The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-06
THE RAINS CAME
BY LOUIS BROMFIELD
Copyright. 1897. 1898. 1899 by Louis Bromfisia
Distributed by Ledger syndicate


Beneath what remained of the
porte-cochere they had built
pyre for Lord Esketh from shat
tered beams wrested out of the
ruins, and as the little party ad-
yanced up the drive the coolies
waited for Lady Esketh to set fire
TO the heap. On the top lay the
body, wrapped now, like the bodies
at the burning CHATS. in a shroud.
The whole thing had a make
shift air. with no mourners save
the coolies who stood about star
ing at the widow with an animal
curiosity. In London, thought Ed
wilma. there would have been
great funeral, with service per-
haps in ST. Margaret's or st.
Georges.
There would be eulogies and
newspapers in England. even in
those which had fought him in life
and hated him. And the Esketh
press would have columns and
black borders and pictures and
tributes by men he had cheated
and abused in life. who hated him.
Only they didn't even know yet
that he was dead. There would
be streamers about Lord and
Lady Esketh missing. Ranchipur
disaster. etc" The men and
women who worked for him
wouldn't yet be able TO rejoice in
their hearts that he was dead.
Ashes to ashes all right. While
Mr.. Smiley read on. she felt Ran
some's hand reach out and take
her own. 1t was a nice gesture.
she thought. symbol of that odd
bitter understanding which had al
ways existed between them.
Then Mr.. Smiley was finished
and Tom said: DO you want to
light the pyre? Its the usual
thing here for the nearest rela-
tive" And dumbly she said,
Yes" and one of the coolies who
stood expectantly by gave her a
copy OF the Times of India twisted
into a torch which Tom lighted
with his briquet and she thrust II
into the pyre. The flames hesi-
tated for moment and then leap
ed up and up greedily toward the
body wrapped in sheets of pale
pink crepe-de-chine.
For little time she watched.
fascinated and then, turning TO
Tom, she asked like a child, May
I go now" and Mr.. Smiley said.
There's nothing TO be gained by
staying"
She liked Mr.. Smiley. She
glanced at him quickly with a
half-smile. There was something
80 simple and uncomplicated and
sure about him.
"One Of my boys" said Mr..
Smiley, will look after the ashes. -
And so the great Lord Esketh
was left alone with the coolies and
the all-devouring. purifying fire.
II was the sirplsne which pre-
cipitated the crisis. II came the
next morning from the direction
OF Mount ALBANIA. appearing sud
denly. glistening in a moment OF
sunlight above the white temples
which crowned the summit. Peo-
pie in the streets-coolies and
sweeper women. soldiers and po-
licemen. the hungry. the sick and
dying toward the sky and
watched it approach. Some cried
out: some were silent: but in the
heart OF each one was the thought:
The world outside has not for
gotten us"
Quickly II arrived above the
ruined city. circling twice before
the flier chose a millet field beyond
the Parsee's Tower Of Silence as a
landing place. Then il roared
lower and lower until az last the
wheels Of the undercsrrisge struck
the red mud and sank deeper and
deeper. For a moment in the sud
denness Of checked flight. the
plane threatened TO stand upon its
nose, but quickly It recovered it,
self and settled down as the
crowd, running painfully through
the mud. arrived. The flier was a
Muslin. When he CHM bed out. he
asked IN Hindustsni for Lord and
Lady Eskeih. he had. he said.