The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1914-08-28
CHAPTER II-Continued.

subsequent death Of her tather III MS
Durga Rams, arms. YOnder urn con-
tanned his ashes. For the first time
in her young life Kathlyn tainted. She
had been living on her nerves for
weeks. and at the sight Of that urn
something snapped. Daintily I'm
balla plucked forth the packet and
waited. At length she opened her
eyes
You are a queen, Miss Hare"
You are mad"
Nay; it was the madness of the
king. But mad kings often make laws
which must be obeyed You will &C
cuse me of perfdy when l tell you all,
The note which brought you here was
written by me and substituted for
this"
Duly Kathlyn read; "Kathlyn-lf
not heard from, I'm held captive In
Alfalfa. The royal title given to me
by the king made me and my de-
scendants direct heirs to the throne.
DO not come to Alfalfa yourself. De-
stroy sealed document herewith
FATHER.
The Council of Three entered noise
lessly from the adjoining room. At
the four dark, insCrutable faces the be-
wildered girl stared, her limbs numb
with terror. Gravely the council told
her she must come with them to the
palace.
1t is impossible!" she murmured.
You are all mad. am white WON.
an. | cannot rule over an alien race
whose tongue | cannot speak, whose
habits know nothing of. 1t is impos-
sible. Since my father is dead, must
return to my home.
NO." said Umballa,
81 refuse to stir!" She was all afire
of a sudden the base trickery which
had brought here here, She was very
lovely to the picturesque savage who
stood at her elbow.
AS he looked down at her, in his
troubled soul Umballa knew that ii
was not the throne SO much as it was
this beautiful bird OF Paradise which
he wished to cage.
BE brave" he said, like your IA
Their. do not wish to use force, but
YOU must go. 1t IS useless to strug
gle. Come"
She hung back for moment; then
realizing her utter helplessness, she
signified that she was ready to go. She
needed time to collect her stunned anc
disordered thoughts.
Before going to the palace they con
Quoted her to the royal crypt. The
urn containing her fathers ashes wa
deposited in niche. Many othel
inches contained urns, and Umballi
explained to her that these held thu
ashes of many rulers. Tears welle'
into Kathlyn's eyes, but they were o
a hysterical character.
"a good sign" mused Umballa, VIII
thought he knew something of womer
like all men beset with vanity. 0ddl
enough he had forgotten all about tn
incident of the lion in the freight CO
boose. All women are felines to cel
tain extent This golden-haired woma
had. claws, and the day was comm
when he would feel them drag over hi
heart
From the crypt they proceeded
the palace zenana (harem), which su
rounded a court of exceeding beaut
Three ladies of the harem were sittin
in the portico, attended by slaves
were curiousIy interested at the sigl
of a woman with white skin, tinte
like the lotus. Umballa came to
halt before latticed door
Here your majesty must rema
tin the day of your coronation"
How did my father die?"
He was assassinated on the pala,
steps by Mahomedan fanatic. AS
told you. ne died in my arms =
Ellis note signifed that he fear,
Imprisonment. How came he on Il
palace steps,"
HE was not a prisoner. He car
and went as he pleased In the city
lIe~bowed and left her
Alone in her chamber, the dullne
of sher mind diminished and final
cleared away like fog in wind. H
dear kind, blue-eyed father was det
and she was virtually a prisoner, a
Winnie was all alone. A queen! Tn
were mad, or she was in the midst
some hideous nightmare. Mad. mt
mad! She began to laugh, and it "
not a pleasant Sound. A queen, 81
Kafhlyn Hare! Her father was de-
she was a queen, and Winnie was
alone A gale Of laughter brought
the marble lattice many wonderi
eyes The white eockatoo shrilled
displeasure. Those outside the latt
saw this marvellous white-skinn
woman, with hair like the gold threa
in Chinese brocades, suddenly thr
herself upon a pile Of cushions, a
they saw her shoulders rock a
heaye, but heard no sound Of waltz
After while she fell asleep, a ki
of dreamless stupor. When she awe
II, was twilight, in the court: I
doves we're cooling and auttering in
pornices and the cockatoo was pre-
fnp his larnf.n-cnlnred tnnknot. Al Fl