THE TEMPLE OF DEATH.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8476, 6 May 1893, Page 2

THE TEMPLE OF DEATH.

By Edmund Mitche_.i_

(Continued from last Saturday.)

CHAPTER XXl.—RtrKMi's Repentance,

Chris and I were powerless to do anything but watch the development of events. We brought on to the gallery overlooking the temple a couple of rilles from the little armory with which we had provided Air Suddleigh. Of one thing we were- 00th f.solved, that our old friend would not perish without our making a determined -Jlarbto save him. , , We kept our watch in silence as the lonff hours crept on. The customary routine ot the worshipers seemed to ba departed from on the present occasion, for there was no evening dance as usual around the image of-the god. It was not till close upiiu midnight thab the silence was broken by the clang of the gong from the inner cavern. As the waves -of sound rolled into the temple, the eight watchers rose to their knees, and prostrated themselves before- the idoi. In a few minutes the other priests filed in, with their torches and thronged around the pavemeut, and the watchers mingled with aud were lost in the confused and moving crowd. In the kaleidoscopic gioups of white figures, wo quite failed to trace the movements of the particular one which we knew to be Mr Suddleigh. After a brief interval the gons again sounded, and all the priests threw* themselves prone on the ground around the image of their god. They remained in this posture a considerable time. Then was heard in the distance the chanting of a voice which we had no difficulty in recognising as that of the High Priest. The sound grew louder as the Dewau approached. At last hi? figure came in view, and wa once more beheld his rapt and Suspired countenance as he advanced towards the altar with the light fr6m the flambeau he carried bathing him in its effulgence. .The other prieats did nob-move while fheir chief approached, and, as on the previous occasion, fixed his toich in the soefceb in fronb/df the idol..' Ail the while theD.wan continued his Chant. Now he was kneeling before the god. his face up lifted to that of Yama.and his voice rolled forth a sonorous and impressive incantation. For a full quarber of an hour this continued; Then we were cbusciotis of a change in the circle of pro-ttrate priests. One figure, stretched almost in a line behind that of-the Dewan, had evidently drawn back gradually inch by inch untilit was'qoiie the ring of prostrate forms. Saddenly it crept away altogether, disappeared for a moment behind the rampart of sculls, then reappeared on the sandy ground beyond, and finally was lost to view in the darkness which encompassed the ring of light formed by the flickering torebe*."We could not be mistaken. Mr Suddleigh had made his cscapa, without his withdrawal being detected by the priests of Yamaj but why£t bhatprecise juncbure we could not yeb'conjecture. The fact, however, remained, add after a brief consultation I darted off to meet him at the entrance to the corridor, while Chris maintained the watch from the gallery. Our surmise proved correct, for I met Mr Suddleigh in the passage before I had gained the, jioljit where ib opened into the temple cavern. ' I gripped my "friend's hand, and 1 immediately felt that every muscle in hia body was quivering with excitement. " I shall return to the tents with you, he whispered in a hoarse, strange voice. "I must have fresh sir and suulight. Hassan will continue the watch." Without further interchange of words we joiDed Chris in the chamber. I pressed ou Mr Suddleigh some brandy, which he drank eagerly. He then rapidly exchanged the priestly costume of white for his usual clothes.

"Now," he said, without offering any explanation, " let us get into the open air. Our presence is noc required here yeb awhile." Then he turned to Hassan, and speaking rapidly ia a language.l did not Understand; appeared to give Win some detailed instructions. The servant's only reply was a profound salatm. "Hassan understands everything he has to do," said Mr Suddleigh to us. "Now let us go." As we turned to take our departure the clangs of cymbals and the rhythmic chant of many voices showed that the chorybantic ritual of the priesthood had begun. — - With the aid of the light from a bull s eye our ."fray through i he now familiar corridors and caves. Mr Suddleigh had benefited by the stimulant he had taken, and the wiry old man kepfc up with u_ despiteour rather rapid pace, and climbed uo the rope ladder almost without assistance. After a brief rest in the cool night air we descended the mountainside, and in due course and without adventure reached the camp. WhenChundoo beheld his master, the faithful fellow prostrated himself at Mr feet; removed his ' burban, placed his forehead against the ground, and so testified to his delight and submission. Mr Suddleigh raised him from his prostrate position in a peculiarly affectionate and gentle manner, and addressed a few quiet words of greeting, the exact meaning of which neither Chris, nor I understood. Immediately thereafber masber and man assumed bheir usual relations, and acted towards each other as if bhey had not bf.en parted for a single hour. Mr Suddleigh intimated to us that he must have rest and time for thought before he could communicate the result of his adventure. He asked anxiously as to when Sophie was expected iv the camp, and on our informing him that she would come for certain that very afternoon, seemed greatly relieved in mind. -" Till she arrives do not let mc be disturbed. Chundoo will guard my tent, so that none of tbe other servants need know I am here. Goodnight." . Though burning with curiosity we had perforce to take this dismissal. Ab the same- time both Chris and myself were, physically speaking, terribly fagged put by our two nights of continuous watching, so that when we found that our eagerness to learn our friend's story must remain unsatisfied till the afternoon, we retired, nothinir loth, to our camp beds. Despite my fatigue of body, however, so keenly excited was mv brain that it was nob till the grey light" of morning was creeping into the tent that I fell asleep. Even then my rest waa broken, troubled and unrefreshiuff, the whirl of fanatic dancing dervishes and the clang of brazen cymbals being constantly present in my dreams, while now and again I awoke with a start after fancy had brought before mc the drawn, agonised face of the murdered priest, with his shaven skull and the cruel, crimson gash upon his breast. It was past noon when I ro» from my couch, lly bath greatly refreshed mc physically and mentally, and I felt myself iaiin when I had completed my toilet and strolTed into the bright sunlight. Chris. wa» awaiting ma in the shamtana, calmly discos-tag * pipe and the most recent copy of the Ailtenaum that had reached us. I envied him his placidity of miad, and told " No'use Krizzling,old fellow," he replied laconically. " Events _must take their course. Come along, I have, waited fof your company at breakfast or tiffin, whichever you choose to call it, and am as hungry as a bear emerging his winter "Neither of as bad eaten much during the preceding forty-eight hours, and we attacked with vigour the fragrant raulhaatawuy soup and the delieateiy flavoured curries which in India tempt the most jaded appetite. After the meal, when I threw myself into my long chair withiclgar slight and cup of coffee at Chris, s ?Sea6 example had --* Its effect

