The Native Born or, The Rajah's People

ranch of the Aryan race which through countless generations had kept itself curiously aloof from its neighbors. The greater number were Hindus of the strictest type, and perhaps o

ace his descent from Brahma himself, unexpectedly, after he had been living in hand-in-glove friendship with his European neighbors, proclaimed a Holy War, massacred all foreigners within his reach, and for eighteen long months succeeded, by means of a species of guerrilla warfare, in keeping the invading armies at bay. Partly owing to the unflagging determination of the English troops, part

ents were stationed at the chief towns, and a political agent resided at the capital. Neither the regiments nor the political agent, however, found any work for their hands to do. A calm, as unexpected as it was complete

ropean eyes had ever lighted on him since his childhood. Under one excuse and another he had been kept persistently in the background, his place being taken first by the regent and then by succeeding ministers, until it was generally supposed that the young Rajah was either afflicted with some loathsome disease or mentally deficient, probabilities which the Government, with unpleasant recollections of Behar Singh's too great intelligence, accepted with unusual readiness. There were no causes fo

picture his mind had formed had little in common with the reality-it was too overshadowed by his own character. As a blind man may be able, through hearsay, to describe his surroundings detail by detail and yet at the bottom be possessed by an entirely false conception, so Neh

n he knew, though some dawning realization crept over him on this particular evening as he passed through the temple gates. For a moment he stood with his hands crossed over his breast, absorbed in prayer to Brahma, the Creator, in whose presence he was about to stand. In such an hour, amidst the absolute stillness, under the stupendous shadows of the walls,

shoes, he stepped over the threshold and walked forward between the gigantic granite columns which supported what was left of the dome-shaped roof. There was no altar, no jewel, no figure cut in the hard stone that was not known to him with all their mysterious significance. Here h

at the golden figure whose ruby eyes, he knew, stared straight through his soul into every corner of the world and beyond into Eternity. His belief, pure, unsoiled from contact with the world, was a power that had gone out into the darkness and conjured thence the spirits that shrank

eeling, since the god

ose nor the end for which I am. Lord Brahma, teach me, for my soul panteth after knowledge. Show me the path which I must tread, for I am weary with dreams. Teach me to serve my people-be it hand in hand with the Stranger and his gods, be it alone. Tea

than himself, lifted his face to the idol.

rful emotions, he would have known her, if only from hearsay, for what she was. But with that passionate prayer u

e eyes and hair that seemed a part of the obscured god, whose pure lines, though foreign, harmonized in every det

en a charm which held them both paralyzed, she smiled, and the smile

"Lakshmi!" he m

ve disturbed you, but-" She paused, apparently confused by the

he demanded in

though it did not check the fierce, painful beating of his pul

hither and thither, trying to find my party, with whom I was enjoying an excursion. By some chance I came across this temple, a

to him to doubt her explanation, or wonder at the unlikeliness of the chanc

some great crisis, it was leaving him changed. It had swept him out of the wor

the Rajah? If so, I am certain you must be very, very angry.

him was more wonderful even than her beauty. No woman-and for that matter, no ma

en, after a pause, he added with great

ned indifferently on the golden image, an Unbeliever whose shod feet were defiling the sacred precincts, an object, then, for hatred and revenge-not for him, truly. In his eyes she

" he said, with an ener

om

t of the sanctuary into

eed and waited until

ple," he explained. "Had any one but myself foun

ld have h

s pos

id, glancing at him with eyes that expr

e," he assent

me reasons for anger. My intrusion, innocent thoug

. "That is qu

together they passed out of the two imm

d," he went on. "Thence one of my servants will conduct you

ood," she answe

e that they were inferior, in intellect and judgment no more than slaves, and his curiosity had at once been satiated. He sought things above him-those beneath him excited no more than indifference. But this woman was neither an inferior nor a slave. Her free, erect carriage, steadfast, fearless eyes proclaimed the equal. So much his instinct taught him in those brief

he said earnestly. "I must have offended

hink I am ang

scarcely

ll overcome with the strangeness of it all. You

with an exclama

ught all Indian princes

go to England

in, with a faint haughtine

e language so per

pleasure shone ou

k so. My-one of my

dmiration. Slight as she was, there was yet a gracefully controlled strength in every movement. In his own mind, poor as it necessarily was in comparisons, he compared her to a young doe he had once startled from its rest

elapsed into silence, from which she startled him with a qu

this lovely garden?" she said, looking u

ife," he

r seen anythin

d, with a shamefacedness curiously in contrast

ned. "No book could make you understand

and for a second t

e studied hard, and I believed there was nothing I did not know. Now I se

disguised admiration in his eyes

gainst the world in which one lives. There is so much work to be done, so much to learn, and you hav

ows kn

te us so?"

ted wonderingly. "Wh

ept seclusion because intercourse with my cou

t up under h

e English heroes. Their deeds of daring and self-sacrifice have filled my heart with love and veneration. I know

lad," s

out on to the highroad, and as though by

nd my way perfectly now. I am only puzzled to know how I should

t have slept," h

ll not puni

" he said. "No harm shall come to him." He paused, and then added

tically. "That is not necessa

whose blue was deepening int

reach your destination," h

ughed

repared to encounter at least six of them. Look!" She drew from the bosom of her dress a small revo

; but his pulses had recommenced their painf

hwomen so brave

t laugh at the simpl

people will be very anxious, and I have so much to tell them. They will envy me the privilege I have en

you, they are always

k her he

give me this once, because it was an accident-a second time, and my reputation would

a deep ingrained principle and desire.

y for ever," he said.

u see, you will be in a garden into which I may not enter, and I in a

e shall meet aga

you so

led dr

imlessly into each other's lives. We are borne on the breast of a strong current which flows out of the river of Fate, and

d away from him, and when at last she spoke, her

meeting is for ou

t it is," h

y on to the grey, dusty highroad. It was the fi

l you are out of sight

-and tha

bronze statue, on the slight, elastic figure, as it hurried toward the lights of the distant Stati

, signaling to its fellows that night was come. One by one others followed. As time passed, the moon in a cloud of silver lifted he

bowed his he

Brahma, I

he Sacred Tree whose restless, shimmering, silver leaves hung above his head. He understood their whisper as he listen

repeated; then turned, and with head still bo