The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-09-18
CHAPTER XII.
Three Bags Of Silver.

II was the shock of the bullet rather
than the seriousness of the wound that
had toppled Katblyn into the river. In
the confusion, the rattle Of musketry,
the yelling of the panic-stricken pack
coolies who had fed h~elter-skelter for
the Jungle, the squealing Of the ele-
plants, she had forgotten to crouch
low in the howdah. There had come
a staggering blow, after which sky and
earth careened for a moment and be-
came black; then the chill of water
and gtrangulatiOn, and she found her
self struggling In the deepest part of
the ford, a strange deafness in one
arm. She had no distinct recollection
of what took place; her one thought
was to keep her head above water.
Instantly the firing ceased; on n
side because there were no more car
tridges, on the other for fear Of hitting
the one person who had made this pur-
suit necessary.
Kathlyn struggled between the ele-
phant which carried Ramabai and Pun
dita and the boat or barge which held
the e Umballa and his soldiers.
The mahout, terrorized, had slid of
and taken to his heels ingloriously.
Thus Ramabai could do nothing to aid
Kathlyn. Nor could the elephant rid
den by the colonel and Bruce be man
aged.
Umballa was quick to see his advan-
tage and, laughing, he urged his men
toward the helpless girl. The colonel
raised his rife and aimed at Umballa,
but there was no report, only a click
which to the frantic mans ears sound
ed like the gates of hell closing In be-
hind him.
Forward" shouted Umballa.
She was his again; he would have
the pleasure Of taking her from under
the very eyes Of her father and lover.
His star never faltered.
Bruce stood up in the howdah, ready
to dive; but the colonel restrained
him.
Don't waste your life! My God, we
can't help her! Not a bullet in either
gun. Gods curse on all these worth
less stones men call guns! i. There,
he's got her! Not a shell left! Kit,
Xiii" The colonel broke down and
cried like a child. As for himself,
hot irons could not have wrung a tear
from his eyes; but Kit, In the hands OF
that black devil again!
Colonel" said Bruce, I'm going to
get some cartridges"
He realized then that Kathlyn's fu-
ture depended upon him alone. The
colonel was q broken man. So he
struck the elephant, which numbered
ashore. The moment Kathlyn was
safe In the barge umballa would prob
ably give orders to resume firing. He
could do SO now with impunfty.
The soldiers drew Kathlyn into the
barge. Umballa saw that she was
wounded in the feshy part Of the arm.
Quickly he snatched of the turban OF
one Of the soldiers, unwopnd II, n
began to bandage KathlynTs arm.
The man, for all hts oriental crafti-
ness, was still guileless enough to ~
pect some sign Of gratitude from her;
but as he touched her she shrank !
loathing. His anger famed and ne
flung her roughly into a seat.
Suffer. then. little focli"
Meantime the colonel and Bruce dis
mounted and tried to stem the TIDE OF
fleeing coolies; but II was no more ef-
fsctive than blowing against the wind.
They found, however. an abandoned
mack containing cartridge cases. o
they filled their pockets, calling 70
FRamabai and Pundita to follow them
along tie river IL pursuit Of Umballa's
barge, which was now being rapidly
poled upstream. They might be aoie
TO pick Oh enough soldiers, s~harpsnoos
inE. 10 make II impossible 70 man nc
barge. They we're both dead shots
ana the least they could do would De
10 put the flglft on Q basis Of equaiity
Is far - numbers were convened.
The colonel forgot ~ sbout nov
weak Ne wa The rage and despair
IL his heart bad once more gissn nun