The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-02-16
Rains
Came
Continued In e 81

made their escape Win scarcely d.
second 10 spare. Staggering IN the
he came suddenly upon
the Hall OF the park exactly where
he had expected t. find it and felt
q quick thrill Of satisfaction at his
He was uncertain Of
The exact spot where he had come
upon the wall. but after a moment
nc decided that if he turned to
the right he would come presently
to the Great Gate where the ma
haraJah's band played each eve
ming at sunset.
Again the instinct Of the pio-
n-er was right for after hurrying
along the wall. he came presently
to the Great Gate itself rising. it
seemed to him, up and up into
dark infinity. Calling out in Hin
dustani to the guards. he got no
answer and found that the inches
where the Sikh horsemen usually
stood were empty. Then. hating
the procession for a moment. he
read once more the names of the
class to make cert-:n that none
had been lost. and he was about
to give the order to go ahead when
Mrs. Smiley called out. Listen.
some one is calling" and out of
the darkness and the rain and
above the distant sound of wailine.
he heard a Woman's voice from
somewhere on the opposite side of
the road calling out. Sarah, Wait
for me- Sarah Sarah" and he
Knew that it was Miss Hodge.
Mrs Smiley called out Shall
we go back for her" and in an
instant Mi Smiley was forced To
make a terrible decision. The
water, even in Engineering School
road which was comparatively
high ground had risen almost to
his waist. Five minutes more and
1t might be over the heads Of the
smaller boys. Thinking quickly.
he called back. NO. Wen get
the boys to the palace first and
Ill come back for her"
Hurry" he called out. and in
GuJerati he urged the BOYS
through the great silent gateway
and along the curving drive. for
there was still good 500 yards tn
cover before they might consider
themselves safe.
Presently the ground began r.
rise beneath their feet and the
water to grow more and more
swallow until at last they were
walking on earth that was soaked
but free Of flood water. II was
easy enough TO follow the con-
tours of the metaled drive and in
another moment or two the enor-
nous mass of the half-ruined pal.
ace, bare now of pinnacles and
towers and turrets. rose in front
Of them, visible only because it
was more Opaque than the DARK,
ness Then they were safe within
the dubious shelter of the broken
porte cocherc and Mr.. Smiley
climbing the steps. led them to-
ward the hall of honor.
But he had gone only few feet
when he found the way blocked By
masses of stone and plaster which
was all that was left of the eres
tower. He knew then what had
happened-that the great tower
had fallen. blocking the hall of
honor and crushing all the gold
leaf and mosaic and sandalwood
IN the Durbar hall. The faint per-
rune of splintered sandalwood
hung In the damp air. and from a
Instant part of the palace came
the sound of wailing and lamenta-
ton. Then close by him there rose
a sound of scuffline and chatter
ing and troop of sacred mon
keys scuttled away into one Of the
anterooms.
Then for the last time he made
certain that mono Of the hovs wore
missing, and said to Mrs. Smiley
i II 20 back now and see what
can do"
And Mrs. Smiley found herself
crying out. No! Don't go! Don't
go There's nothing to be done
now And then abruptly she was
silent and ashamed of herself for
she knew that Mr.. Smiley had to
go. that nothing could stop him.
and that she herself had no right
to attempt it.
She heard him saying. But 7
must go. dear" in his familiar
gentle way, and at once she an
swered, of course you must. but
do be careful" feeling at the same
Time that the words she spoke and -
her voice itself We're pitifully in
adequate and banal beside what
she was feeling inside her.
she was aware that in the dark
ness he was trying to find her. and
putting out her hand she found his
and drew him to her. Quickly
lhey embraced and then he was
cone into the wall Of rain. but she
knew from the way he kissed her
that he was feeling what she felt.
and sense of exaltstion. more
wonderful than anything she had
ever experienced. swept over her.
After time the sounds of Ia
iANi'A % NioAl nun tIt INSTANT paris
Of the palace died away and the
night grew still save for the CUR
Cling sound of the water. It was
still rising. for each time she went
to the porte cochere 1t was little
higher on the steps, The perfume
Of shattered sandalwood still hung
IN the air, and after a time. in
spite Of hope, OF desire, of faith.
she began to doubt that he would
ever return. and vaguely her brain
began to consider how she would
carry on without him. And then
out of the darkness she heard his
voice. calling. Bertha, Bertha
a voice that was weak and hoarse
from exhaustion. and she felt sud-
denly faint and sick with JOY.