Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

the Gulab there will be a fos a Nawab might use, drawn 1 and well-shod horses. That, Ng keep to the end of her jour- 1 afterward, returning but the iy slams to you, chief, for your 3 __ To-morrow, if it pleases you, T oy 9 ith your promises to the British. a command, sakib—to-morrow. P the peace of Allah be upon thee Pe always!” e he d out his hand, and his large, dark vered lovingly over the face of the eS ea _ CHAPTER XXVI. ae ar ee 4 BEAST OF THE JUNGLE. o - BARLOW walked along to "tent of Bootea to tell her of the arran ngement that had been made for lea x the camp, so that she might ready. | He could see in the girl’s eyes of flecti on of a dual mental struggle, an 7 sweetness varied by a changing some hing that was apprehension Per, The sakib is a protector to Bootea,” sa Re . “Sometimes I wondered it such J; yet I suppose a woman always it ner mind a vague conception that h an one might be. But always that, oa ‘is Tike a dream, is broken—one rosaically ski the matter in hand, Sas sf " «You would wish to go back r people at Chunda—is it not so?” > girl’s eyes flashed to his face, and ows wrir <led as if from pain. “ Those ave will be on their way to la, and they will tell of the slaying ir Khan. The Dewan will be pleased, Soin il pe given honor and rich re- 1 be allowed to return to flec the nm you 2 ar! ‘ et), Ree tee ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. ta vors, and Ajeet Singh will owe his life to you. They will set him at liberty.” “ And as to Nana Sahib?” Bootea asked and there was pathetic dread in her eyes. “ What is it—you fear him?” “Ves sahib, he will claim Bootea. A Mahratta never keeps faith. There will be a fresh covenant, because he is like a beast of the jungle.” Barlow paced back and forth in the small confine of the tent, muttering: “ It’s hell!” He pictured the Gulab in the harem of Nana Sahib—in a gaudy prison chained to a serpent. To interfere on her behalf would be to sacrifice what came first—his duty as an officer of state, to what would be called, undoubtedly, an infatuation. Elizabeth would take it that way. Even his superiors would call it at least inexpe- dient, bad form. For a British officer to be interested or mixed up with a native woman, no matter how noble the impulse, would be a shatterment of both official and personal caste. “T won’t allow that,” he declared vehe- mently, shifting into words his mental tra- verse. Bootea had ‘followed with her eyes his struggle. Then she said: “ The sahib has heard of the women of the Rajputs who, with smiles on their lips, faced death, who, when the time of the last danger came, were not afraid?” “Yes, Gulab. But for you it is not that way. You have said that I am your pro- tector. I will be.” There was a smile on the girl’s lips as she raised her eyes to Barlow’s. ~ It is not permitted, sahib; the gods have the matter in their lap. For a little—yes, perhaps. It is the time of the pilgrimage to the shrine of Omkar at Mandhatta, and Bootea will make the pilgrimage. At the shrine is the priest that told Bootea of her reincarna- tions, as I related to the sahib.” A curious superstitious chill struck with full force upon the heart of Barlow. Kas- sim’s story of Kumari revivified itself with startling remembrance. Was this the priest that, to save Kumari’s sacrifice, had : her by occult or drug method from one a bodes. form bstbenee® foon EA aeons = pOOLE as so con! | mao ie com we le be —_ Fa