The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-09-25
Then let US 60 and smoke"

49, CACPhuhI
A bit Of gymnastics and one of them
was boosted to the back Of the ele.
plant, to whom this episode was more
Or less familiar. Another followed;
the third was pulled up. and from the
elephants back they made the top Of
the wall and disappeared down into
the street. Here they paused cautious,
~, for two guards always patroled the
front Of the compound during the
night. Presently the three truants stole
away toward the bazaars, which in this
desert town occupied but a single
street. Down they went into a cellar
way and the gurus curse stalked be.
side them. For opium is the hand
maiden Of all curses.
Perhaps twenty minutes later slight
sounds came from the front Of the
compound wall. A rife barrel clat'
tered upon the cobbles. Then. over
the wall. near the elephant, a head ap'
peared, then a body. This wal repeat
ed four times. and four light-footed
nomads OF the desert lowered them
selves into the compound. They ran
quickly to the safe and noiselessly un-
barred It. Outside we're five more des'
ert nomads, gathered about the insen'
sible bodies Of the sentries.
These nine men were the dancers
who had entered the town in advance
of Kathlyn. For weeks they had lain
in walt for this moment. They had
spied upon the three low caste keepers
and upon learning Of their nocturnal
tunkets into the opium den had cast
the die this night.
With the utmost caution they ap'
preached the sacred elephant, took of
his chains and led him from the com,
pound. Immediately six OF the maraud'
ers trotted far ahead toward the gate
they knew to be the least guarded. The
sacred elephant, passing through the
streets, attended by three men,
aroused no suspicious ia any strag'
| gler who saw. So remote was the
wall city, 80 seemingly impregnable,
and so little interfered with that 1t was
only human that its guardians should
eventually grow careless.
When the keepers, staggering under
the fumes of the drug, returned near
daybreak, first to find the gate open
second to find their sacred charge
gone, they fed In terror; for 1t would
be death, lingering and painful, fol
them to stay and explain how and why
they had left their post.
The wild and lawless brigands knew
exactly what they we're about. There
were several agents Of European and
American ~circuses after this white ele
phant; and as it could not be pur
| chased there was no reason why II
| could not be stolen.
When the Brahmin arrived at sun
rise to find his vocation gone he Sc
up o waillng which awakened the
household. The khan was furious ant
ordered a general search. He Vowee
death to the foul hands which hat
done this sacrilege!
Kathlyn and the others were genu
inely sorry when the khan announced
what had taken place.
Said he: Come, you are all skille'
hunters. Find me my elephant ant
these guns and newer and surer one
shall protect you from Durga Ram
should he take 1t into his head to com
this way"
The colonel, Bruce and Ramabai Sc
out at once. After they had gone
camel rider entered the compound an
sought an audience with Bala Khan
Kathlyn and Pundita were in the com
nound, at the time and the former wa
greatly interested In the saddle bags
attached to one Of which was a binocu
lar case. Kathlyn could not resist tn
inclination to open this case. 1t con
tanned an exceptionally fine pair 0
glasses. such as we're used In that "a
n the British army. No doubt the
were a part of some loot.
suddenly an idea came to her. sh'
asked permission Through Pundita) t
ride the camel outside the town. Ate
some argument the servant in charg
consented.
Upon a knoll outside the city
h,,lock OF sand three or four hundre
,eat in height-Kathlyn tried tn
classes. From this promontory sh
had range Of something like fiftee
"a twenty miles. Back and forth he
gaza royed and suddenly paused.