The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-11-06
CHAPTER XI.
Three Baos of silver.

It was the shock Of the bullet rather
than the seriousness of the wound that
had toppled Kathlyn into the river In
the confusion, the rattle Of musketry.
the yelling OF the panic-stricken pack
coolies who had fed helter-skelter for
the Jungle. the squealing of the ele-
phants, 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 strangulation, 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 one
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 eager Umballa and his soldiers.
The mahout, terrorized, had slid off
and taken to his heels inglortously.
Thus Ramabal 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 rifle and aimed at Umballa,
but there was no report, only 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 bullet in either
gun. Gods curse on all these worth
less stones men call guns! There
he's got her! Not she'll left! Kit,
Kit" The colonel broke down and
cried like child AS for himself
hot irons could not have wrung 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 a 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 impunity.
The soldiers drew Kathlyn into the
barge. Umballa saw that she was
wounded in the fleshy part of the arm.
Quickly he snatched off the turban of
one Of the soldiers, unwound it, and
began to bandage Kathlyn's arm.
The man, for all his oriental crafti-
ness, was still guileless enough to ex-
pect some sign of gratitude from her;
but as he touched her she shrank in
loathing His anger famed and he
flung her roughly into seat.
Suffer, then, little fool!"
Meantime the colonel and Bruce dis
mounted and tried to stem the tide OF
fleeing coolies; but it was no more ef-
fective than blowing against the wind,
They found, however, an abandoned
pack containing cartridge cases, and
they filled their pockets, calling to
Ramabai and Pundita to follow them
along the river in pursuit of Umballa's
barge, which was now being rapidly
poled upstream. They might be able
to pick off enough soldiers, sharpshoot-
ing, to make 1t impossible to man the
barge. They we're both dead shots,
and the least they could do would be
to put the fight on basis Of equality
so far as numbers were concerned.
The colonel forgot all about how
weak he was. The rage and despair
In his heart had once more given him
fictitious strength.