OCR Text |
Show THE Rl'LLETlN T I j1 T r T to CIMPTEB - t- Noor Mahlam chuckled. It was like the gurgle of dirty water and it wallowed the silk of his voice. Even hii gesture changed. He became ai hoarse as an auctioneer encouraging a doubtful bidder: "Sahib, there is newness at the palace such as never before was I There Is a godsend in the guesthouse. She has money, and a niece worth more than money. Oh, such loveliness! And oh, such ill temper! The aunt is never satisfied unless she is humiliating someone. She humiliates even His Highness. And the niece is never happy unless she can be as kind as her aunt is cruel." "Why are they there?" asked O'Leary. "It is a mystery. Nobody knows." "Who wants to know?" "Ah, sahib you must not ask what I may not tell you." "I'll bet a month's pay." said O'Leary, "that the temple Brahmins have sent out a call for informa- tion." "Would it make any difference to you, Mr. O'Leary, where the two hundred rupees came from, supposing you had it?" "Two fifty might tempt me. I'd think it over." "Even that price might not be too high for exact information as to why Captain Norwood is in Kadur; and also why Mrs. Harding and Miss Lynn Harding are here at the same time. There is some connection. What is it?" "I'll find out," said O'Leary. "And you will sell me the infor- mation?" Til think it over. If I can't find a higher bidder, maybe you and I can do business. You'd better watch out for me. I'll take a stroll through the baxaar later on." "Very well. Mr. O'Leary. My office is" "What do I care where your office is. D'you think I'd let myself be seen calling on you? You keep a dekko lifting. You've plenty o spies. Find out where I go, and follow, and bring your money with you. O TALIOT MUNDY CHAPTER II Cantain Carl Norwood was In noth big yet that he or anyone could rec ognize as trouble. On horseback, followed by a mounted native orderly, he was entering the ancient gate fel of Kadur City. A low, young to be a Captain of Royal Engineers. He looked more like a cavalryman. Inside the city gates, there was a stinking herd of loaded camels. They blocked the street Norwood's horse that wasn't used to camels went into a panic. When he had calmed the horse he dismounted, cave the reins to the or derly, and told him to let the horse get used to the smell of camels and follow as soon as the camels were out of the war. He wanted to stretch his legs anyhow. It was only a mile walk to the Residency, on the far ids of the city. The swarming streets were interesting, just before sunset with the night life Just good-looki- The Residency stood in a vast enmrjound amid neem trees. Guard house flagpole Union Jack. The Residency guard of native Indian in fantry was turning out to pay the customary honors to the flag at sunset The Resident was on the front and military steps, middle-age- d looking. Norwood had to wait until the brief ceremony was over. His reception was not cordial. The invitation to dinner was perfunctory, so phrased that it was easy to refuse. I "I'm tired, sir. Long march. ' would like to turn in early." "Very well, Captain Norwood. Don't let me inconvenience you. I was informed, of course, that you were coming. Can't say that I approve of this survey of the Kadur River. The priests will resent it bitterly. There may be trouble enough as it is over the temple boundary dispute. The Maharajah claims ownership of certain buildings, beneath which it has been an open secret for centuries that the priests have a diamond mine." "That's why I'm here. sir. I was told that Prince Rundhia started the argument." "Yes, he's heir to the throne. He had to start it in the Maharajah's idea name mil it was RlIKTn class of kinder- - eryone should have copies of these gartners cutting patterns two books containing 116 How to front culcned p;iper, and your iin-- Sew articles that have not apgcrs will itch to pick up the scis peared in the paper. This offer sors and try it yourself. Why will be withdrawn soon. Send ornot? The luncheon mat and nap der with 25 cents immediately to WNU SERVICE kin shown here of Tor a suggestion defor a way to use your cut-o- so the younger girl could hardly be a relative. She might be a princess on a visit from some northern In dian State. The orderly, selected because he was a native of Kadur, rode up with the led horse. "Has Prince Rundhia taken a wife?" Norwood asked him. "No, sahib." One does not discuss zenana ladies not with men of an alien race. The orderly grinned himself into the kind of silence that suggests the subject is forbidden. Norwood rode back to his camp, where Moses Lafayette O'Leary lied, like throe men of three different races, about who had drunk the whiskey. "It was an emergency," said O'Leary. "Yes, sir, I took the liberty. But how can I get information if I mayn't count on your knowledge o' my honesty, and take a chance now and then on your overlooking what would be impudence