The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-17

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proxy. There was no possible loop
hole for the colonel!
The popnlaee5 was charmed enchant-
ed. as 81 always Is over a new excite.
Iment Much as they Individually de-
splsed umballa, collectively they I'D.
mired his ingenuity 81. deyising fresh
amusements: Extra feast days came
pne after another. The oriental dis,
likes work; and any one who could
invent means Of avoiding It was
worthy OF gratitude. So, then, the
populacettell in with Umballa's scheme
agreeably. The bhang and betel and
toddy sellers did fine business dur
ing the festival Of Rama.
There was merrymaking in the
streets. day and night. The temples
and mosques were filed to overflow
Ing. Musicians with. reeds and tom.
toms paraded the bazaars. In nearly
every square the nautch girl danced.
or the juggler piled his trade. or there
was a mongoose-cobra fight THE cobra,
Of course. bereft Of its fangs), and
takirs grew mango trees out Of moth.
ing. There was a furry in the slave
mart, too.
The troops staggered about. over
bearing. They were soon to get their
pay. The gold and silver were rot
ting in the treasury. Why leave it
:iere, since gold and silver were mint.
ed to be spent?
There were elephant fights in the
reconstructed arena; tigers attacked
wild boars, who fought with enormous.
razorlike tusks, as swift and deadly US
any. Malay kris. The half forgotten
ceremony. of feeding the wild pig be.
fore shutdown each day was given life
again. And drove after drove came
In from the jungles for the grain.
which was distributed from q plat.
form. And wild peacocks followed the
pigs. A wonderful sight 1t was to see
several thousand pigs come trotting
In, each drove headed by its fighting
boar: When the old fellows met there
was carnage: squealing and grunting,
they fought. The peacocks shrilled
and hoped from back to back for such
grain as fell upon the bristly backs Of
the pigs. Here and there white pea
cock would be shared. or a boar! whose
tusks promised n battle royal with
some leopard or tiger.
And through all this turmoil and
elamor Ahmed and Lal Singh moved,
sounding the true sentiments of the
people. They did not want white
kings or white queens; they desired to
be ruled by their kind. who would not
start innovations, but would let af.
fairs drift on as they had done for
centuries.
Nor was Bruce inactive. Many, a
time Umballa had stood within an
arms length Of death: but always
Bruce had resisted the impulse. It
would be rank folly to upset Ramabai's
plans, which were to eliminate in
Umballa's overthrow.
But upon a certain hour Ramabai
came to Bruce, much alarmed During
bis absence with Pundita ut some
palace affair his home had been en-.
tered, ransacked, and 10000 rupees
had been stolen. His real fortune.
however, was hidden securely. The
real trouble was that these 10000 ru.
PEGS would practically undo much of
what had been accomplished. He was
certain that Umballa had instigated
this theft, and that the money would
be doled out to the soldiers. For upon
their dissatisfaction rested his future.
Take Bala Khan at his word" sug.
gested Bruce. 'and ask him for his
5000 hillmen."
Ramabai smiled "And have Bala
Khan constitute himself the king OF
Alfalfa! No, sahib; he is a good friend,
but he is also a dangerous one. We
must have patience"
"patience!" exploded Bruce.
Il have waited several years. Do
sou not sec that when strike must
succeed?"
"But these warnings to Umballa?"
"He is not molesting me. is he?" re.
turned Ramabai calmly.
well. 1t Is more than could
stand"
"Ah. You white people waste SO
much life and money by acting upon
your impulses!, Trust me: my way is
best; and that is. for the present We
must wait"
God knows" sighed Bruce. "but
am beginning to believe in the colonel'si
guru."
who can say? There are some in
this land who possess mighty Wills,
who can make man sleep by looking
into his eyes. who can override and
destroy weaker minds. know; have
seen. You have heard OF suspended
animation? Well, n have seen ex.
amples of It; and so have my people.
Can you wonder at their easiness in
being swayed this way and that? But
these men ] refer to do not sit, about
in the bazaars with wooden bowls for
coppers. II is said, however. that all
curses. die with their. makers. It de-