The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-07-06

ing. "we may be too late, lords! He said he was a holy
man, and I believed"
They all ran hastily down to the beach to seize what
boats they could. Here they met a heart rending obstacle
in the refusal of the owners. The chief, however, signifed
that it was his will; and, moreover, he commanded that
the fishermen should handle the oars. They would be
paid. That was different. Why did not the white people
say 80 at once? They would go anywhere for money.
Not the most suspicious sign, thought Ramabai. They
got into the boats and pushed off.
On the way to the island the Colonel consulted the
map, or diagram, he held in his hand. 1t was not pos
Bible that Umballah knew the exact spot.
4 fligree basket of silver, filed with gold and gems!
The man became as eager and excited az a boy. The in
stinct to hunt Tor treasure begins Just outside the cradle
and ends just inside the grave.
To return to Umballah. Upon landing, he asked at
once IL any knew vhere the cave was. One man did
know the way, but he refused to show it. There were
spirits there, ruled by an evil god.
take me there, you, and 1 will enter without harm.
Am l not holy2"
That put rather a new face upon the situation. II the
holy man was willing to risk an encounter with the god,
far be it that they should prevent him. An ordinary
seeker would not have found the entrance in a lifetime.
Umballah had not known exactly where the cave was,
but he knew all that the cave contained. When they
came to it Umballah shifted the tang Of sulphur became
evident both in his nose and on his tongue. He under
stood. It was simply a small spring, a mineral, in which
sulphur predominated. He came out with some eupped
in his hands. He drank and showed them that it was
harmless. Besides, be was a holy man, and his presence
made Intellectual all evil spirits which might roam within
the cave.
Umballah, impatient as he was, had to depend upon
patience. By dint of inquiries he learned that wild Mo-
hammedans had cast the spell upon the cave, set a curse
upon its threshold. Umballah tottered and destroyed this
by reasoning that the curse of a Mohammedan could not
affect a Hindu. Finally, he offered each and all of them
a fortune-and won.
Torches were lighted and the cave entered. There were
many side passages; and within these the astute Umbal-
lab saw the true reason for the curse OF the Mohammed-
ans guns and powder. hundreds and hundreds of pounds
of black destruction! A lower gallery-the mouth Of
which lay under a slab of rock-led to the pit wherein
rested the fligree basket. For a time Umballah
acted like a mailman. He sang, chanted, dug his hands
into the gold and stones choked, sobbed. Here was true
kingship the private treasures of a dozen decades, all his
for the taking. He forgot his enemies and their nearness
as the fortune revealed itself to him.
As his men at length staggered out Of the lower gallery
with the basket slung upon an improvised litter he espied
his enemies marching up the hill! Back into the cave
again. Umballah cursed and bit his nails. He was un-
armed, as were his men, and he had not time to search
among the struggled arms to find his need.
DS"b NR~" ~
where the cave was, " there is an exit on the other side.
We can go through that without yonder people noticing
u.s."
"A fortune for each OF you when you put this on the
sloop!"
Back through the cave they rushed, torches Aaring.
Once a bearer stumbled over a powder can, and the torch
holder all but sprawled over him Umballah's hair stood
on end. Fear impelled the men toward the exit
There Is powder enough here to blow up all of Hind!
Hasten!"
At the mouth of the exit the men with the torches,
finding NO further need of them, carelessly flung them
aside.
Fools! roared Umballah; you have destroyed usi "
He fed. The bearers followed with the burden. Down
the side Of the promontory they slid. Under a projecting
ledge they paused, sweating with terror. Suddenly the
whole island rocked. An explosion followed that was
heard half a hundred miles away, where the gunboat Of
the British raj patroled the shores. Rocks, trees, sand
filed the air, and small fires broke out here and there.