The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-10-16

7 have no gold. but my mastsr will
give 10000 rupees for yondor maid
Qtickl Old fool DO quiokl"
"Be gone. thou beggarl" And the
old man spat.
"Memsahib." the MohAmmodan
called out IN English, do not look
toward me, or all will be lost. ] am
All. Bruce sahibs chief mahout; and
we have believed you dead Take
care ! go 10 inform Ahmed. Bruce
Sahib has not returned"
Kathlyn. when she heard that voice.
shut her eyes.
Umballa had drawn closer. There
was something about this half yelled
slave that stirred his recollection.
Where had he seen that graceful
poise? Tho clearness OF the skin.
though dark; the roundness OF the
throat and arms. ..
Three thousand rupees!"
The old mahout purred and
smoothed his palms together. Three
thousand rupees, a raiahs ransom!
He would own his elephant; his wife
should rido In gllded palanquin, and
his children should wear shoes. Three
thousand rupees! He folded his arms
and walked gently TO and fro.
Five thousand rupees!" said Um-
balla, impelled by he knew not what
to make this bid
A ripple Of surprise ran over the
crowd, The regent, the powerful Dur
ga Ram. was bidding in person for his
zenana.
| Kathlyn's nerves tlngled with life
again, and the sudden bounding OF
her heart stifled her Umballa! She
was surely lost Sooner or later he
would recognize her.
The mahout stood up. delighted. He
was indeed fortunate He salaamed.
'Huzoor. she is gentle" he said.
The high-caste who had bid 5000
rupees salaamed slso.
"Highness, she is yours" he said.
Il cannot bid against my regent"
Il was the custom to mark a pur-
chased slave with the caste Of her
purchaser Umballah, still not recog-
nizing her. waved her aside toward
the Brahmin caste markers, one OF
whom daubed her forehead with yel-
low triangle. Her blue eyes pierced
the curious brown ones.
THE sahib at the river" she whis-
pered in broken Hindustani Many
rupees. Bring him to the house of
Durga Ram" This in case Ali failed
The Brahmin's eyes twinkled Her
Hindustani was execrable, but "sahib'
and river" we're plain to his under.
standing. There was but one sahib
by the river and he was the white
hunter who had rescued the vanished
queen from the ordeals. He nodded
almost .imperceptibly. Inwardly he
smiled. He was not above giving the
naughty upstart a Thugee's twist. He
spoke to his neighbor quietly, as
signed to him his bowls and brushes
rose and made of.
Follow me-" said Umballa to the
happy mahout. Presently he would
have his bags Of silver. bright and
twinkling.
Fate overlook Ali, who in his mad
race to Hare's camp fell and badly
sprained his ankle Moaning. less
from the pain than from the attend
ant helplessness, he was carried into
the hut of a kindly ryot and there
ministered to.
The Brahmin, however, filed with
greed and a sly humor, reached his
destination in safety. Naturally Gun
ming. double tongued, sly, ingratiat
ing after the manner of all Brahmins
who will sink to any base level in or
der to attain their equivocal ends, his
actions we're unhamper9d by any sense
of treachery toward Umballa. A
Thugee's twist to the schemes Of the
street rat Umballa, who wore the
Brahmin string, to which he had nC
right! The Brahmin chuckled as he
paused at the edge of Bruce's camp
A fat purse lay yonder. He ap
preached, his outward demeanor
mixture of pride and humility.
Bruce had returned but half an houl
before, mind weary, bone tired. H'
sat with his head in his hands, his ell
bows propped upon his knees. His
young heart was heavy. He haC
searched the bewildering jungle a!
one might search plot of grass be
fore ones door, blade by blade. A hun
dred times he had found traces Of her
a hundred times he had called out hel
name. only to be Knocked and gibbereC
at by apes. She had vanished like {
perfume, like a cloud shadow in th'
wind.
"Sahib, a Brahmin desires audi
enee."
ASK him what he wants"
at is for the sahibs ear alone"
"Ah! Bring him to me quickly"
The Brahmin approached, salaamed
What do you wish?" Bruce asked
curtly
"A thousand rupees, huzoor!'
blandly.
And what have you that is wortf
that many rupees?" irritably.
The Brahmin salaamed again. "Hu
zoor, slave this day was purchased
by Durga Ram, Umballa, so-callec
She has skin the color of old tusks
and eyes like turquoise, and lips like
the flame of the Jungle, and hair like
the sands OF Ganges, mother of riV
ers."
Bruce was upon his feet. alive
eager He caught the Brahmin by
the arm.
is this woman white?" harshly.
"Huzoor, the women of Allaha art