The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01

/ who despised these foolish beasts. Per.
haps the old elephant missed Ali, per-
haps he was still! somewhat upset by
his failure to join his wild brothers
the night before: at any rate. without
warning, he set off with that shutting
gait which sometimes carried him as
swiftly as O horse. An elephant never
trots nor really runs, according to our
conception OF the terms: he shufiles,
scarcely lifting his feet off the ground.
The mahout yelled and belabored the
elephant on the skull Rajah did not
mind this beating at all. Whatever
his idea was. he evidently proposed to
see it fulfilled. Cunningiy he dashed
under some branches. sweeping the
mahout off his neck. The branches with
crash as of musketry struck the
huwdah. but 1t held. thanks To the
stoutncss of the belly bands and the
care with which they had been ad-
justed round the huge barrel.
Bruce stood up. appalled, For
time he was incapable of movement.
Short as the time was. it was enough
to give Raj ah such Roadway as he
needed He disappeared from sight.
Bruce saw the futilty of shooting at
the beast. The only thing he could do
was To mount up beside Ramabai and
Pundita and give chase; and this he
cid in short order, dragging up the
bruised and shaken mahout with him.
The pursuing elephant. with this extra
handicap. never brought Rajah into
sight. But the trail was clear. and they
followed
Surely that poor girl was marked for
misfortune. In all the six years Bruce
had possessed RIA jah he had never ex-
hibited anything but docility. The ele-
plant was not running amuck, though
he might eventually work himself into
that blind, ungovernable rage. off like
that without the slightest warning
II Kathlyn could only keep him clear
% the trees. for the old rogue would
d. his best to scrape off the irksome
howdah.
Kathlyn heard the shouts from be-
hind. but she could not understand
whether these were warnings or adj
vice. Could they overtake her before
she was flung OFF? She tried to recall
the elephant talk" Ahmed had taught
her in the old days at the farm but Just
now she was too daZed. At the end of
an hour all sounds from the rear
ceased no more pistol shots to encour
age her with the knowledge that friends
were near Rajah must have out
stripped them two or three miles.
At length she came into a small clear
ing amid the tall jungle grass. dead
and brittle last years growth Sh"
saw two natives in the act OF kicking
out a dung fire. RIA jah headed directly
toward them, the fire evidently being in
the line of path he had chosen. This
rare and unexpected freedom, this OPP
pOrtunity to go whittier he listed. was
as the giant fern he used to eat in the
days when he was free and wild in
Ceylon.
Kathlyn called out to the men. but
they turned and fled in terror. To them
RAJ ah was amuck. The elephant passed
the fire so closely that the wind of his
passing stirred the fire into life again:
and this time 1t crept toward the highly
inhammable grass. a few hundred
yards beyond Kathlyn turned to see the
flames leaping along the grass. Rajah.
getting Whit of the aCrid smoke
quickened his stride. The fire followed
with amazing rapidity and stopped only
when IL reached the bed of a trickling
stream. no doubt "A torrent during the
big rains. a great pail of smoke blotted
out everything in the rear; blotted out
hope, for Bruce could never pick up
the trail now.
kathlyn's eyes were feverishy dry
and bright. 1t was only a matter of
time when the howdah would slip down
the brute's side. She prayed that she
might die instantly. Strange fancies
fitted through her mind, disordercd by