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Updated: June 25, 2025
With Muriel clinging closely to him Wargrave followed Tashi as he pushed his way through the crowd, exchanging jokes and careless banter as he went. The rabbit-warren of steep lanes, flights of steps and bridges over ravines through the town built on the precipitous slopes of the hill was almost deserted, for most of the inhabitants had flocked to the Devil Dance.
When this was done Badshah slid into the river. As elephants do he sank in the water until only the upper part of his head and the tip of his upraised trunk were above it. Without the precaution that Tashi had taken his riders would have been instantly swept away. Only elephants could have battled successfully with that raging torrent.
Frank hurriedly examined and bandaged the wound made by a large-calibre bullet, which had passed through the leg below the knee, lacerating the muscles but not injuring the bone. Then he took up his post again, while Tashi dragged himself up behind a rock and opened fire on their foes. These were for the most part Bhutanese, but there were several Chinese among them. "Look! Look, Frank!
"Muriel, loose off as many cartridges as you can to cover me," said Wargrave, laying his pistol beside her. Before the girl realised his meaning he had sprung out from the rocks and was running towards Tashi. For a moment the pursuers were puzzled by his action and then fired their rifles and matchlocks and shot arrows at him.
The festival had offered them an unhoped-for opportunity of rescuing her. Tashi, once a star performer in similar devil dances in his own monastery, procured costumes and taught his companion what to do. As the number of those taking part in the performances ran to hundreds it was easy to slip in unobserved among them. Then Muriel told of her adventures.
It was that the leader of the party was pock-marked and blind in the right eye; and this at once confirmed Frank's suspicion that the instigator of Muriel's abduction was the Chinese Amban, whose parting threat to the girl had thus materialised. At daybreak Wargrave and Tashi started on foot accompanied by a forest guard to put them on the track of the gang.
Indeed, as they travelled on day after day and danger seemed left behind, they forgot everything in the joy of being together once more, their vows exchanged, their faith pledged, the Future a long vista of golden days of delight. It was well that Tashi was with them to be on the watch, for the lovers walked with their heads in the clouds. And certainly theirs was an interesting pilgrimage.
"One of our Living Buddhas and one of the Tashi Lamas received a message from him, written with unknown signs on golden tablets. No one could read these signs. The Tashi Lama entered the temple, placed the golden tablet on his head and began to pray.
Frank drew his pistol; but Muriel clung to his arm and cried: "Oh, spare the poor wretch!" Tashi had no scruples, but his magazine was empty and he searched in vain for a cartridge. But Yuan Shi Hung's time had come. Badshah's trunk shot out and caught the climber's ankle. The Chinaman was plucked from the face of the cliff and hurled to the ground.
A huge bull led them, lines of other tuskers behind him, crowds of females and calves bringing up the rear. The onset of the mass of great monsters was terrifying. It was appalling, irresistible. Muriel cried out: "It's Badshah! Frank, it's Badshah! Look at the leader! Don't you see?" Tashi stared at the oncoming herd. Then he quietly unfixed his pistol and put it away in the holster.
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