if someone else should do it? I have to treat my informants decent. Have you heard who's staying at the pal ace? There's a guesthouse in the garden full o' women. Americans Two. A young one. And an aunt o' who'd fill a hotel Truck-load- s luggage. I've heard say the aunt could make a brace of tigers wish they'd looked the other way. They say she's a holy terror. But they tell me the young one 'ud melt your heart to look at her. They call the young one Miss Lynn Harding." "What else have you found out?" The Maharajah is a quiet old gen-- 1 tleman, thank heaven. No initiative. Satisfied to let things take their course. I believe the quarrel would settle itself, if we would let it alone. The diamond mine is one of those open secrets that do no harm until they're aired by The arrangement has worked perfectly well all these years. The priests don't win many diamonds from the mine. Sometimes years go by without their finding any stones worth putting on the market But they make an occasional find. They turn over a certain percentage to the Maharajah, and sell the remainder for temple revenue. "Yes. There's a rumor the mine is dangerous." "Good God, man! They don't let anyone near the mine not even the busy-bodie- s. Maharajah!" "Provision has been made for that, sir." The Resident squirmed. "Well. take care that your" he selected a word; he used it tartly: "spies don't make trouble." Norwood returned to the city. The new street lights had been turned on. There was a swarm of homing traffic bullock carts, camels. droves of pedestrians, scandalously noisy and decrepit autos. Norwood stood on a sort of traffic island in an oasis of palms with an ancient fountain and one big glarHe could see the oring derly bringing the horses; he might just as well wait for them. "Not much." Threading Its way through the traffic In the direction of the palace. "You're about due for an Irish there came one of those promotion. You're getting too fat I've my eye on a man who knows what work is." "All right sir. If you want me to talk before I know what I'm talking about, I'll do it Here goes. The whole bazaar's as full o dirty rumors as Stoddart's dog is o' fleas. There's a game on, and it's all set They're laying for us, and the way they figure it we're in the bag al ready. I've been offered a bribe to tell why you're in Kadur." "Cash?" "No. Promises. Man name o' Noor Mahlam." "Beyond that you were offered a bribe, did you get any other line on their intentions?" "No. I know we're being spied on. There's a saying in Kadur that diamonds see in the dark. We're being watched now. We can't afford a mistake. But they'll try some more bribery first before they act ugly." "Don't take their money. Don't take a gift of any kind from anyone." "Me?" mid-stre- et arc-lig- ht old-fas- h- Three hundred." "But sahib, we agreed "I said three hundred. You'd better go before I'm seen talking to you. Captain Norwood might be back any minute. If he should ask me who you are I'd have to tell She saw a cobra. him, and it wouldn't sound nice. Him and me never lie to each ioned carriages in which zenana ladies take the air. It was magnifi- to" By any Mrs. Spears, 210 S. Desplaines St., Chicago, 111., und both books will be mailed postpaid. ut Captain Carl Norwood hai been sent from bli native England to the Kadur River district in India, along with his indispensable manservant, Moaei O'Leary, soldier of fortune. Norwood's Job is to survey the district to determine whether a valuable secret diamond mine belongs to the temple priests or to the ruler, the Maharajah of Kadur. T v:' MUNDY SYNOPSIS 1 T 1 riUVV oh. vv 7ATC1I BY TALBOT yVl "Yea. You." 'I'm incorruptible." ht t signs for simple but effective applique work. I ho lung sides of the mats are hemmed and the ends faced with HOUSEHOLD h lands of green, us at A. The n;ipkins are also hemmed on QUESTIONS two sides aiui faced with green bands on the other two. The stem for the bright red cherry follows Oil l'p! Don't forget to oil your a circular line embroidered in vacuum cleaner ana electric washer. Oiling keeps them in good condition, and they wear longer. iw-inc- For Mosquito Kites. A little household ammonia added to the water with which mosquito bites are washed will remove the sting. When Making Blueberry Pie. Mix one teaspoon of ground nut- meg with two tablespoons of flour and sprinkle the mixture on the berries, then add sugar. Tipless Shoestrings. If metal tips come off of shoe Btrings dip them in mucilage. This will stiffen the ends and make it easy to put them through eyelets. thing?" mounted the pony and cantered away for assistance. Mrs. Deborah Harding sat fanning herself and making impotcnlly harsh remarks about the swarms of flies that were looking for a last, lazy meal before going to sleep. The cantering servant drew rein at an outlying police kana and, after a heatedly uncomplimentary debate with the policeman in