The Winds of the World

by, Her stairs illustrated it-the two flights of steep winding stairs that lead to her bewildering reception-

ght, and at the top his middle-aged back was straight and his eye clear. The cunning, curtained lights did no

an idiot of himself; so the maid who curtsies in the stair-head maze of mirrored lights has be

oor Singh stepped forward toward a glass-bead curtain through which a soft light shone, and an unexpected low laugh greeted him. It was merry, mocking, musical-and something mor

nding with arms spread wide to either door-post, smiling at him; a

live to thirty to be talked about; and if she can dance as Yasmini does-though only the Russian ballet can do that-she has the secret of perpetual youth to help her defy the years.

ht played incessantly on her gauzy silken trousers and jeweled slippers, but she ma

able, because Yasmini is mistress of so many languages that m

ered Ranjoor Singh mor

a lion's tail and the manners of a buffalo! Age or gallantry will bend a m

d and run with it into the room, to the man's sweating shame. He kicked his shoes off calmly and waited as a man waits on parade, looking straight into her eyes that

id, turning lithely as a snake,

him just as surely as her lips were making signals that he could not see. One answer to the signal

farmer strayed from h

er; but Ranjoor Singh f

around the walls; and it did not escape his notice that many people wer

led him to a far end of the room where many cushions were, There she tur

at guests to-nigh

ware that her eyes were seeking to read his

t do you w

therwise it would be impossible to hold a salon and be a power in politics, in a land where politics run deep, but where men do not admit openly to which party they belong. But Yasmini represents

noyed

st the wall that gave him a good view of the entrance and all the rest of the room, window included. Instan

takes her that long to read a man's character, guess at his past, an

he asked again at the

tening to the sound of yet others on the stairs. No other Sikh came in, nor more tha

last; but if Ranjoor Singh was interest

orth in layers as the punkahs swung lazily. Outside, the rain swished and chilled the night air; but the hot air from inside hurried out to meet t

ing to the entrance, her eyes sought Ranjoor Singh's; and she saw that he had heard it

dressed in a white duck apology for evening clothes. He seemed a little the worse for drink, but not too

aid in Hindustani that was

but she smiled at him, and aloud she said,

dle of the room. Yasmini, whose eyes were on Ranjoor Singh every other second, no

, a somewhat older man, who glanced back over his shoulder deferentially and, to Yas

nd Yasmini rattled the bracelets on he

who is supposed to be the leader into mischief; they have made him a little drunk les

eyes were ablaze at last and that he had sat bolt upright without knowing it. The third man was dressed like the other two in w

st man pointed her out. Then it seemed to Ranjoor Singh-who was watching as minutely as Yasmini in turn watched him-that, when he bowed, this tall, confident-looking individual almost cl

man who is frightened claims to be a customer for bales of blankets. Sinc

g fat hands on a consequential paunch, the third sat straight-backed, kicking a little sidewise with his left leg

hissed Ran

d pretended to be watching

or, "has been told that thou art like a spider,

y have told the tr

ight study their commercial needs. He was told to come here and meet

lf for the Raj?

alry," said Ranjoor Singh, "an

ater for the office lawn is

and I are

for the tune was nearly at an end, and it would be time

ps, to speak with a

to obey,'" she mocke

eward. I, who am only one, might die by a dagger, or a rope in the dark, or ground glass i

rha

s. Who

laiming the regard of the other squadrons, too. But Yasmini, who never in her life went straight from point to point of an idea and never

ho is for the Ra

ny game. Therefore she despised a man who showed his hand to her, as she believed Ranjoor Singh h

prey, sparing a sidewise surreptitious smile of confidence for Ranjoor Singh that no eye caught save his; yet as she turne

!" she m

silence emphasized it. Step by step, as if the spirit of all dancing had its home in her, she tol

only others in the world who share her art. Certainly, she keeps in touch with Russia, and knows more even than the Indian government about what goes on

the interminable ballads of the South and the Central Provinces. But when, as that evening, she is at her best, mixing magic under the eyes of the inquisitive, she sings songs of her own making an

-to-the-wall and watched, could follow the meaning of it. They began to crowd closer, to squat cross-legged on the floor, in circl

nd he had to show it to the other two before he could convince them that the

id one of the

chon halb zwolf!"

remark at all. He was

ight lines in contrast to Yasmini's curves-to a spot directly facing the three

commanded.

ls truly for Afridis. The flat of Ranjoor Singh's foot came to his assistance, and the hillman

nce no man knows who is on whose side. Yasmini beckoned him, and the Afridi slouched toward her su

m; he went suddenly from drowsiness to slumber, and the woman spurned his bullet-head away from her shoulder, letting him fall like a log among the cushions. The stout

gray European eyes; she saw that they were interested most in Ranjoor Singh, and the

d drew in its breath, for he spoke Hindustani with an

me. The Sikhs are a martial race. Their theory of po

religion with all his gentlemanly might, was there to a

ally. They tell me-I have heard-so

when the men around him grinned; it is a sore point wit

erman colonies," said the man with

?" asked Ra

place in the sun from which they ar

art of getting a story on its way. "To the west is England. Farther west, Amelik

launched without a word more of preliminary into a lecture on Germany that lasted hours and held his aud

en praise made German virtue seem by that much greater; and

est and fiercest in the world. So he told them of a German army, millions strong, that marched in league-long columns-an

must soon emerge for lack of room inside. And he proved, then, that he knew he had made an impression on them,

aid, as if he owned the place;

en the last man had started for the stairs. "Wh

eenly, but the Sikh's

r rank?" the

ron le

O

ed. The two were almost of a height, although the Sikh's head-dress made him seem t

you would be taken th

rm

gh showed n

wanted to f

of laughter in the

no quarrel wi

of none," said

ould fly, after a war, the S

ooked intereste

gainst German

ay to a corner in which he judged they could not be overhea

patriot. What a

erman answered. "Self-government!

on? For a bargai

Sikhs fail

he

comes! What i

" answered Ranjoor Singh, saluting

e room, with a slight bow

urmured after hi

who had drunk sherbet and who now seemed inclined to weep. They dragged him down the stairs between them, backward. Yasmin

come here making mysteries of his own without consulting me! And what does not suit me I do not tolerate!

s tearful and almost infinitely more resentful. What clothing had not been torn

said Yasmin

swore t

t? What ha

ingh the Sikh is a bastard. From then until now they beat me, only

pon peal of silver laug

he spoke truth. So his squadron watched him here! Go, jungli! Go, wash the blood away. Thou shalt have reveng

blows through

s low (Oh,

f curls by h

earth; but the l

r gnaws!" (Oh

ves fight? B

bright, their

they took but

wise heads,

y fed, is bl

s sharp, or

the loot, an

INI'