Part 16 (1/2)
It seerown over her nerves; nothing startled her; she sensed only the watchfulness she had often noted in the captives at the farth they caratulated himself upon the docility of his find It would stiffen the bidding to announce that she was gentle He even went so far as to pat her on the shoulder The steel film did not cover all her nerves, so it would seem; the patted shoulder was vulnerable She winced, for she read clearly enough as in the mind back of that touch
She had made her plans To the man who purchased her she would assume a meekness of spirit in order to lull his watchfulness To the hed The oldthe sound but not sensing its iht her started to lead her hon of carelessness she would trust to her heels She knew that she was going to run as never a wole, who at leastas she kept out of their way
Wild and beautiful she was as the old mahout turned her over to a professional seller
”Circassian!”
”From the north!”
”A bride frohter of the north seas!”
The old mahout squatted close by and rubbed his hands He would be a rich s of rupees; a well thatched house to cover his gray hairs till that day they placed hiood
Durga Ram, known familiarly as Umballa, at this hour ca He was not in a happy fra these things there was not one naht about all these failures this thought irked hireedy fingers, the water to Tantalus To have underesti wo He had been too impetuous; he should have waited till all her fears had been allayed That spawn of Siva, the ain, and rupees to cross their palms were scarce Whither had she blown? Was she dead? Was she alive?
The white hunter had not returned to his caloo to U the whiteHe dared not put hiinning to grow uneasy How long could he hold thehter of Firoz, shah of Delhi
Fear she knew not At one moment he loved her with his whole soul, at another he hated her, longed to get her into his hands again, to wreak his vengeance upon her for the hue heaped upon him ”I am ready!” He could hear it yet When they had led her away to the ordeals--”I am ready!” A woet it! He could not plunge his hand into the treasury; there were too ues But Colonel Hare knehere the silver basket lay hidden, heaped with gold and precious stones; and torture could not wring the hiding-place from him May he be daa Ram, but bury his lean hands in that treasure, and Daraka s Allaha and all its kings! Rubies and pearls and emeralds, and a far country to idle in, to be feted in, to be fawned upon for his riches!
And Ramabai and his wife, Pundita, let them beware; let them remain wisely in their house and meddle not with affairs of state
”A thousand rupees!”
Umballa looked up with a start Unconsciously he had wandered into the slave ed and would have passed on but for the strange, unusual figure standing on the platforolden haired woman with neck and arrass! He paused
”Two thousand rupees!”
”What!” jeered the professional seller ”For an houri from paradise?
O ye of weak hearts, what is this I hear? Two thousand rupees?--for an houri fit to dwell in the zenana of heaven!”
A keen-eyed Mohaed closer to the platform He stared and sucked in his breath He found hie
”Who sells this maiden?” he asked
”Mohammed Ghori”
”Which is he?”