charge. phoned the palace. The Maharanee was out It entered no one's head to consult the Maharajah; it was his hour of the day to study postage stamps, so he was incommunicado, except to the physician who should bring him his evening tonic. However, Prince Rundhia had returned that afternoon, from a visit to Delhi. Someone phoned him. Things happened. There are two palaces. Rundhia's is separated from the Maharajah's only by a high wall and two widths of glorious garden. Rundhia's imported patent automatic garage-doo- r swung open. His imported e chauffeur whirled a to the front door. Rundhia took the wheel. They opened the front gate just In time. Another split second and he would have crashed lot of them, and it sacked the car from his aunt bummed a new din There was a whirl of dust of tooting. Headlights flooded the narrow roads with blinding glare. Three dogs and some belated chickens died the death. Three villages gasped and called on thirty gods to Rundhia their piety. witness rammed on the brakes and got out of the car to bow to Mrs. Harding Just as calmly, as blandly, as amusedly courteous as if he were entering her drawing room. "Well, I am glad to see you," said Mrs. Deborah Harding. "I don't know who you are, "Prince Rundhia, your host's One of them Rolls-Royc- green outline stitch. The leaf is of the green material. Experiment with cutting the cherry and leaf in paper. When you have cut a design that pleases you, make a pattern in lightweight cardboard. Cut the fabric a little larger than the pattern, clip the edge as at B; then press it over the pattern with a warm iron as at C to make a firm crease. Re move the pattern, and sew the pieces in place with fine hemming stitches. NOTE: Readers who have not e Misery secured their copies of my two A man is as miserable as he books should send in their orders thinks he is. Seneca. Your choice of the at once. CRAZYPATC1I QUILT leaflet showing 36 authentic stitches; or the RAG RUG LEAFLET will be included FREE with orders for both books, for the present. Ev-Man-Mad- Evcn a Beginner Can Knit This Bedspread but" CHAPTER III cently horsed. Two mounted men rode ahead to clear the way, and they were followed by two runners armed with sticks. Two men In splendid livery on the box. Two footmen on a platform behind the carriage. Two more horsemen bringing up the rear. As the carriage drew near Norwood, a terrifically noisy truck frightened the horses. Almost at the same moment two elephants loomed into view from a tide street The horses plunged. The driver had hard work to control them. The carriage swayed violently. The right front wheel struck the curb, close to Norwood. The shock jerked open the door. The electric arc-ligshone in, revealing the occupants. The coachman reined the horses to a standstill, shouting to the footmen to seize their heads. Diamonds, pearls, zephyry silken saris of the hue of Himalayan dawn. Two women. The older, stout one raised a fan to hide her face. It was the other who held Norwood spellbound. She was young. She was full of laughter. She had mocking, excita ble, generous eyes that looked wild to lose their innocence and revel in what shouldn't be, but is, and is amusing. She saw no evil, only humor in being stared at by a man who shouldn't see her, and hadn't expected to. Indian zenana ladies are supposed to shrink from men's eyes. Hers met Norwood's full, and full of laughter. of course, recovered Norwood, He was in uniform, He was about to so he saluted. speak; he had thought of a properly gallant remark that would sound like a quotation from the "Arabian Nights." when the palace serv ants took the situation in hand. The driver recovered command of his horses. The carriage moved on. The footmen jumped up be hind. Norwood was left wondering, He had had a vision. He had never seen such a beautiful girL The older, stouter woman, who had used the fan to hide her face, should be the Maharanee of Kadur. But Norwood knew she was childless: otherwise Prince Rundhia. the Maharajah's ntphew. would not be heir to the throne The ladies of Kadur have black, not gulden hair, The blood-re- d sunrays confused her vision. She was one of those people who always believe what they see but nothing that they don't see. She saw a cobra. She did nut see that the stone, on which she set her foot was loose, curved on its under side and resting insecurely on a Hat rock. So she twisted her ankle and sat down hard. It jolted every bone in her corpulent body. Two hundred and eight pounds of widow with bankers' references and one hundred per cent opinions, can sit down harder than a crate of groceries. "I never saw such people such a country. I have travelled all around the world from America. I have visited numbers of countries. I have not seen your equals anywhere for inefficiency and lack of What shall I human intelligence. do now? I am in pain. Have you no ideas? Can't you suggest