Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

. = a |e — . o# c e 2, Bootea will proceed early to the ine to see the Swami—then she will re- 1 here, for she would want to see his face ce more before the ending.” “TH wait, Gulab,” he acquiesced. “ I'll here at the tenth hour.” He felt even then an unaccountable chill of their part- ing, for, many being about, he could not ake her in his arms to kiss her; but their yes spoke, and the girl’s were luminous, id sweet with a look of hunger, of pathetic ing, of sublime trust. _ As Barlow turned away, leading his orse, he muttered over and over, “ Gad! ‘It’s incomprehensible that a sahib should : feel this over a—yes, a native woman. It's He reviled himself, declaring that it was . sx on the Gulab than on him—and he was actually suffering. It would be bet- ter if he swung to the saddle and fled from the misery that prolongation would make it nore intense. And the girl’s brave resig- nation in giving him up was wonderful— Then, at the sight of Mahratta sowars, 8 * er the written message — » ms 2 4 ‘= ae = ae . an, killer of Amir Khan. re ruin morally, officially, in sendered by her lovableness, \d dark skinned the bar sinister. “- 5 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. who, it being Sindhia’s territory, were 4 - guard to watch the pilgrim throng, flashed im back to a sense of duty, his own mis- n. But it had not suffered because of it had benefited through her. But from the British would have been lost—stolen by Hunsa, ind would have landed in Nana Sahib’s And he would have been slain as it the Gulab was tight. From that forward should she listen to him and n t God alone knew where it d lead to—misery. It would be utter ru a caste way. yen in time passionate enthusiasm, en- vende dulled, would bring utter debasement, degradation of ? ber. It was the wisdom entailed upon the union of the » slept, wrapped in his blankets nd beside his tethered horse, Bar- ortured by this mental inquisition. roubled sleep there was a at waked him, panting ane. Bootea lay beneath the mighty paws of tiger and he was beating hopelessly at < snarling brute with a clubbed rifle. CHAPTER XXX. CASTE, .N the morning Captain Barlow under- went a sartorial metamorphosis. He at- tained to the sanctity of a Hindu pil- | grim by the purchase of a tight-angled pair of white trousers to replace the voluminous baggy ones of a Patan, and a Rajput tur- ban, blue, shot with gold.. He shoved the Patan turban with its conical fex in his saddle bags, and wound the many yards of blue material in a rakish crisscross about his shapely head, running a fold or two be- neath his chin. The Patan sheepskin coat was left with his horse. When Bootea came at ten to where Bar- low—-who was now Jaswant Singh—paced up and down with the swagger of a Rajput in front of the bunnia’s shop, she stood for a little, her eyes searching the crowd for her sakib. When he laughed and called softly, ‘‘ Gulab,” her eyes almost wept for joy; for not seeing him at once a dread that he had gone had chilled her. “You see how easy it is, in a good cause, to change one’s caste,” he said. “ With you, sahib, yes, because you can also change your skin.” There it was again, barrier, the pigmented badge. laugh from Barlow’s lips. ““Why has the Afghan Musselman. be- come a Hindu?” Bootea asked. “JT have no wish to anger these people who are on a holy pilgrimage by going ito their temples as a Moslem.” “ You are going to the shrine of Omkar?” the Gulab asked aghast. “ Are you—again?” Barlow parried. “Ves, sahib, soon.” “Tam going with you, Bootea expostulated with the indestructible It drove the ” Barlow declared. almost fierce eagerness ; with a fervor that i the uneasiness in Barlow’s mind.. He a dread hung on his soul premonition of evil; wd Se —perhaps born of the dream of a tiger de- ‘4% J » - : < a ra es ana a<- > - - # ‘, e or <<? 9, > ~~ # n tenet ONC books.com 7 a on Sa ve oy = oa ~ He —- ra re —_ = f ® ’ 2 ~ >.< ; s * é ~ s