The Star of India
Copyright© 2026 by Edward S. Ellis
Chapter 37: 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.
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