The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-12
THE RAINS CAME

Maricnbad, until he knew that the
rains had come and his people
were safe from famine.
And with the passing of each
week the tension grew. It was
not only the awful heat that wore
nerves finer and finer. but terror
as well, the terror Of famine and
disease and the horror of that
burning sun which nerves could
bear no longer; for no one pre-
tended that even the good old
maharajah, with all his grain de-
pots and his food reserves, could
save $1,000 900 people from misery
and death If Rama and Vishnu and
krishna saw fit to send no rain.
Day Departs and
The Land Is Dark
Then the sun sank suddenly
and darkness closed over the gar
den. as If curtain had come
down and the stars came out all
at once. glittering like the famous
diamonds of the fierce old ma
haranee. Quietly Ransome made
his way along the garden path,
past the well surrounded by bam-
boo. which was rustling now iii the
faint breeze that always came up
for moment when the sun fell.
In the windows of the house a
light appeared, and Ransome knew
that John the Baptist had put
away his flute and finished his
gossip and was preparing supper.
Ransome could sec him moving
about, clad only in a breech clout,
softly. like ghost.
Ransome only used a part of
the big house-the dining room, a
small sitting room and a bedroom
on the ground floor. The draw
ing room, a vast empty room fac
ing north for the cool. he used as
a studio. Here he dabbed in paint
ing. The rest was shut up and
empty save for the lizards and
mice.
Gossip of the Day
At Mcaltime
When he had changed he came
from his own room into the dining
room. In the far corner of The
room were electric fans. which
kept the air stirring. less pic
turesque than the old-fashioneC
punkahs but more efficient. Ran
chipur was progressive STATE
with an electric plant-an unde
pendable and eccentric one. TO b.
sure-but better than none at all
After the waterworks it was thu
first thing that visitors were taker
to see. Then came in order th'
narrow gauge railway. the hospi
tai. the zoo and the asylum fol
the insane.
When John the Baptist appear
ed with cold consomme he was M
longer naked but dressed in sui
of white drill. fresh from tn,
dhobi. but already there was {
smudge OF ashes at the elbow anC
spot of consomme on the from
of the jacket. He put down the
soup and waited. and after a mo-
ment Ransom spoke,
What gossip did you hear to
night, John"
The boy wriggled a little before
speaking, pleased that his master
should show curiosity. Retailing
gossip, telling the master thing:
he did not know made him feel i'm
portant and valuable and sure Of
his place. He said: mot much
Sahib. Only about Miss Mac
Daid"
What about Miss MacDaid >"
Anthony says she likes Major
Safti.'
"Oh, How likes"
"Too much" said John with g
shy grin.
A Woman and
Vague Memory
"Oh! And what else ."
"A big sahib is coming on g
visit TO his highness. And his wife
is coming with him"
who's that >"
Hes called Lord Esketh." Johr
the bdpNAsl NdliCN Il EsShllls W
Ransome knew what he meant
Anthony said she is very hesuti
full. He saw her in Delhi. But
he says she is R devil sahib, s
she-devil-a sorciere."
Ransome wondered why an Eng
lish peeress. and rich one a
that, should be coming TO Ranchi
pur by choice at q season wher
every one who could escape would
flee TO the mountains. He knew
who Lord Esketh was and frown
ed at the thought of his coming
10 disturb the peace Of Ranehipur
, The name Lady Esl<eth" stirre,
, something in his memory. but h
, could not quite remember who sh
= was. and he found the heat to-
/, great TO make any great effort
D The news about Miss MacDai,
, stirred him more profoundly be
5 cause it seemed so unlikely and. il
! comic fashion, so tragic.
He could have gone away. H
, was not kept here like the oil
r msharaJah by a sense Of duty L
/ his people, nor like Major Saft