ess pearls over his turban
and passed it over the girl's head, holding it lightly until one end
had slid down into the scented laces of her bosom where lay a cat's-eye
on a golden chain.

"Thou white doe," he said, "thou virgin snow," and added fiercely,
"give me the rose from above thy heart, that I may press it to my
couch."

Obediently Leonie gave it, faded and warm, and looked at him with a
strange little gleam of anger in her eyes; and he, understanding that
the effect of the drug was passing, and that wrath maybe would follow
love, led her by the hand down through the double row of cypress trees
towards the gate.

Alas! a twig cracked under the wretched _shudra's_ foot, snapping with
the report of a pistol in the stillness of the night; and the man,
feeling the hands of his gods upon him, fled like a hunted hare towards
the gate.

Madhu Krishnaghar, with his face one blaze of fury, stood still and
called.

"Rama," he called. "Rama, hold," and as the wretched creature,
forgetting the animal in his fear, sped past him, Rama curled his trunk
swiftly about him and jerked him to a standstill.

Useless to strive against that strength; useless to fight against the
gods or raise his voice in shrieking prayer.

For had he not looked upon the unveiled face of his master's woman.

Slowly Madhu Krishnaghar led Leonie up the marble steps and stopped.

"Thou dog," he said gently, "thou low-caste dog!"

Then he drew Leonie into his arms and covered her completely with the
heavy coat.

But the man, submitting to fate with the terrible resignation of the
East, let fly one last poisoned arrow.

"The dog goes to his death," he cried. "But behold, the shame of the
lord is great, for have not the eyes of the low-caste dog rested upon
the woman's face."

"_Usko marro_! Kill quickly!" thundered the son of princes, and turned
indifferently away.

But even as the elephant threw the man upon the ground, and placing his
foot upon his head, tore him in twain, Leonie wrenched herself free,
and flinging up her arms to the moon, laughed and laughed until the
night echoed and re-echoed with the horrible sound, stopping only when
the smothering folds of the cloak were thrown about her.

CHAPTER XXXV

"And thou shalt grope at noonday."--_The Bible_.

Jan Cuxson, hurt to the quick at Leonie's refusal to marry him, also at
her rejection of his offer to accompany her upon her travels, shut his
hurt away, and set h