Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

01 of a man prostrate before false s, a rabid materialism. That one, rushed and bleeding from the dizzy f the ledge of sacrifice upon a red- stone representation cf the repul- blem, could thus wipe out the ly sin of a murder, was, even spiritu- . priest, his soul submerged by the try of his faith, passed from the ed cloister to the open sunlight. And Barlow, consicous of his helplessness unless Bootea would now yield to his en- ties and foreswear the horrible sacrifice, turned to the girl, his face drawn and hag- gard, and his voice, when he spoke, vibrated mulously from the pressure of his de- ir. He held out his arms, and Bootea hrew herself against his breast and sobbed. ~ “Come back to Chunda with me, Gu- Jab,” Barlow pleaded. "No, sahib,” she said breathlessly, “* it "cannot be.” _ “But I love you, Bootea,” he whispered. * And Bootea loves the sahib,’ and her eyes, as she lifted her face, were wonderful. “There,” she continued, * the sahkib could not make the nika—marriage—with Boo- tea. Both our souls would be lost, But it s not forbidden—even if it were and was a all sins will be forgiven Bootea before sun sets—and if the sahib permits it 2 will wed herself now to the one she _ Hold me in your arms—tight, lest before it is time.” i Barlow pressed the girl to him, y, crushing her almost, she raised her ) his, and they both drank the long draft of love. en the Gulab drew from his arms and ace was radiant; a solt exultation il- ed her eyes. hat is all, sahib,” she said. Bootea ‘now, goes out to Aailas in a happy . Nay pats Spd! > > wate Go, sakib, and do not remain be- this is so beautiful. You must ae h in content.” ok him by the arm and gently led without he could hear a chorus voices, its burden being, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. > oy lier <* and one in the cloister’s gloom, and kissed _ Bootea. And she could feel his hot tears upon her cheek. | Once more he pleaded, ‘‘ Renounce this dreadful sacrifice.” But the girl smiled up into his face, say- ing, “I die happily, husband. Perhaps Indra will permit Bootea to come back in spirit to the sa/ib.”’ The high priest strode to the entrance of the cloister, his eyes holding the abstrac- tion of one moving in another world. He seemed oblivious of the Englishman’s pres- ence as he said: “ Come forth, ye who seek Aailas through Omkar.” As Barlow staggered, almost blind, over the stony path from the cloister, he saw the group of sixteen Brahmins, their fore- heads and arms carrying the white bars of Siva. Then Bootea was led by the priest down to the cold, merciless stone—Linga—where she, at a word from the priest, knelt in obeisance, a barbaric outburst of music from. horn and drum clamoring a salute. When Bootea arose to her feet the priest tendered her some mhowa spirit in a coco- nut shell, but the girl, disdaining its stimu- lation, poured it in a libation upon the Linga. From the amphitheater of the enclosing hills thirty thousand voices rose in one thundering chorus of “Jae, Jae, Omkar!” and “ ‘To Omkar the kurban!” Many pressed forward, mad fanaticism in their eyes, and held out at arms’ length toward the girl bracelets and ornaments to be touched by her fingers as an act of beneficence. But Swami Sarasvati waved them back, and turning to Bootea, tendered her, with bowed head, the pan supari—betel nut in a. leaf—as an admonition that the ceremony had ceased, and there was nothing left but the sacrifice. As the girl with firm step turned to the path that led up through shrub and jungle growth to the ledge. where fluttered the white flag, a tumult of approbation went up from the multitude at her brave devo- tion. Then a bow! of the hills, and — €omicbooks.com ae 7 wali? _a 22 Fs Pls “| the eyes of the v ¥ % solemn hush enwrapped the