The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-07
RATH.
he shook his fist toward Alfalfa. go. Durga Ram
one Of these 6ns days you and I shall square accounts! "

he shook his fist toward Alfalfa. CO., Durga RAM
one Of these 6ns days you and I shall square accountsI"
KathIyn had Just completed for herself a dress OF grass.
Three years before she had learned the trick from the
natives In Hawaii. The many days Of hardship had
made her thinner, but never had she been 80 hardy, SO
clear eyed, so quick and 1.-the In her actions. She had
lived precariously, stealing her food at dusk from the
fields Of the ryots; sugarcane, raw vegetables plantalns.
mangoes. Someti les she recited verses she remembered
in order that she might break the oppressive silence
which always surrounded her.
She kept carefully out Of the way of all human be-
ings, 20 she had lost all hope Of succor from the brown
people, who had become SO hateful to her as the scav"
engers of the jungle. There was something to admire
in the tiger, the leopard, the wild elephant; but she
placed all natives [perhapg WRONGLY In a class with
the unclean jackalB and hyenas.
Tanned deeply by wind and sun, Kathlyn was darker
than many a native woman. Often she thought OF
Bruce, but hope Of his finding her had long since died
within her. Every night when she climbed to her plat"
form she vowed she would start south the next moSn-
ing; south, toward the land where there were white
people; but each morning found her hesitant.
Behind her tree there was a clearing, then a tumble
Of thickly growing trees; beyond those was another
clearing, upon which stood a deserted elephant stockade.
The grass had grown rank in it for want of use. She
was in the act Of putting on grass sandals when she
saw. to her diSmay, the approach Of men and elephants.
Two elephants were ridden by mahouts. Two other
elephants were being jostled toward the stockade, evil
IDENTIFY new captives. They proceeded passiveiys how
ever, for elephants submit to captivity with less real
trouble than any other wild beast. Kathlyn crouched
low in the grass and waited till men and elephants
entered the stockade; then she ran quickly toward her
haven, the platform in the tree. She never went very
far from this, save in search of food. She had also re-
anunnn5 \ idol on5 - ~ bnrL in fS Nlace. IT WAS
not, fortunately, a much f~requented spot. 1t was for
the benefit Of the occasional pilgrim, the ryots having
shrines more conveniently situated.
She nestled down among her rushes and waited. She
could not see the stockade from where she now was,
but she could hear shouts from the mahouts.
Recently she had discovered a leopard's lair near the
stockade and was very careful to avoid it, much as she
wanted to seize the pretty cubs and run away with
them. By this time she knew the habits, fears, and
hatreds Of these people of the jungle, and she scrupulous-
ly attended to her affairs as they attended to theirs. Some
times the great striped tiger prowled about the base of
the tree, snarpened his claws on the bark, but he never
attempted to ascend to the platform. Perhaps he real
made it impossible for him to see what was up there.
But always now, to and from the truce water, he paused,
looked up, circIed the tree, and went away mystifed.
Only the grass eating beasts came down to water that
night, and Kathlyn understood by this that the men and
the elephants were still in the stockade.
The following morning she went down to the stream
to battle; at the same time the parent leopards came
for drink. They had not cared to seek their lair during
the night on account of the fires; and, worrying over
their cubs, they were not in the most agreeable mood.
Kathlyn saw their approach In time to reach her
platform. They snarled about the tree, and the male
climbed mp as far as the platform. Kathlyn reached