Page:The further side of silence (IA furthersideofsil00clifiala).pdf/350

 meanwhile, rushed out of the door, seized the baby who still lay squalling where it had fallen on the veranda, and set off at a run. The sight of his mother-in-law in full flight spurred To' Kâya to instant pursuit, and he speedily overtook her and stabbed her through the shoulder. She, however, succeeded in eluding him, and made good her escape. carrying the baby with her. To' Kaya then returned to his house, whence his son had also fled, and set it afire once more, and this time it blazed up bravely.

As he stood looking at the flames a Kelantan man named Abdul Rahman came up and asked him how the conflagration had originated.

"I do not know," said To' Kaya.

"Then let us try to save some of the properly," said Abdul Rahman; for as is the case with many Kelantan men, he chanced to be a thief by trade and knew that a fire gave him a good opportunity for the successful practice of his profession.

"Good," said To' Kaya. "Do you mount into the house and lift down the boxes while I wait here below to receive them."

Nothing loth, Abdul Rahman climbed into the house and presently reappeared with a large box in his arms. As he leaned over the veranda in the act of handing it down to To' Kaya, the latter stabbed him shrewdlly in the vitals and box and man came to the ground with a crash. Abdul Rahman pieked himself up and ran as far as the open space before the big stone mosque where he collapsed and died.