The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-09-25

glance through the curtained WINDOW
Stragglers were Fastening along close
to the walls. and there were soldiers
who had forgotten TO bring their guns
from the elephant arena. once no
heard the clatter OF hoofs. horse
man ran alongside the gharri, slowed
up, peered down, and shrugged. kath-
lyn shrank toward Bruce. The rider
proceeded on his way. Ahmed recog-
nized him as the ambassador from the
neighboring principality, ruled by a
Kumor, who was in turn ruled by the
British raj. Kathlyn could not shut
out the leer on his face.
BY midafternoon the gharri reached
Bruces camp. Ramabai and Pundi-
ia greeted Kathlyn with delight All
their troubles we're over. They had
but to mount the elephants and ride
away
Ahmed" urged Kathlyn, leave the
gharri and come with u.s."
mo, memsahib, Ahmed gazed at
her, strangely have work TO do,
much work Allah guard you!" he
struck the horse with his bamboo and
careened away.
Let us be Off" cried Bruce. I'VE
have 60 miles to put between us and
freedom in fact. We cannot make the
railway. Ali, pack! Go to the bun
| galow and remain there. You will be
questioned. Tell the truth. There is
not an elephant in the royal stables
that can beat Rajah All aboard! No
stops!" smiling as he helped Kathlyn
into the howdah. I'VE shall be forced
to ride all night
The elephants started forward, that
ridden by Bruce and Kathlyn in the
lead, Ramabai and Pundita following
few yards in the rear.
Mr.. Bruce, | am sure Ahmed has
some information regarding father !
/ don't know what. Who knows? They
may have lied to me He may be
| alive, alive!"
'Tll return and find out. once I've
got you safe don't blame you for
thinking all this nightmare. God
knows it's nightmarish. Do you know,
I've been thinking it over. 1t appears
/ to me that the king latterIy took a dis
like to his protoge, Umballa, and
turned this little trick to make him un-
! bappy. | daresay he thought your ia
! ther wise enough to remain away. UNI
| balla hangs between wind and wa
| ter; he can go neither forward nor
backward But poor Ramabai back
there will lose his gold for this"
"Ramabai has always been very
kindly to the poor; and the poor man
generally defends his benefactor when
the right time comes. To Umballa
l was only a means to the end. If he
declared himself king, that would
open up the volcano upon which he
stands; but as my prince consort, that
would leave him fairly secure"
only a means mused Bruce in
wardly, stealing a glance at her sad
yet lovely profile. Umballa was a
man. for all his color; he was human;
and to see. this girl it was only human
to want her Your father was one of
the best friends had. But, oddly
enough, | never saw a photograph of
you. He might have been afraid we
Young chaps. =" He paused en-
barrassedly. IF only you had taken
me into your confidence on board the
Yorck!"
"Ah, but did you offer me the
chance?" she returned.
Il never realized till now that a chap
might be too close Tipped sometimes.
Well, here we are, in fight together!"
That night for the first time in many
hours Kathlyn closed her eyes with
sense of security. True. it was not the
most comfortable place to sleep in, the
howdah; there we're ceaseless rollings
from side to side, intermingled with
spine-racking bumps forward as the
elephant occasionally hastened his
stride. Kathlyn succeeded in stealing
from the god of sleep only his cat
maps Often the cold would awaken
her, and she would find Bruce had
been bracing her by extending his arm
across the howdah and gripping the
rail
you mustn't do that" she protested
feebly. You will be dead in the morn
ing"
You might fall out"
"Then l sha'nt go to sleep again till
the journey ends. You have been so
good and kind to mel"
"Nonsense"
They came out into the scrub jun
gle, and the moonlight lay magically
over all things. Sometimes a shadow
crossed the whitened sands; scurried,
rather; and quietly Bruce would tell
her what the animals were-jackals,
with an occasional prowling red wolf.
They were not disturbed by any of the |
cat family But there was one in
terval of suspense. Bruce spied in the |
distance a small herd of wild elephant. |
So did Rajah, who raised his trunk |
and trumpeted into the night. The |
mahout, fully awake to the danger, |
beat the old rascal nightly with his |
goad. Yet that would have failed to
hold Rajah. Bruce averted the dan
ger by shooting his revolvers into the |
air. The wild animals stampeded, and |
Rajah, disgruntled, was brought to the
compass.
Strange thing about gunshot,"
said Bruce. "They may never have
heard one before; but instinct tells |
them quickly of the menace. Years
a on af homo when I ueed In fiah for