The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-14
THF CHARACTERS

THE CHARACTERS
A. You Meet Them
TOM RASSOME. EnRUshman who
mas been captured Nth the spirit OF
India and remains n Ranchipur year
after year. suffering the spells %
neat 70 enjoy the rains when the
monsoons come because he seeks 70
MISS MacDhID. seotsish-born vo-
man, who comes 70 Ranchipur 70
take charge Of 2 hospital
JOHN. THE BAPTIST. man-servant
OF Ransome and purYeyor OF the city's
gossip.
Yesterdays Action
Seeking 70 catch 4 breath OF air
Tom Ransome is sitting on the
veranda OF his house musing on the
straneeness OF Ranchipur ano the
people thereof. IN the cleaning.
midas most enchanting hour ne
heard hts servant. John the Baptist.
and other natives sitting under tree
playing flute and drums At dinner
John. who is the chief source
OF gossip In the city. tells Ransome
two bits OF news That Miss Mac
Daid. who is IN charge OF the hos
pital thinks too much" OF Major
Safti, the hospital surgeon John
also has another bit Of news that
Lord and Lady Esketh arc coming 10
the city as guests Of the ruler Afte-
dinner Ransome goes for stroll and
while at the music school a sharp
clap OF thunder announces that tho
DRY season IS over and that the rains
are coming In the meantime Miss
MacDaid has been compelled 70 send
for Major safti because OF serious
trouble in the hospital.
Go On With the Story
Miss MacDaid had waited before
sending for Major Safti until all
hope was gone. because this was
the one evening of the week which
she tried to keep inviolate for him
II was the only time he had rest
from work which was enough for
three men, and he spent it nearly
always at the palace. IT was
kind Of sacred engagement. a royal
command. On Friday nights he
played poker with the Maharanee. /
He did it through no sense of duty |
nor even in Difference to the will .
of the arrogant and handsome old +
lady. but because. like her. of all .
things in life. he liked gambling .
best.
Accompanied by the porter. the .
nurse pedaled through the fast
scattering drops of rain as far as
the engineering school. and there
the storm began in earnest. Soaked
TO the skin within two or three
sometimes blinded by the
flood of water and the wild flashes
Of lightning. the two turned in at
the side gate of the grounds and
rode beneath the tossing trees
along the winding drive until the
palace with all its turrets and
spires and balconies showed black
against the sky. They went to
back entrance, for she had been
here before to summon the sur
seon on Friday nights and she
knew how to go about it. The old
played poker in secret
without the Hahara jah's knowl-
'dge. He made no objection to her
in Monte Carlo or Deau-
lille or Baden, but at home
ere in her own palace among her
wn people he forbade il. But he )
lad forbade her many things in
heir long life together only to
ave her follow her own will.
Maharanee Plays Expert Poker
At that moment she sat in her
wn sitting room at the mahogany
able surrounded by Major Safti
wo nephews. an aide-de-camp and
Major General Agate.
The nephews had learned poker
It Cambridge and played rather a
told. conservative game. General
agate played according to his
which was explosive,
o he always lost. What he lost he
would put down to the expense
( his journey, for he counted this
isit one of diplomacy 1t was not
n official visit. arranged by the
iiceroy, but an informal one and
therefore, all the more important