upon mc, and till the hour of Sophie a coming I resolved to put all thought oi tne Temple of Yama and its mysteries away from my mind. Ichatied, therefore, with Chris on the item of literary, artistic and archaeological news he had managed to extract from his morning's reading.

Towards 4 o'clock, when the heat of the day had passed and the gentle evening breeze was beginning to rustle among the parched foliage and cool the atmosphere, we sent for o;«r horses, and rode down the* ▼alley towards Noorjehanpnr with a view to meet Sophie. From the higher ground vr© spied her palkee emerging from the city gates, and galloping on to the plain we were soon by her side. "I have got my conge," was her first remark. " What Iv all the earth do you mean ? I asked, not, I need hardly «i)y, from ignorance of the French expression, but in bewilderment as to what had happened.

" What I say," she replied gaily. I have been dismissed, all in tbe most courteous and friendly way, be it observed but none tbe less politely told to go. My luggage is in a bullock ghairi coming behind." Instinctively I glanced back, and true enough, there, emerging from the gatoway of tbe city, was a cert drawn by a pair of tiny oxen, with Sophie's travelling trunk perched the creaking wheels. Chri9 had dismounted, and waa assisting Sophie from her palkee. I followed suit, and lept on to my feet, the syces taking our hor.-es, and with the palkee bearers dropping behind. We three then walked leisurely towards the camp, and Sophie told us her story. "That bear of aDewan, she said, returned borne this morning afrer a mysterious absence of several days. He immediately sent for Morabai, and ten minutes later the poor girl returned to mc with her eyes swollen with weeping, urn* news was told amidst "obs and tears. \\ c were to parr, and at once. Her father was going to conduct her elsewhere for a change of scene and air—to some country seat of bis, I could only fancy, for the child was all bat incoherent as io the details of her journey. She was to start this very evening, so that, of course, I would not remain in the zenana without my little Morabai even had I been invited to do so. It was, however, very sad parting from her, and at Ihe last moment Mio poor child clung to mc convulsively, sobbing like to break her hearr. lam certain as lam walking here that she i* no Indian, but ati English girl just litre my.-elf, and that is why we have taken so to each other." " And yet you left her." I said, with a shade of reproach in my voice. " What else could I do, Hal. " responded Sophie, looking up Into my face without a trace «.f the just rebutment she might have shown over such a remark. " The I)ewan behaved most politely, but to offer to thwart his determination would be about as hopeful a task as to overturn that mountain by butting against the precipice at its base. I endeavoured to put in a few words of remonstrance against our being parted so suddenly when he cauie to Jlo-abii's quarters to give mc a final au'liencr.', but, in that dignified, distant, not-to be-dc«icd manner that is peculiarly his own, he closed my lips iv a moment. Mereiv the stereotyped expressions of polite'farewell pa-sid between us, he professe 1 to be deeply thankful to mc for what I had done for his daughter, aud he gave mc this." Smhie drew from her pocket a casket, which she opened, disclosing to oar eyes a superb necklet of pearl-. . "Of course in' India," she continued lightly, "one dare not refuse a gift* so I had to accent, it, bub I would rather have carried off Morabai with mc than a cart load of jewels." "But-we must rescue her. Where has she gone ?" I cried eauerly. "Mr Suddleigh will break his heart over this news." "I have done my b.<st, Hal, for our future guidance I need not tell you that ib was impossible for mc to carry Morabai off from the zenana, nor could you by force, though you had a regiment of .British soldiers at your back. Bub the woman Rukmi—of course you remember about Rukmi?"

