The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-21

Kathlyn. arriving in her chamber, flung herself down
upon her cushions and lay there like 3ne dead, nor would
she be comforted by the w~orshiping 'undita. Bruce had
saved her this time, but it was not possible that he could
repeaI tue IeuL Il
Having convinced Jmbalah and the co INCL that she
would not marry her prosecutor, the council announced to
the populace that on the next fete day the queen would
confront the lions in the elephant arena. What could
one man do against such odds2 Lions brought from the
far Nubian deserts, fierce, untamable. !
That night there was a conference between Bruce,
Ahmed, and Ramabai
They have taken my guns away, and God knows |
can't do the impossible. Where tue devil were your
camels, Ahmed?" L
"Umballah has his spies, Ramabai," said Ahmed.
smiling, as he got into his bhisti rags, which Ramabai
had surrendered willingly enough "Ramabai, thou con-
spirator, what about the powder mines you and your
friends hid when the late king signiied that hs was
inclined toward British protectorate? Eth? What about
the republic thou hadst dreams of? Poor fools! 1t is in
our blood to be ruled by kings, oppressed; we should not
know what to do with absolute freedom. ThereI Fear
not. Why should 1 betray thee? The mines, The arena
is OF wood."' J
But there will be many of my friends there" said
the b~ewildered Ramabai- Who was this strange man
who seemed to know everything?
Put the mines in the center Of the arena. What VIE
want is merely terror and confusion. PoufI Banki
There's your miracle. And a little one under the royal
pavilion. And Umballah and the council sleep in. Shai-
tan's arms. Welcome, my lambs!" And Ahmed laughed
noiseIessly. ..
BY the Lord!" gasped Bruce. but the fuses2 No,
no, Ahmed it cannot be done"
In the house Of my friend Lal Singh there is al cellar
full of strange magic-magic with copper. wires that spit
blue fires. Eh, Sahib? You. and I know: we hays
travelled"
Batteries here, in this wilderness?"
Even 30. To you, Ramabai, the powder; to- me, the
splitting wires; to you, Bruce Sahib, patience. Umballah
shall yet wear raw the soles of his feet in the treadmiL
He shall grind the poor mans corn. I know what I
know. Now / must be off. / shall return tomorrow
night, and you, Ramabai, shall gather together your
fellow conspirators (who would blow up the palace y
and bring the mines to the arena"
And while Kathlyn gazed through the .1arble lattice at
the bright stars another gazed at the sunny heavens in a
far country, a sprite Of a girl with dark, fearful eyes.
Father gone, sister gone; silence.
But a few yards away from Kathlyn a man plucked at
his chains, praying to iod that he might not lose his
reason. With the finished cruelty of the east, Umballah-
had not visited Col. Hare again. There Il nothing like
suspense to squeeze hope and courage from the heart of
man.
On the night before the ordeat men moTed cautiously
about the elephant arena. 1t was only after much per.
suasion and argument could Bruce hold the men. At thu,
testing of Lal Singh's wires and batteries they had started
to fly. This was devils fire. ---
At the end OF the arena, in e box which Bruce was to
occupy, by order of the council (where they proposed to
keep an eye upon him and Umballah to wiring his hearth.
the key to the wires was laid. This box was directly over
wooden canopy where the mahouts loafed between fights.
Back Of this canopy was a door which led outside.
Through this Bruce proposed to lead Kathlyn during the
confusion created by the explosion. They had. carried of
the keeper (who was also guardian Of the arena), and
the key to this door reposed in Bruce's pocket.
On the day of the ordeal only the bedridden remained
at home. The temples, the palaces, the bazaars, all were
deserted as thoroughly as if the black wings of the plague
had swept through the city. Even the crows and the
kites were there, the one c~hattering, the other soaring
high above. go IT.
Ramabai was forced to sit with the council. much to
his terror. After much pleading the council was pre-
vailed upon to permit him to sit with Bruce. A Gordon
Of soldiers was accordingly detailed to surround Bruce's
box at the rear.
When Kathlyn arrived she was placed under the
canopy: another bit of kindly attention on the part OF
Umballah to twist the white mans heart. But nothing
could have happened more to the satisfaction Of Bruce.
"Kathlyn Hare" he called out softly in Spaoigh. " do
you hear and understand met"
Yes" she replied In the same tongue. do nothing
desperate. Don't throw away your life. I have a sister
in America. VIII You tell herr"
Listen. Under no circumstance leave the cano,v
The lions come from the other side. We ara NOT only
going to rescue but rave you. Attend me carefully. Be
hind you is a door. There will be an explosion in the
center of the arena. There was to be another under >
friend Umballah, but the battery was old. Press toward
that door. ] have the key"
"Ah, Mr.. BruceI"
"Kathlyn, my name is John"
THE lions, the lons!" lowled the populace.
1t seemed to Bruce that he had been suddenly auny
back into antiquity and that Nero sat yonder. sauint,np
through his polished emerald. The great, tawny African
brutes blinked and turned their shaggy heads this way
and that. uneasiy. Kathlyn stood very still. How. how
could they save her? At length the ions espied her.
attracted by the white of her robe. One bounded forward.
growing. The others Immediately started in pursuit.
Suddenly the center Of the arena opened and a trenen.
dous roar followed. A low wall Of terror ran round the
arena. Surely this Memsahib had all the gods with hsr.
A great creyasse had opened up between Kathlyn and the
lions, one OF which lay dead. Then came the rush toward
the exits, a mad, frantic rush. Not sven Umballah, who
knew that not the gods but man had contrived this havoc.
not even Umbalah waited, but ae- beating down MI
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