Chapter XXXVII: From Dawn to Daylight

A low, tremulous whistle sounded on the still night, as it had sounded several times. Rising to his feet, Dr. Avery returned the call, which was immediately repeated. Several exchanges followed, and then Luchman walked forward, and the two cordially greeted each other.

"That was the very signal we agreed upon," remarked the surgeon; "but I forgot all about it until I heard it several times."

In answer to the inquiries of the guide, Avery said that the family of the missionary were sleeping but a few yards away, while he was acting as sentinel--a stupid one, he confessed--but thus far everything had gone well.

Luchman listened with interest to the story of his friend, after which he told his own. When he entered the temple he found that Wana Affghar had betrayed him, and he resolved that, come what might, he would slay the perfidious miscreant, no matter what the consequences to himself might be.

By means of lighted matches he examined the well trodden soil in front of the arched way, but was surprised when he failed to find the delicate imprint of the ladies' shoes leading outward. He began to think matters might not be as bad as he supposed. Then came the suspicion he had entertained all along, namely that there was underground communication with the temple, and that providentially the fugitives had availed themselves of it.

Hurrying to the stream, it did not take him long to learn the thrilling truth: there in the soft soil he saw the tracks of the two men and the two ladies.

Luchman was happy again, and, despite the frightful temperature, he pressed on with greater ardor than before. He saw that while Wana Affghar had played him traitor, Heaven had brought his schemes to naught.

"Won't he pursue us when he finds we are gone?" asked the doctor.

"No; the distance is too far; he knows he cannot overtake us. Besides, it was the diamond, not we, that he was seeking."

"What a pity he should have got it after playing us false!"

"Without it, sahib, we could not have got away."

"I know that, but he is entitled to no thanks therefor: he broke his pledge to us. But it is too late now to remedy it. A fortune has gone, but what would not a man give for his life? Perhaps, Luchman, some day you may get the Star of India back."

The native made no reply, but there were strange thoughts filtering through his brain--thoughts which he kept to himself, but the time came when they were known to Dr. Avery.

"What is to be our course?" asked the latter, observing that his friend did not wish to talk about the diamond. "Shall we follow the stream to its source?"

"No, sahib, since it makes a turn to the west a few miles further on, and we shall have to leave it. But the task is easier now than at any time since we left the Cashmere Gate."

"In what respect?"

"We can follow paths through the jungle, since it extends to within four miles of Kurnal, and we may get a ride with some ryot, that will give the ladies help on their way."

"But will that be safe?"

"We would have had little trouble after leaving Delhi, sahib, had we been fugitives like the others were. All our peril, if you will pause to think, came mainly from Wana Affghar of Puneput and his Ghoojurs: that was not because he wanted us, but because he sought the Star of India. He has been following me more than a year; had you taken one direction and I another he would have paid no heed to you, but followed me. He will follow me no more."

"It is near morning, is it not, Luchman?"

"It is, sahib; it is growing light now; the people will need food; stay here till I bring it to them."

Before the rest of the fugitives awoke Luchman came back.

"I have found a hut, sahib, where we can get all we want."

"Why didn't you get it, then?"

"It will be more pleasant for the ladies to go there; they can bathe if they choose, attend to their toilet, and be in a house while the hot wind is blowing."

"Is the hut along the main highway?"

"It is some way back from the village, where there can be no danger to any of them. I shall urge the ladies to go there."

"They will not need much urging."

By the time it was light all the parties were awake, and they warmly greeted Luchman, whose escape from Wana Affghar was hardly less striking than their own.

When he explained about the hut they were glad to act upon his invitation, for it can be understood how acceptable such accommodations are to persons whose experience is like theirs.

The mud house was occupied by a man, his wife and two children, all of whom thought themselves highly honored by receiving such visitors beneath their roof. The simple people had never before been spoken to by a foreign lady.

The dwelling was a tidy one with two rooms. It was made of sun dried bricks, thatched with corn stalks, but to the refugees it was a palace, after their toil and sufferings. The low caste of the native permitted him to supply them with food and entertainment. From the neighboring well he drew the water for bathing, while his wife ground the grain in a hand mill, and soon supplied her guests with chuppaties and a kind of grain porridge known as dalbhat. This simple food, eaten in safety, was delicious and nourishing.

The furniture of the house consisted of a charpoy or native bedstead and some cooking utensils. Outside, under the shade of a mango tree, was another charpoy, which was used for a seat during the day.

While our friends were seated on the ground, eating their simple meal, the housewife stood over them with a dried palm leaf, which she used deftly as a fan, thus enabling her visitors to eat in comfort. Having been accustomed in their own home to the huge punkahs, suspended from the ceiling and kept going day and night during the burning season, and having undergone such misery on the way to this primitive hut, it can well be understood how grateful the service of the housewife was to the weary fugitives.

The ladies spent as much of the day in slumber as they could, for they expected to travel during the entire night. Dr. Avery tumbled into the charpoy under the tree outside, but tumbled out again when he found that a venomous serpent had pre-empted it.

"The mischief take the snakes!" he growled with a shiver; "you never know where to look for them in India except just where you don't want to find them. We have escaped them thus far, and that particular pest is doomed."

After some manipulation Avery wriggled out the reptile with the aid of a long stick, and dispatched it. Making certain that none of its friends remained in the charpoy, he rolled into it, and slept until the afternoon was gone.

When the day was drawing to a close, the gentle housewife prepared the evening meal for them. As she moved about, she was accompanied by a musical tinkle from her toe rings and the jingle of her bracelets and amulets on her ever busy arms.

Shortly after the evening meal was finished, it was noticed that Luchman was absent, and there was some wonder expressed as to the cause. There was no misgiving, however, as he had the faculty of being on hand whenever needed.

A liberal gift of money was made to the natives, who were profuse in their thanks, and urged their visitors to come to see them again, and to spend many weeks under their humble roof.

The good missionary was improving the occasion by telling them of the claims and beauties of the Christian religion, when he was startled by the sound of wagon wheels in the road, which it will be remembered was some distance away.

Instantly he and his friends retreated within the house, and with no little apprehension peered out at the suspicious vehicle.

The next minute all laughed heartily.

They saw a large cart, drawn by a couple of hump shouldered oxen, and occupied by a single individual as superintendent of motive power. The name of the individual was Luchman.

He did not explain by what means he had acquired the property, but there can be no doubt that it was by honest purchase.

The entire party speedily entered the vehicle, and, after profound salaams from the native and his wife to the "Guriparwan" or protectors of the poor, headed northward toward Kurnal.

The journey was not without incident, but nothing of a serious nature took place. The sight of a native driving such a cart, and accompanied by several others who seemed to be natives, was so common as to attract little notice. They were beyond the ring of fire that encircled Delhi, and the next day they reached the little town where the position of the British government was so strong that it may be said all peril of the flight from the capital of the newly proclaimed Mogul Empire was at an end.