Meade County news., 1914-12-31

| lily, he watches over the innocent.
ahmed is at Hare Sahib's camp"
Thanks, Ali; that's the best news
1 have heard yet. Ahmed will find
way. Take care of yourself. I'm OIL"
| When Umballa appeared before the
Council their astonishment knew no
bounds. The clay tinted skin, the
shaking hands, the. disheyeled gar.
ments~what had happened to this
schemer whom Ill luck had made their
master?
He explained. Il went too near our
prisoner. A flash of strength was
enough. They shall be fiogged."
But the woman!"
Woman? She is a tiger-cat, and
tiger-cats must sometimes be fogged.
1t is my will. Now / have news for
you. There is another sister, younger
and weaker. Our queen and he sa-
laamed ironically. "our queen did not
know that her father lived, and there
made my first mistake"
But she will now submit to save
him!"
"Ah! would indeed that were the
case. But tiger-cats are always tiger
cats, and nothing will bend this maid;
she must be broken, broken. 1t is my
WILL with flash of fire in his eyes.
The Council salaamed. Umballa's
will must Of necessity be theirs. hate
him darkly as they might.
The bungalow of Colonel Hare was
something on the order Of an armed
camp. Native animal keepers. armed
with rides. patrolled the menagerie.
No one was to pass the Gordon with
out explaining frankly his business,
whence he came. and whittier he was
bound.
BY the knees Of one Of the sentries
little native child was playing. From
time to time the happy father would
stoop and pat her head.
Presently there was a stir about
camp. An elephant shufied into the
clearing. He was halted, made to
kneel, and Ahmed stepped out of the
howdah.
The little girl ran up to Ahmed JOY
fully and begged to be put into the
howdah. Smiling, Ahmed set her in
the howdah. and the mahout bade the
elephant to rise, but, interested in
some orders by Ahmed, left the beast
to his own devices. The child called
and the elephant walked off quietly.
So long as he remained within range
of vision no one paid any attention to
him. Finally he paused under tree
near the cages and reached up for
some leaves The child caught hold
of limb and gleefully crawled out
upon 1t some distance beyond the ele-
plants reach. Once more, she be-
came frightened, not daring to crawl
back.
She prattled elephant talk" but the
old fellow could not reach her. The
baboon in the nearby cage set up q
chattering. The child ordered the
elephant to rise on his hind legs. He
placed his fore legs on the roof Of the
baboon's cage, which caved in, rather
disturbing the elephants calm. He
sank to the ground.
The baboon leaped through the open
ing and made of to test his unex-
pected liberty. He was friendly and
tame, but freedom was just then para
mount.
The elephant remained under the
tree. as II pondering, while the child
began to cry loudly. One Of the ma
tives saw her predicament and hast
ened away for assistance.
Ahmed was greatly alarmed over
the loss of the baboon.. 1t was camp
pet of Colonel Hare's and ran free In
camp whenever the colonel was there.
He had captured 1t when mere baby
in British East Africa The troglo-
dyte, with that strange reasoning yet
untranslatable, loved the colonel de-
votedly and followed him about like
dog and with scent far keener So
Ahmed and some of the keepers set
of in search Of the colonel's pet.
He went about the search with only
half a heart. Only little while be-
fore he had received the news of what
had happened in the slave mart that
afternoon. 1t seemed incredible. To
have her fall into Umballa's hands
thus easily. when he and Bruce Sahib
had searched the jungle far and wide!
Well, she was alive; praise Allah for
that; and where there was life there
was hope.
Later Kathlyn was standing under
the cell window gazing at the yellow
sunset. Two hours had gone, and no
sign Of Umballa yet. She shuddered.
Had she been alone she would have
hunted for something sharp and dead
ly. But her father; not before him.
She must wait. One thing was posi-
tive and absolute: Umballa should
never embrace her: she was too
strong and desperate.
"Kitl"
"Yes, father"
81 have sharp piece Of metal In
| my pocket. Could you My
God, by my hand! when he
comes?"
"Yes, father; am not afraid to die,
and death seems all that remains.
~