The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-02

and from the windows the rain
soaked curtains tapped in and
out dismally
In a little while the nephew of
Nil Kant Rao appeared. sturdy,
small. muscular Mahratta, about
20 years old, rather like the terrier
policemen of Bombay. He wore
his small Mahratta turban at a
rakish angle with the same air Of
dash and recklessness. He was a
bright boy who had been educated
in Bombay and spoke English and
Gu1erati as well as Hindustani
and Mahratta. One needed a lot
of languages to get on properly
in India.
His name, he said. with a white
toothed grin, was Gopal Rao. and
he was willing to do anything.
The disaster, II seemed, did not
appall him: rather. he seemed to
find 1t exciting, and his attitude
made r an som feel far more
cheerful. He thought, studying
the boy. THE Mahrattas are the
toughest people in the world, bred
in burning desert upon hardship
and catastrophe an disaster"
And he was young. so that horror
seemed less horrible to him.
They had not to wait for long.
The news of the office in the Great
Gateway had spread in the mys-
FERROUS way of news in India, and
presently there was little line
of those who had survived the
flood and earthquake extending
along Engineering School Road.
Some wanted to find lost relatives
and friends; some wanted food
and shelter: one silversmith COM
planned that his shop had been
looted by one of the State police.
One rich Parsee came to offer the
store of grain he always kept in
his own compound. II was dry
and in good condition and would
help feed the population until
grain could be brought in from
the districts. only he wanted to
be assured that 1t would go only
to the part of the population which
was Parsee. Just as he finished
his story there came through the
grilled window the sound of quar-
reling. and when Ransome and
Gopal Rao went outside TO dis
cover the cause they found that
two Bunyas. reverting to the times
before the Good MahraraJah had
thrust mason and potter
roughly out OF their place in line.
Now the whole group began quar-
reling over the ancient rights of
caste. Blows were struck. and
one of the Bunyas began whining
that he would have TO go through
publication rites because he had
been struck by brickmaker.
II was the Mahratta. Gopal Rao,
with his contempt for other races
and his unorthodox feeling about
caste. who bullied the line into re-
spectful silence. He hit those who
remained quarrelsome and cursed
them in three languages, and when
there was silence at last he told
them that the death of the Maha-
rsjah had made no difference and
that the Maharanee was still alive
TO carry out his orders; that in
Ranchipur all subjects were equal
and had the same right to a place
in the line. Then he and Ran
some went inside once more. but
the Bunya who had to be purified
kept on whining and complaining
about the expense of the rite.
Toward the middle of the day
Rsnsome looked up from his table
and saw in the doorway an ex-
traordinary figure dressed in the
impeccable costume of a London
butter. The man had long. sal
low face and a long nose and
wsshed-out blue eyes. with straw
colored hair He wore morn
/ ing coat and trousers that were
wrinkled and spattered with mud,
and in his hand he carried small
metal box.
When Ransome spoke TO him he
saw that the man was trembling
Come in" he said. What can l
do for you"
I'm Lord Esketh's man." he
said. Bates is my name. They
sent me to see you. sir. I've been
everywhere. but I've only seen In
dams. and none OF them seemed
to know anything. I've got Is
Loedsnip's papers and the jewels
Err Ladyship left behind. Can
you take them in charge, sir >"
He saw that the man was fright
ened. that probably he had had
nothing TO eat and no shelter for
two days. The spectacle he made
was az once pitiful and comic.
Ransome told Gopal Rao 10 go on
with the work and he took Bates
into a corner of the room.
Immediately he began 10 pour
out his story On the night of the
quake ne had gone out for a
!. Continued on Page 10 Column 81