1 reached the foot of the stairs and the
checkered pattern of the moonlight on tli?
street outsiilo seemed nickering a siui. of
v. el conic lo me.
And just as I strppeo h> the threshold and
safety strong arms muffled me. The mail
who "had found us at the keyhole hat. l?e
tiavcd us to the enemy and was preventing
me "from lllgh*. Me draggel me up the .-nrs
again and thrust me roughly Into the room.
The Indians were silting in a circle as if
for some council ceremonial.
Jimmy stood at one side of the toon.,
gas-jet 'dickered In the darkness.
The swarthy Buddhists sat in a circle and
talked a strange Jargon?a dialect which
teemed formless and wordless lo me.
We. stool in the sinister circle of alien
souls uulte helpless. 1 thought of the girl
i had tried to befriend?Ihe girl whose love
story must have so sad an ending if 1 did
not live to tell her the truth.
Mabmud held up his hand for silence and
turned to me with a courtly deference tlist
1 knew was the elaborate, snrcasm of the Kasf
which, when it appear; most servile, Is often
most triumphantly masterful. "You shall
hi>ar our decision. madam, since our affairs
Interest von so much."
"Listen. American mm, and listen, too,
white memsahib. since your men admit
women to their 'ouncil fires," said Mahrnud.
"Shara All Jaihel. Rajo of Calcutta, gave
his life for a greai ?ause?It shall not be In
vain. ? Do you understand?" ". '?
"No." ?ald Jimmy. "Day your cards on-the
tahle. Talk EnKllsh. No diplomatic palaver
- -tell uk just what you intend.
"It ?hrll he as you wish," said Mahrnud.
