| Show kra amm floor BY TALBOT MUNDY 0 0 a 0 MUNDY SERVICE THE STORY THUS FAR FAH captain carl norwood has been tent sent from his native england to the kadur RIV river er district in india along with his indispensable manservant moses oleary soldier 01 dier ot of fortune No job Is to survey the district to determine whether a valuable secret diamond mine belongs to the temple temp leor priests or to the ruler of 0 kadur norwood c calls on the british britis residency ency to pay his initial respects on his way he catches a glimpse ot of two women in a palace carriage one ot of whom Is young and beautiful the other woman ho he knows aws to be the ol of kadur oleary later tells him that the young woman Is an american girl named lynn harding who with her aunt mrs deborah debora hard ing Is a guest at the palace on a sightseeing tour mrs harding sprains an ankle and sends to the palace for a aid d prince Rund hla hia handsome spoiled nephew ot of the rulers comes to her rescue and takes her back to the palace where he meets lynn at a banquet that night in the palace attended by captain norwood mrs harding takes one ot of the native doctors pius pills and becomes violently III UL she Is placed in bed and arrangements are made for lynn to move out of 0 the quarters with her aunt and stay with the that evening prince attempts to make love to lynn she Is unwilling to listen to him and at the crucial moment norwood appears on the scene much to Rund hta hlas disgust oleary has located the secret entrance to the diamond mine which Is being worked by the temple priests he takes norwood to the mine where death Is narrowly averted when a live cobra Is thrown in No face ace later norwood visits the brahmin priests one bf whom slyly slips a packet of diamonds in his pocket unknown to norwood they are intended tended as a bribe CHAPTER VI continued 7 the resident was in his office reasonably civil but he frowned when norwood told him about the palace supper you met the hardings I 1 suppose what did you teake inake of them tourists beautiful niece terrible aunt I 1 gathered without being told that the aunt has money Rund hia show up did you notice anything suggestive of the possibility lity of scandal 1 I thought the niece a damned nice girl sir A bit romantic any conversation with the ma sarajah ha rajah yes I 1 was alone with him until midnight ile he showed me all the documents that he seems to think bear on his claim to own that temple property he seems very anxious to avoid a lawsuit and it difficult to guess why though im not a lawyer he showed me nothing that even halt half persuaded me he has a case against the priests of course well know more when weve run the survey but as far as ive gone I 1 should say the priests have a walkover walk over you sound prejudiced 1 I a trace of prejudice sir one way or the other why not reserve your opinion are botoff Yo you off biow now to call anthe on the ma sarajah ha rajah yes im a bit early but I 1 have something to do on the way very well keep me posted CHAPTER VII norwood left his horse in charge of the sais at the palace front gate he intended to return and ride up the long drive to the front door tor for his formal call on the maharajah Mah arajah but the footpath to the guesthouse was shorter than the winding car ariage road so he walked to leave the thelo iodine alne for mrs harding on the wa way y he saw lynn and Rund hia lynn was no longer in riding breeches she looked delicious in a frock of nile green print and a wide leghorn hat bat norwood sure but he suspected she knew she could be seen from the guesthouse house e veranda and that did not know she and were laughing suddenly snatched her hat off used it as a shield to hide behind caught her in his armmand arms arm sand and kissed her it was no tool fool of a kiss it was an experience lynn did make a show of resistance pistil si stance ce she s struggled tru ogled tree free and recovered her hat No view of it against the background of the leg leghorn hoin hat made him set his jaw but he relaxed it again and smiled a bit grimly a bit maliciously from the opposite direction he had heard what sounded like an oath although it was nothing worse than the well bred almost inarticulately gurgled word Hus hussy syll 1 aunty aulty deborah harding had also seen that lingering and only laughingly resisted kiss aunty aulty was on the screened veranda propped on pillows on a reed halse chaise longue with a table beside her A native servant was justin the act of removing a tray of breakfast things may I 1 approach asked norwood or are you who Is it I 1 cant see you oh yes captain norwood come in if you can bear the sight of me I 1 should look presentable