then felt
pang Of regret when the Major
left 10 return 70 the palace In the
meantime, the rains had not extend =
ed as FAR as Delhi. so train bearing
Lord and Lady Esketh was on its way
to Ranchipur. where they were 10 be
guests Of the Mahara5ah. Lord Es-
keith had two purposes in view. To
buy up cotton mills and TO acquire
some specially bred horses from the
Maharajah Their journey on the
train Was decidedly unpleasant be-
cause OF the intense heat and the
attitude OF Lord Esketh toward his
Lady
GO ON With the story
In the morning when John the
Baptist brought Ransome his tea
the storm was over and the sun
was shining once more as IL there
had been no rain and the drought
had never been broken
The garden had been trans
formed by the rain. In the few
hours of the night fresh shoots had
sprung from the withered plants
and the vines that covered the an
cient walls. and underneath them
the earth, instead of being burnt
and dusty. was rich dark color.
For little while he worked. but
this morning his mind. instead of
becoming absorbed and lost in the
very earth, conjuring up new
wonders of flowers and vegeta bles
which would spring from every
stroke of his hoe. turned TO the
arrogant Esketh. wondering why
he should be coming to Ranchipur
to disturb its peace with his hois-
ferrous, pitiless, brutal presence.
Vaguely he remembered him in
the days after the war. when he
had crossed his path in Whitehall,
and he had no liking or admira-
ton for the man. neither for his
shrewdness nor his ill-spent en-
ergv. nor for his talk of empire.
II Esketh were coming to Rsnchi-
pur ii would mean no good 10 any
| one there. least of all the old
Msharajah. who in his goodness
and simplicity could only be q
victim.
The thought Of Lady Esleth
troubled him. because the name
was so familiar 10 him and yet
50 lost.
Hoeing and thinking. he forge,
the hour and even the boiling heat
until John the Baptist appeared
looking alarmed and comic in his
hreech clout. 10 ask whether. after
all. he meant 70 lunch at home
II was o'clock and the dsv was
SATURDAY.. and he should have been
long before now on his wav 10 the
( mission 10 lunch with the Smileys
Mrs. Simon's Invitation
The American mission occupied
two big hsrracklike houses n mile
or two beyond the race course. II
the beginning. long ago. Just after
the mutiny. they had served a:
buildings 70 house the officers Of
the British troops stationed IL
ings. age had given them character
and time had provided beauty II
climbing vines and creepers-
clemstis and trumpet vines snC
bougainvilles They stood shade
by mango and eucalyptus and pep
per trees a little way from The
dusty road In one lived the Rev
Elmer Simon with his wife anC
two daughters. Fern and Hazel
In the other dwelt Mr.. Smiley
with his wife and Mrs. Smiley''
srest-aunt. Phoebe.
The effort which had gone intC
this garden was expended by theii
neiehbors. the Siraons. on a doubl,
tennis court and large srbol
covered with trumpet vines which
stood AZ one end Of IL This wa,
the work Of Mrs. Simon. a power
ful. pretty and tenacious woman
on the verge OF middle age. TS
look az her you would never have
suspected her power. She was IL
small and plump. with curly BLONDE
hair which had faded only little
She was determined 10 be a per
son OF importance and OF distinc
ton. and TO accomplish this sh'
found X necessary 20 dominate he
husband and her daughters. TO as
sumo strange affections. to spen'
all of her husbands mesger salary
She disliked very nearly ever