"■ Ye*=, yes." I answered, " the nurse who carried the baby Eileen away." " Well," continued Sophie, " I have never lost an opportunity all the time I have been in the zenana of making friends with this Uukmi, and endeavouring to win her confidence. You see, though the mutilation she has undergone renders it impossible for her to speak, she can yet understand what is said to her iv her own language. From the first I have seen that, whatever her misguided Action in the past, she is wholly devoted to her young mistress, and will do anything if it is to save Morabai from unhapplness. 1 have always reflected, therefore, that we may rely upon Rukmi to aid ua towards the successful c nryiug out of our ultimate plans." "But what in all the world," I asked, " can this dumb, helpless aged woman do to save Morabai from the terrihlo dangers with wbich'She is surrounded ?"

" Well, for the present I don't see any very terrible dangers," answered Sophie, who, of course, was as yeb in blissful ignorance of Chris's conjecture as to the dreadful fate reserved for her young friend. "But if dangers there are to be encouutered, Rukmi will be able to uo more than you mighb at flr?c imagine. Wherever Morabai is to go, Rukmi, I have learned, is to accompany her. Moreover, on the first opportunity after I had heard of our. impending parting, I took tho woman aside, and gave her clearly to understand the deep interest I felt in regard to her mistress's future. I did nob choose to be too explicit to her, partly because of my own ignorance as to what our future plans precisely will be, partly because I did not wish to frighten her by any fears lest she herself would be punished for what she had done in carrying away the baby Eileen. However, I succeeded, by a simple ruse, in making her absolutely submissive tomy will." "How did you mauuge that ? I asked. " You will remember," continued Sophie, "that-though we speak of this woman as Rukmi, she Is known to everyone In that zenana, Morabai included, ds Lili. I have always addressed her by this latter name till to-day, knowing that the hour would come when I cjuld use her true name with effect to gain some end that I might have in view. Accordingly, when I took her aside I told her thab my medicine had revealed to mc many strange thiugs—tho ignorant women about the zenana, you know, Hal, speak of mc as a scrt of witch, because I have shown some power to control pain and remove bodily ailments. Well, I went on to say, that among the other things Which I had in this mysterious way come to learn, was thatLili's real name was Rukmi. You should have seen the expression of consternation which passed over her face when the word fell from my lips. If further proof were needed that Morabai is Eileen Suddleigh that woman's look of horrorand fright at her Identity beiugdiscovered was quite sufficient to my mind. However, my object, as I have said, was not to terrify her, for I feel assured that Morabai will nob be rescued from the clutches of the Dewan without Eukmi's active co-operation." " And what did you do to secure that ?? I asked.

"Well, without showing any anger against herself, I simply told Llli that my medicine had revealed to mc her true name, Rukmi. I further said that Morabai was unhappy in bhe zenana of the Dewan, and if she remained there would assuredly fade uway and die. The woman clasped her bunds in silent agony and wept, when I spoke these words. I saw she was repentant for the wrong she had done, and seized the opportune moment by further" declaring that another secret I had learned' was that Morabai was a child of tbe sahiblog, and that nothing could save her life but that she should be restored bo her own countrymen and countrywomen. Would Rukmi help to preserve her mistress? was the direct question I asked. ' Forjauswer, the woman knelt ou her knees, placed her head on the ground, and then put my foot upon her head. i\o more eloquent response could have been given, and I am quite easy in my mind as to Rukmi assisting us;" *' And in what way?"l queried.

"She will be the means of our communicating with Morabai. Before I let her go, I secured her solemn promise, given in the same way as I have just described, that as soon as her young mistress reaches the place the Dewan is taking her to, she, Rukmi, will, by hook or by crook, contrive to bring a message to our camp on the mountain Hide. You will see, therefore. Hal and Chris, that even if my visit to the zenana has done no immediate good, it has gained for us an ally in this unhappy woman, Rukmi."

" Then," remarked Chris., " you dropped no hint to Morabai of our desire to carry her away from the zenana of the Dewan ?"

" The time for that, Chris., has! not vet come. Infinite tact and patience will "be necessary if we are to accomplish our plans. Think of this poor child, brought up all her life, or at least all the years she can remember, within zenana walls, and utterly ignorant of the outside world. The only man she has ever seen is the one sbe has been taught to call her father. Had I spoken of eventually taking her away her startled manner, even had she acquiesced, might have betrayed everything to sotQ

one or B. SE«K mem prove Invaluable to our subsequent ooeraion«. But here we are at the foot of the ravine, and you had better get Into your palkee whifo Hal and I mount our horees. I mflv for lha present just tell you thH that, "while your story is news to «*. we on our eide have important new* for you. Mf Saddleitih, also, who is i.i the camp, has somethine to tell us which I fancy, will show that the climax of our adventure is close at hand." (To he continued.)