I 1 never had so EO many women in all my life to push bush and pull me about this is my second attempt at a meal this morning have to run away if I 1 cant keep it down what has brought you pray at this hour he had forgotten the iodine thought id ask how youre coming along will you bring my niece here ashes beyond those trees talking to someone I 1 want her to come here and talk to me will you tell her I 1 said so and please dont take no tor for an ansbert an answer norwood strolled across cne lawn tapping his boots boota with a riding whip he coughed a couple of times by the time he had peered around the trees lynn and were seated opposite each other on wickerwork chairs lynn seemed unselfconscious looked venomously sly he be offered norwood no Cree greeting drig whatever 1 I happened to be calling on your aunt said norwood and she asked me to say that she wan wants to see you lynn looked dubious what sort of mood Is she in very polite to me said norwood a danger signal she cant be polite to one person at a time I 1 think I 1 wont go you will have to pardon me said norwood but I 1 agreed to bring you you always do what you say you will yes he looked straight at run adhia who ignored him prince Rund Hund hia said lynn is going to show me the jewel room Is he said norwood winced noticeably perhaps better go he said to lynn theres lots of time shell have her tantrum out and you can meet me later lynn compared them as clearly as if she had said it aloud her 14 W 4 im I 1 write a letter why dont you smile was a bit forced when her eyes met No do you always order people she demanded dont you ever say please he laughed 1 I cant kneel Dree breeches ches too tight what will you do it if I 1 wont come I 1 scream he answered 1 I dare you tuesday is my day tor for screaming are you game to wait here until tuesday no im coming with you she glanced at Rund hia excuse W us 1 I excuse you he answered norwood looked so so comfortless that lynn noticed it what are arc you worried about oh nothing I 1 was wondering what your aunt eats she laughed at him clarl the very first time you ken hilkea like a polished ramrod 1 I told part of the truth I 1 am worried about you you be im all right she ran forward to speak to her aunt the tray of breakfast things was being carried out by a palace servant norwood stopped the man inspected the tray and selected a piece of toast lie he looked for something to wrap win itin that reminded him he groped in his bis lefthand left hand pocket for the iodine tore oft off hall half the paper in which stoddart had wrapped the bottle stuffed the untidy package back wrapped the toast in the torn off paper and put that into his right hand pocket im expected at the palace so I 1 cant stay mrs harding I 1 brought you some fresh iodine in case the doctors stuff is pretty ancient as sometimes happens he plunged his hand into his tunic pocket and lynn came to the screen door to receive the bottle he looked at her groping with his left hand trying to pull out the bottle without the untidy paper but a piece of string tied with one of darts knots prevented so he pulled out the disgraceful package with a quick smile of apology apo loey hello said aid lynn youve dropped something ile he stooped picked up what lay at his feet but recognize it it was a quite small black paper en delope 1 I saw it tall fall from your pocket said lynn he opened it it contained a neatly folded paper of diamonds nine large clear white brilliants brilliantz brilli ants shone in the sun he scowled at them and stuffed the package back into his pocket evidently upset he appeared to hope that lynn seen the diamonds he seemed about to mention them but changed his mind lynn thought he seemed suspicious of her then suddenly excuse me wont you he walked away lynns eyes followed wondering he looked like a man who has been hit hard and is trying not to show it lynn said her aunts voice yes aunty aulty 11 come herel lynn faced about aunt de barahl I 1 have seen someone staring at what he dreaded or it seemed to me so lynn please rearrange my pillows it was not aunts cultured con vent lonal ional voice but the hard unsympathetic one in which she almost always commanded attention to her comfort as a prelude to the luxury of an explosion of temper two palace women loaned by the had been fussing with the pillows less than five minutes before lynn rearranged them she sha waited her silence offered the old termagant no opening so aunty aulty hording harding abandoned her usual gradual style of attack she exploded dont dare to speak to me you sullied creature until you have washed your there Is soap and water in the bedroom aunty 1 1 wash your mouth this eisaw I 1 saw you permitting