I ought to mention that the Ranee, the aunt of my darling CHUDDAH, was
as susceptible as she was haughty and ferocious. During my stay in the
capital I had had several interviews with her, and I could not
disguise from myself--why should I?--that she regarded me with no
common favour. Indeed, she had taken the somewhat extreme step of
informing me semi-officially (so that she might afterwards, if
necessary, be at liberty to disavow it) that, if I would only consent
to marry her, she would undertake to poison Sir BONAMY BATTLEHORN. I
should thus be elevated not only to the supreme command of the British
forces, but also to the throne of the Diamond City. But I withstood
her blandishments, captivated, as I was, by the tender maidenly
loveliness of CHUDDAH, and the wicked old woman had sworn to have her
revenge. I had, of course, a staunch ally in her brother, the MEEBHOY,
but in his disabled condition, that veteran warrior could be of little
real use to me. Still he knew of my love for his niece CHUDDAH, and,
knowing all my worth, he had already consecrated with his blessing our
prospective union. On this particular evening I found CHUDDAH in her
cosy little boudoir alone, save for the presence of her stout and
comfortable old Ayah or Nana. The darling girl sprang up as I entered
the room and threw herself into my arms in a passion of affection. I
gently disengaged her arms from about my neck, and proceeded, as best
I could, to inform her that I had come to take leave of her for a
short time. Her grief was terrible to witness.
"Oh, my own!" she sobbed (I translate her language); "my very, very
own, my tall and gorgeously beautiful son of the fair-faced English,
my moon of radiant splendour, my star of aspiring hope, say not thou
art come to say farewell, say it not my dearest Duffadar, for CHUDDAH
cannot bear it."
"But, my darling," I urged, "duty calls, and CHUDDAH would not have
her ORLANDO flinch."
The beautiful girl admitted the force of this appeal and a renewed
scene of affectionate leave-taking took place. Suddenly the Ayah, who
up to this moment had been dozing in her arm-chair, rose, and holding
up a warning hand said, "Hist!"
We did so, alarmed by the impressive air of the good old nurse.
"Hist! What is that sound?"
[Illustration: "Hist! What is that sound?"]
I listened intently, and sure enough heard a faint tapping, proceeding
apparently from the floor under my feet.
"I suspect treachery," continued the Ayah hurriedly. "'Twas only
yester morn I saw YOUBYOUB scowling at us as we passed by on our early
walk. Oh, beware, my lord, of YOUBYOUB."
This YOUBYOUB, I ought to say, was the young and bloodthirsty Prince
of the Lozen Jehs, a tribe of wild warriors from the north. Betrothed
to the beautiful CHUDDAH at an early age, he naturally viewed with
hatred the advent of one on whom nature had bestowed her favours so
bountifully, and who was bound, therefore, to make himself dear to
CHUDDAH. I knew he detested me, but I had hitherto scorned him. I was
now to discover my mistake.
Scarcely had the words left the Ayah's lips when a loud rumbling made
itself heard: the floor seemed to heave in one terrific crash, there
was a horrible explosion, and before I had time to realise what had
happened we three, CHUDDAH, the Ayah and I, were being propelled
upwards into space at the rate of at least a thousand miles an hour.
(_To be continued._)
* * * * *
[Illustration: "_ARE_ YOU COMIN' 'OME?"
"I'LL DO ELLYTHIK YOU _LIKE_ IN REASOL, M'RIA--(_hic_)--BUR I _WON'T_
COME 'OME."]
* * * * *