SILALTS RO ALV

Y Iis no wise thing which the sahib pro- I know that he is hrave, but in the hands ol the frenzied \\()l\hl[)pt,h there, alone or together, we should fare badly. I sowell not to run into needless danger at such a time. Wil not the sahib hear the words ol THassan, since more than once has he seen enacted aterrible deed i the streets of Conjeve 27

“ 1 see no reason why we among the crowd yonder,” returned Denviers o then, turming o me, he added.,

• Come on, Harvold, the idol car 1s hall-way

up the street 7 1 rose and followed hin, and.as L did so; turned to the Arab, saving

Y ou need not come, Hassan, unless vou wish to o we will soon return.”

“The Arab o does not fear Tor himself)” responded Tassan, calimly. Where the Lghshmen go then slave is ready to follow.” and a moment alter we were pushing and josthing m the crowd which followed the car, Hindus 1 their white robes and gaily- coloured turbans 1 women profuscly adorned with jewellery on their arms and necks and m then hair, which was uncovered : and besides thug, rchigrous mendicants, jugelers, and pilgrims - smeared with ashes, whose clothes were less than canty, all made up the excited throng into which we thrust oursclyes.

In spite of the deep bronze which over- spread our features, the offect of our pro- longed travels, many curious glances were turned upon us; some of them [riendly cnoughy but others expressive ol hatred that we should dare to mingle with those whose forcheads were duly inscribed with the sacred marks which betokened their devotion to the dol,

Whether Hassan's recent remarks were caused by a forchoding of evil or not it is difficult to sav, but in our anxicty the el car we pressed on forgetful When we had succeeded curtosity, I looked round, Flassan was not he seen. viers, T asked :

“What has hecome of our guide, To my surprise, he responded ;- -

“ 1 thought we had left him behind @ he scemed disinclined to come with us, and | have not him since we left the veranda.”

" But he followed us,” T persisted @ he was close behind until o few minutes ago, 1 am certain.” - My companion, however, re- marked, hghtly

“We shall see

s Lo d

should be afmaad {9y g(‘)

to

{ him. Amsf\m“ Our and found that Turnmg to Den-

Frank 2~

SCC

him agam before long.

LANTIRN QUK.

59

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[Hassan has been m Conjeve hefore to-day

dare sav he thought that pushing through a crowd ol Hindus on such a hot dav as this 15, wits not quite the form ol pleasure that he

carcd to mdulge m. - No doubt he s under the veranda agaimn by this time, meditating

on our folly and his own wisdom.”

Denviers had hardly finished speaking when a great din rose i the street through which we had passed. Something unusual had evi- dently happened, and, connecting the event somchow with our guide, we made a desperate attempt to break through the throng which we siw had gathered round a spot where the strect \\'1(lu1ul to accommodate one of the temples which we met at every fow yards in Conjeve, The exeitement rapidly spread, and moacfew mimutes we were hemmed i by o swaving mass ol humanity, i which o cither advance or to retreat was nnpossible Fortunately for us the height ol those m the crowd hefore us did not completely hide the view, and with o little struggling we managed to get some 1dea of what had happened.

Standmg with his left arm behind T an opening 1 the ruined wall of @ temple was our faithful - guide Hassan, parrving dexterously the savage thrusts which bemg made at his Jud\ by an ugly- looking fakir, or religious enthusiast. The Latter was clothed 1 a0 tightly-bound vellow carment, his face dark and fieree Leing hidden by the matted, neglected hair which hung down as far zs his shoulders. Unbike the rest of the Findus e the erowd, he wore o long, shagey beard, to hetoken that he had undertaken some vow, and his countrvinen were urging him on to the combat. while they were carcful to keep themselves out of the reach ol bladeo which flashed as he warly fakir at bav.

S onhy

close o

were

Flassan s ]-;('])l the

could cet through this erowd, somchow " sad Denviers, 1 would pant that fakir's robe o different colour for him, [ wonder what Hassan did to cause all this commaotion ?”’

“Nery o hittle, no o doubt,” T responded,

Tlassan is oo cautious to offend, wilfully, the prejudices of o fanatie” Then, watching the struggle mowhich we were quite vnable 1o inin I added

“Hassan is giving the fakir plenty of hard

work, and the }dllflg mob can tell that plamly cnough. T suppose it their comrade loses there will be an ugly rush upon the Arab, and we shall, possibly, have a few minutes’ tough fighting.”

“Hassan little thinks we are m the crowd