Part 33 (1/2)
”It is doubtful, heavenborn! How could we tell from this distance?”
”Have you a horse forup that horse, thou, and Suliman's! Ride him cross-saddle, heavenborn-there were no side-saddles in Siroeh! Nay, he is just a little frightened He will stand-he will not throw thee! I did better than I thought, heavenborn I co twenty-six with me and Suliman An escort for a queen! So-sit him quietly Leave the reins free Suliman will lead him! Ho! Fronnnt! Rank-'bout-face!”
”My son!” wailed the High Priest ”Where is ht thee, thou idol-briber!” snarled the Risaldar's half-brother
”Where? In that den of stinks Gagged and bound all this while?”
”Ha! Gagged and bound and out of ht to be!” laughed Mahommed Khan ”Farward! Far, rattling, clanking cavalcade sidled and pranced out of the temple into the sunshi+ne, with Ruth and Suliman in the midst of them
”Gallop!” roared the Risaldar, the moment that the last horse was clear of the teh Priest's whispering hadup the street toward the Hindus, ar all of thenant relations of the priests, intent on avenging the defilement of Kharvani's tee!”
Ruth found herself in thesabers, astride of a lean-flanked Katiawari gelding that could streak like an antelope, knee to knee with a pair of bearded Rajputs, one of whoht for a hundred swords that blocked her path She set her eyes on the ripped the saddle with both hands, set her teeth and waited for the shock Mahoht as he stood up in his stirrups She shut her eyes But there was no shock! There was the swish of whirling steel, the thunder of hoofs, the sound of bodies falling There was a scream or two as well and a coarse-mouthed Rajput oath But when she dared to open her eyes oncedown the city street and Maho his sword in ate and she could see another swar froe!” yelled Mahoh the half-shut gate, out on the plain beyond, as a wind sweeps through the forest, leaving fallen tree-trunks in its wake
”Halt!” roared the Risaldar, when they were safely out of range ”Are any hurt? No? Good for us that their rifles are all in the firing-line yonder!”
He sat for aunderneath his hand at the distant, dark, serriedthe belching cannon and the spurting flae rifle-fire
”See, heavenborn!” he said, pointing ”Those will be your husband's guns! See, over on the left, there See! They fire! Those two! We can reach theet through, Risaldar? Won't they see us and cut us off?”
”Heavenborn!” he answered, ”men who dare ride into a city temple and snatch thee fro! Take this, heavenborn-take it as a keepsake, in case aught happens!”
He drew off the priest's ring, gave it to her and then, before she could reply:
”Canter!” he roared The horses sprang forward in answer to the spurs and there was nothing for Ruth to do but watch the distant battle and listen to the deep breathing of the Rajputs on either hand
XI