The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-01
THE RAINS CAME

Copyright, 1887, 1883 1899 by Louis Bromfieil
Distributed By Ledger syndicate

/ Major Safu is with her and Mr..
Gupts, the town engineer"
They passed through another
room and then came TO the largest
of the compartments. Along one
side the fabric of the pavilion had
been lifted few feet, high
enough to admit light but to keep
out the rain. Then for the first
time Ransome had clue 10 what
had happened 10 the Maharanee.
II was as If at the moment he and
Raschid stepped through the cur
tanned doorway they had gone
back across the centuries TO the
time OF Akbar or Asoka.
And as they moved toward her,
he found himself not bowling as nc
had always done, Europea
fashion. but placing his hands to-
gether and making low obeis-
snce as Raschid was doing. Then
he saw that the major was there
and Mr.. Gupta and Nil Kant Rao.
the palace steward, compact
Mahratta with fierce mustaches.
At sight of him Ransome thought.
Fortunately he is still alive. He
is a capable man" Behind her in
+ the shadows sat one of the old
Princesses Of Bewanagar and. I'M
comfortably. cross-legged on her
launches, the Russian woman.
The Maharanee said. 1t is good
you are here. We have much work
TO do. This is all there are. The
others are all away or dead-the
others who might be of use. All
save Colonel Ranjit Singh. He is
now driving off the Bills"
AS they came in. the men who
had been sitting stood up. and now
as she finished speaking he was
aware that the sjor had moved
nearer to him and suddenly he felt
the majors hand clasping his own
in sudden fierce grip. II was as
/ II he had said. We are all here
/ together-to help each other and
TO save our people. We are de-
pending on you. We have faith in
you"
/ For second Ransome was
overcome with sstonishment. and
I then ne returned the pressure,
and at the same time something
like lump came into his throat.
II was not only that the sudden
clasp Of the great delicate hand
had said. Il am a friend" II also
meant: you are one OF US. We
/ trust you. That is why Her High
ness sent specially for YOU"
! II was the first time in all those
lonely years in Ranehipur they
had told him that. And now he
knew what before he had some
times suspected-that he loved
I these people. the old Maharanee.
the ma jor. and the burly Raschid.
as much as he had ever loved any
people In this world.
Then the old lady told one of
the servants TO bring chair for
him. but when the chair arrived
he refused il. saying. No. ] have
sat on the floor many times. l
can do II as well as the others"
Then the Maharsnee set forth
her plan. II was that the little
group assembled about her was 10
constitute kind Of council of war.
These, she said, were the ones
she had chosen after long reflec-
ton. These. together with Colonel
Rsnjit Singh. were the ones who
could meet the catsstrophe-these
and the Smileys and Miss Mac
Daid, but Miss MscDaid could not
leave the hospital. She would
have her hands full organizing
and carrying out the care Of the
sick and wounded.
When she had finished the first
short speech. Rsschid said, Your
Highness, ! think that first of all
We should know what the situation
is-now bad il is. There is so little
time. There is already cholera in
the town and there will be typhoid
and typhus.'
Continued on Page 10 Column 81