Page:The Fatal Garland - Swarnakumari Devi (2e).pdf/233

Rh He acted like a maniac. He had waited for Kutab until he could endure the suspense no longer; and at last, forgetting his royal dignity, he had followed his deadly messenger to the prison door. "Kutab," he shrieked, "you have not carried out my orders. Where is the head of Ganesh Dev? Where is the Sultana?"

The dreadful work was done. A man emerged from the black prison cell carrying something in a cloth. Kutab took charge of it, removed the cloth, and handed the gory trophy to the Sultan.

"Here the head Your Majesty wanted," he said with diabolical calmness.

The light of the lantern fell on the bleeding face. Divine happiness shone from the features. But of that the Sultan saw nothing. He shouted like a mad man:

"Devil, what have you done? Whose head this?" And then he fell raving to the ground.