The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-12-11

| haven't anytnlhs else 10 no.
Bruce smiled back.
Then he gazed at Kathlyn. who
| found herself suddenly filled with
strange embarrassment. In times OF
danger sham and subterfuge have no
place. Heretofore she had met Bruce
as a man. TO whom glance from her
eyes bad told her secret Now That
the door to civilization lay but few
miles away. the old conventions
dropped their obseuring mantles over
her and she felt ashamed And there
was not a little doubt. Perhaps she
had mistaken the look in his eyes.
back there In the desert, back In the
FIRST day when they had fled together
from the ordeals And yet
On his part. Bruce did not particu-
larly welcome the sea There might
be another man somewhere. No wom'
an so beautiful as Kathlyn could pos
sibly be without suitors And when
the journey down TO the sea was re-
sumed he became taciturn and moody.
and Kathlyn's heart correspondingly
heavy
The colonel was quite obllvlous to
this change. He swung his legs free
Of the primitive stirrups and whistled
the airs which had been popular In
America at the time OF his departure
There was no lightness in the ex
nressions OF Ramabai and Pundita-
They we're about to lose these white
people forever, and they had grown TO
love, nay, worship them. More, they
must return to face they knew not
what.
AS for Ahmed. he displayed his orl-
entalism by appearing unconeerned.
He had made up his mind not TO re
turn to America with his master
There was much to do in Alfalfa, and
the spirit Of intrigue had laid firm hold
Of him. He wanted to be near at hand
when Ramabai struck his blow. He
would break the news TO the Colonel
Sahib before they sailed.
It was four o'clock when the caravan
entered the little seaport town. A few
tramp steamers lay anchored in the
offing. A British flag dropped from the
stern of one of them. This meant Bonn
bay; and Bombay, in turn, meant Suez,
the Mediterranean, and the broad At
lantic.
The air was still and hot, for the In-
dian summer was now beginning TO
lay its burning hand Hpon this great
peninsula. The pale dust, the white
stucco of the buildings, blinded the
eye
They proceeded at once to the single
hotel, where they found plenty OF ac-
commodation. Then the colonel hur-
ried off to the cable Office and wired
Winnie. Next he ascertained that the
British ship Simla would weigh anchor
the following evening for Bombay;
that there they could pick up the Delhi,
bound for England. There was moth
ing further to do but wait for the an
swer to the colonels cable to Winnie,
which would arrive somewhere about
noon of the next day
And that answer struck the hearts
of all of them with the coldness of
death Umballa had beaten them.
'innie had sailed weeks ago for ALA
ha in search of father and sister!
Ahmed spat out his betel nut and
squared his shoulders. Somehow he
had rather expected something like
this The reason for Umballa's half.
hearted pursuit stood forth clearly
"Sahib, it is fate" he said. I'VE
must return at once to Allaha. Truly,
the curse of that old guru sticks like
the blood leeches of the Bengal
swamps. But as you have faith in
your guTu, have faith in mine. Not
a hair Of our heads shall be harmed"
'l am very miserable man, All
med God has forsaken mel" The !
colonel spoke with stole calm; he was
more like the man Ahmed had former
ly known.
mo, Allah has not forsaken; he has
forgotten US for time" And Ahmed |
strobe out to make the arrangements |
for the return.
Bruce" said the colonel, 1T rs time
Tor you to leave us. You are man.
You have stood by us through thick |
and thin. cannot ask you to share !
any of the dangers which now confront
is, perhaps more sinister than any we
have yet known"
Don't you want me?" asked Bruce
quietly.
Kathlyn had gone to her room to
hide her tears.
Want you! But MOI" The colonel
yrung the young mans hand and
urned to go back to Kathlyn.
Wait a moment, colonel. Suppos-
ng | wanted to go, what then? Sup
posing / should say to you what dare
lot yet say to your daughter, that l
owe her better than anything else in
Ill this wide world; that it will be
happiness to follow wherever she goes
even unto death?"
The colonel wheeled Bruce, do you
mean that?"
With all my heart, sir. But please
ay nothing to Kathlyn till this affair
nds, one way or the other. She might
% stirred by a sense of gratitude, and
ater regret it. When we get out of
l rather believe in the
rophecy of Ahmed's guru or fakir-
hen I'll speak have always been
ather a lonely man. There's been no
cal good reason. have always de-
ired to be loved for my own sake. and
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