yourself to be kissed by prince Rund hial aulty aunty im no longer fivel five arent you forgetting i to orny my humiliation I 1 remember 1100 too achl you are old enough at least to try to keep up itri an dippe appearance ar of decency aulty aunty theres no harm in a kiss after break breakfast fasti its kisses after midnight that dont you dare to try to justify your gross even your graceless father had enough sense of his bis social position to keep his indecent cles cies out of sight Aun tyl 10 dont aulty aunty met mel you inherit your fathers wantonness 1 I never knew him lynn answered 1 I only know what you and other people have told me others seem seer nto to have admired him merry generous would Woul dhe he have endured your injustice I 1 have had to for seventeen years aunty aulty I 1 am very near the end of endurance I 1 knew you were looking locking that is why I 1 let kiss me lynn repeated 1 I kissed prince Rund hla hia in a spirit ot of fun and partly t to defy you fun vulgar suggestive impropriety with an indian prince whose immorality la Is notorious I 1 whether or not noi I 1 disinherit you will depend lynns rebellion flared to its inevitable climax she interrupted disinherit Pis inherit me now it if you cleasel do it now aunty aulty I 1 have made my last submission to your cruel moneal you have educated me ma so that I 1 one chance in a thousand to earn a living god knows what ican I 1 can do but I 1 will find something I 1 accept the odds I 1 will hakea make a go of it lt somehow aunts stare star ewas was skeptical scornful lynn turned away where are you oft off to now to the palace the Is human perhaps she and I 1 can find something to laugh at very well lynn all your clothes were removed to thin the palace last night against my wishes go and pack them it if it kills me we are taking the first boat home and you may say so to the you may tell her why if you dont dons I 1 will and it if you dont lynn answered the women willi they have been listening through the bedroom window so if you want to get the first malicious word in you had better be write a letter why dont you I 1 assure you I 1 wont discuss it she picked up her tennis racket and unscrewed the frame it was a hardly conscious gesture it was much too hot for tennis she walked out through the screen door carrying the racket As she approached the palace front door she saw No horse near the portico she recognized No sais squatting down under the horses nose half instead of flicking flies dies oft off the horse as he should then she saw Rund hia ile he had been watching for her one could tell that by his manner ile he looked astonishingly handsome in a gray suit of some thin material and a gray silk turban tennis he asked in Us this heat no Tant tantrum ruml im so angry I 1 could kill dont kill me lynn im important tell me instead lynn used the racket as it if S she h were returning one of Rund hlas hia serves would you tell me the truth he grinned well almost who can be in love and tell the whole truth I 1 will lie ile to you of course cours e about my character but I 1 will tell the truth about yours I 1 youre a a lovely inspiriting challenging fact lynn harding youre an event 1 I feel like a skeleton in my own dark closet she retorted and run adhia laughed acome SC come ome aad IM ill sho tv bod ih the treas ures drive away the very mein ory of Aun aulty aunty tyll 1 AU all the way up the palace stairs and along the ancient corridor run adhia chattered gaily lynn answered in monosyllables perfectly aware that was talking to divert attention from his motive beauty and the beasil said Rund hia Bro bromides Rund hia you look like secrets in a suave disguise my very inmost heart 1 I he an swe red is an open bol book cant you read it 1 I dont want to he kept his distance that sinuous right arm of his behaved itself ile he walked ahead of her through tho the narrow anteroom where two turbaned guards salaamed sala amed respectfully spoke to one of the guards who switched on the electric light in the treasure room the masonry wall was ten feet thick the door a foot thick the guard closed the door behind them and opened an lynn could see the guards eyes there was a lonk long teals teak table between her and Run Ru ohla nahla loaded with golden and jewelled ornaments embossed golden shields scimitars in gold sheaths scores score i of objects such as are carried in procession bythe by the servants of an oriental throne electric light shone within lanterns suspended on chains from the ancient clent beams atthe far end of the room on the right was a huge glass case in which the famous kadur diamonds sparkled stealing color from the jewelled lanterns TO DE BE CONTINUED |
