The Rajah's Fortress — page 223: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

210 THE RAJAH’S FORTRESS. the corridor, opposite the entrance to the arsenal, heavy folds of richly woven curtains hide the chosen apartments of the chief. They are three in num- ber. I bave never seen a foot inside, but here he keeps treasures that defy the imagination to grasp. The spoils of decades pillaged from temple and pagoda, from Burmans and English. And day and night the armed guards pace that passageway, never fora moment absent. As Pandy led me past the great, open place that fronts the fortress, he sald : “¢ To-morrow, remember, you. will be present here,’ ”” —— “But have they returned?” cried Guy, inter- rupting him. “Yes,” said Loyd bitterly. “That is what I came to tellyou. Scarcely an hour ago, the brazen gongs at the fortress were sounded, and down the road from the tunnel came the band. They were sadly less in numbers, and their faces were dark withanger. Inthe center, his hands bound, walked the Englishman, very pale, but stepping firmly and steadily. His face I have seen before, Captain Chutney, at Rangoon, perhaps. I cannot recall it now. At the head of the band marched a stranger, whence and when he came I don’t know. I was startled to see him, for he is almost the image of Pandy himself, and many could not distinguish between the two. He was richly dressed and car- ried a sword. Perhaps it was Pandy, and yet I[ COLUM 1OOO SS co