some- nephew." "How d'you do. You took your Mrs. Deborah Harding, in leg- own time, didn't you? I had begun gings, a short skirt and a wide pith to think no one was coming." helmet wearing goggles, and with a camera suspended somehow from The garden guesthouse was a copy her portly figure, prodded ruins with the ferrule of a green silk sunshade. of a cottage at Juan les Pins. It Two palace servants danced attend- had been Rundhia's idea. The ance on her, doing their obsequious Prince had persuaded his aunt the utmost to prevent calamity. Maharanee to go thoroughly modern "Sahiba! Not good! Much too for once. The Maharanee almost worshiped many cobra kerait scorpions too bad. Come, look this way. Plenty Rundhia, but she had compelled him to return from Europe by cutting off ruins this way." But Mrs. Deborah Harding wasn't the supplies of cash. She wanted in the habit of taking the advice of him to learn to be fit for the throne. anyone less than a Supreme Court But Rundhia was always threatening Justice; nor would she hesitate to to go to Europe again unless she question that if it didn't agree with made things tolerable; so she had to her own convictions. She was dy- make good his gambling losses and namic, opulent willful dignity per- to humor bis whims. sonified. As honorary special correNo one had stayed at the guestspondent to The Woman Citizen, of house until Mrs. Deborah Harding Aaronville, Clarendon County, Ohio, heard about it during her tour of she was being an authority on ruins. India. She knew exactly how to She looked like authority. She had contrive invitations. She considered authoritative gestures, and a note- she conferred a favor on the rules book. of Kadur by accepting their hospiIt was close on sunset Mrs. De- tality for herself and her niece. borah Harding's goggles were dusty. (TO BE COST1SVED) Old Fort Laramie Is Proclaimed National Monument Old Fort Laramie, in Wyoming, army general headquarters during the Indian wars on the plains and e capital of the wilderness west of the Missouri river, has been proclaimed a national monument The score of crumbling buildings that still mark its site at the Junction of the Laramie and North Platte rivers are to be preserved and restored as a memorial to the dauntless traders and soldiers who maintained this greatest of all reftrail uges along the covered-wagoby means of which the West was long-tim- n won. The first known white men to visit the site were members of the Stuart party of Astorians In the winter of 1812-1g Later it was a 1849 States United In the post army purchased Fort Laramie in order to establish authority over the streams of emigrants who were passing through the fort cn route to California. By 18C5 the Indian situation became so troublesome that Fort Laramie was made general headquarters of "the military trict of the plains." dis- When the iirtcrics of transconti nental commerce shifted to the south and the Indians were subdued and either confined to reservations or transported to other parts of the country. Fort Laramie languished, and in 1888 its abandonment was recommended. The last troops marched out of the old fort in 1889 and the military reservation was restored to the public domain the following year. Although half a century has passed since the Stars and Stripes waved over the historic old fort since which time the place has been in the hands of various private own ers, many of the stout old buildings still stand, Including a part of origi nal Fort John and "Bedlam," the bachelor officers' quarters erected in 185X Together with Scolts Bluff Nation al monument, located 60 miles to the east Fort Laramie preserves two of the most famous landmarks on the Oregon trail, the Mormon trail, the Overland trail, the route of the Pony Express, the Overland stage and the first transcontinental telegraph line. If your dealer cannot supply you,' send 20c with your dealer's name for a Trial Package of 48 genuine1 PE-KJar Rings; sent prepaid.! O Knitting with two strands of string speeds the making of these 10 inch squares that even a be ginner will show with pride. Keep one of these easy squares at hand to fill odd moments you'll be sur prised how many you 11 get done Before long you'll have enough to join into a lovely hand-knitte- d mam 3M lufeSti States Rabfcer 'sua HI. UN SfMSsth Mints.!. bedspread or scarf. Pattern 6411 contains instructions for making OnyE the square; illustration of it and of stitches; materials needed; photo Good graph of square. To obtain this pattern, send 15 cents in coins to The Sewing On fie CONSISTENTLY AJvtrtistJ Circle, Household Arts Dept., 259 BUY ADVERTISED COODS W. 14th St., New York, N. Y. Merchandise iW; more corn - awwThe world-famo- fla- us vor of Kellogg's Corn Flakes comes from a se- cret recipe known only to Kellogg. No one has ever been able to match itl MM , ...i mi"' THE Copr. 19J9 by KUIoss Conpuy ORIGINAI- -6 YEARS FOR 33 |