The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-08-19

they understood. Some disappointed
houri was returning whence she had
come. Ahmed took Ills time, he had
no reason 70 hurry. Nothing must
Pass which would arouse the suspi.
eions OF the guards; and haste always
alarmed the oriental!
To the colonel. however, things faps
peared to lag unnecessarily. He finally!
lost patience and swept back the cur
tain despite Bruce's restraining hand.
A native imahout, who had been loiter.
Ing in town that day, recognized at
once the royal turban which the colo.
nel still wore. The colonel's face
meant nothing; the turban,, every.
thing. The mahodt stood stock still
for a moment, not quite believing his
peyes. BY this time, however, Ahmed
was comfortably straddledF back OF his
elephants ear and was Jogging along
the road.
The king!" shouted the surprised
mahout to the guards. who had not
seen the man or the turban.
What king, fool?" returned the
guards.
THE white king who was betrothed
this day! AL. al! I have seer the
royal turban. II is thue!"
The guards derided him. So, find.
ing no hope in them, he ran to his ,ele-
plant, mounted. and rode back into
town. Durga Ram would pay well for.
this news
Father" said kathryn. reproachful.
ly, that mahout recognized you. I
warned you not to move the curtain.
Bruce shrugged.
But, Kit" returned her father, @Ah.
med was so Internally slow! He would
spend time in %chattering to the
guards" :
Ahmed heard. but said nothing.
Never mind" i%nterposed Bruce pa:
cIfically. "At any rate we shall have
the advantage Of q couple OF hours,
and Umballa will not catch US with the
elephants he has at hand. BY the
time he starts his expedition we shall
be 30 miles away. Let US be cheer
fun"
Kit said her father, II couldn't
help it ! can't think quickly any
more. i am like a man in a night.
mare. I've been down to hell, and ]
can't Just yet realize that l am out Of
it. I'm sorry!"
Poor dad!" Kathlyn pressed him
in her arms, while Bruce nodded en-
yiously but approyingly.
BY and by they drew aside the cur
tains. Kathlyn saw here and there OBJ
tects which recalled her first Journey
along this highway. If only she had
known!
Zone thing is forecast" said Bruce.
when Ramabai returns 1t will be to
fight. He will not be able to avoid 1t
now. ] shouldn't mind going back
with him. Ahmed. what is this strange
hold Umballa has over the actions of
the Council of Three? They always
appear to be afraid Of him." {
"Ah, sahib," said Ahmed. resting his
ankus or goad on the skull OF his
mount. there is said to be another
prisoner in the palace prison. Lal
Singh knows, l believe"
What's your .idea?"
"Sahib, when I put you all safe over
the frontier l am coming back to Al
laha to find out" And that was all
Ahmed would say regarding the sub.
ject.
I'll wager he knows" whispered
Bruce.
But who a IT be-? Another poor
devil of a white man? Yet how could
a white man influence tho actions Of
the Council?" The colonel spoke ir-
ritably.
"Look!"-from Kathlyn. There Is
one Of those wonderful trees they call
the flame Of the Jungle" She called
their attention to the tree merely to
cause q diversion. She wanted to keep
her fathers thoughts away from
Alfalfa.
So they tourneyed' on into the sun
set, into twilight. into the bright. starry
night.
Back in the city the panic was al.
ready being forgotten as a thing of
the past. The leopards were back at
their patroling; the high officials and
dignitaries. together with the unsuc-
%cessful candidates, had gone their sew.
eral ways. Umballa alone paced the
halls, we'll satisfied with the events of
the day, barring the disturbance
caused by the escape OF the leopards.
His captain entered and saluted.
c"Hlghness, a mahout has news"
News? OF what?"
"He claims that he saw the kings
turban in a howdah which passed the
ancient gate about an hour gone"
THAT is not possible" replied I'm
balla.
Il told him that the king was in his
chamber"
so he is. Wait. 1 will go myself
and see." all at once vaguely per.
turbed. He was back in a very short
time. furious. eft Ia truet Woe IN