Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

f ‘and - “was hurtling through space in ch there was no air—his lungs had clos d. In his brain a hammer was beating _ Then suddenly the pressure on his throat “exael it fell away; the air rushed to the rched lungs. With a wrench his brain , and he went down—but now with ‘power in his arms, the arms that still clung about the dazed Hunsa, and he was on top. Scarce aware of the action, out of a fight- ing instinct, he dragged from its holster his heavy pistol, and beat with its butt the ugly head beneath, beat it till it was still. Then he staggered to his feet and looked wonderingly at the form of the Bagree be- hind, who lay sprawled on the road, a great red splash across his breast. In the Gulab’s hand was still clutched the dagger she had drawn from her girdle and driven home to save the sahib who had sat like a god in her heart. With the other hand she held out from contact with her limbs the muslin sai that was crimsoned where the blood of the Bagree had foun- tained when she drew forth her knife. Barlow darted forward as Bootea reeled, and caught her with an arm. Close, the face, fair as that of a memsahib in the pallor of fright and the paling moonlight, sweet, of finer mold, more spiritual than the Mona Lisa’s, Puritanically simple, the mass of black hair drawn straight back from the low, broad brow—for the rich turban had fallen in her fight for freedom —woke memory in the sa/ib. And as the blood ebbed back through the girl’s veins, the pale cheeks flushed with rose, her eye- lids quivered and drew back their shutters from eyes that were like those of an ante- lope. * You—you, Gulab, the giver of the red tose, the singer of the love song!” Barlow ped. “Yes, Captain Sahib, you who are like a god—” Bootea checked herself: her head drooped. But Barlow, putting his fingers under her chin and gently lifting the face, asked: “ And what—what?” : “You came like one in a dream. Also, _ sahib, I am but one who danced before vou and you mare saved me.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. - oe “ And, little girl, you saved my life” He felt a shudder run through the girl’s form, and then she pushed him from her. crying: “ Sakib—Hunsa! Quick!” ma For the jamadar, recovering his had risen to his knees, fumbling at his bel groggily for his knife. Barlow swung the pistol from its holster and rushed toward Hunsa, but the latter, at sight of the dreaded weapon, fled, pur- sued for a few paces by the captain. The girl saw the sandal soles lying upon the ground where Hunsa had dropped them in the struggle, and slipped them beneath her breast-belt, a quick thought coming to her that if the captain saw them he might recognize them as the footwear of the sol- diers. Also Hunsa had said they were for a purpose. Barlow followed the fleeing shadow for a dozen strides, then his pistol barked, and swinging on his heel he came back, saying, with a little laugh: ‘“‘ That was just to frighten the beggar so he wouldn’t come back.” But Bootea’s eyes went wide now with a new fear; the sound of the shot would travel faster even than the fleeing Hunsa, and if the decoits came—for already they would be making ready for the road—this beautiful god, with eyes like stars and a voice of music, would be killed, would be no more than the Bagree lying on the road, who was but carrion. In her heart was a new thing. The struggle with Hunsa, the fright, even the horribleness of the blood upon her knife, was washed away by a hot surging flood of exquisite happiness. The Hindu name for love—“‘a pain in the heart ”—was veritably hers in its intensity; the sahib’s arm about her when she had closed her eyes had caused her to feel as if she were being lifted to heaven. She laid a hand on Barlow’s arm and her eyes were lifted pleadingly to his, “ You must go, sa/ib—mount your horse and go, because—” “ Because of what?” “There are many, and you will be killed. Hunsa will bring others.” “ Otheresenhie are they?” But the Gulab had turned from him and was listening, her eras itr srry Cacti «| =