The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-08-07
cHAPTERV v.
The Flight From the Arena.

When Bruce dropped down into the
arena to Kathlyn's side he had never
given. a thought to the possibility of
the key not being the right one.
Trapped!-and with Ahmed but a few
yards away with a zenana gharri,
ready to convey them to the camp,
freedom! 1t took the heart out of
him for a moment. The confusion all
about. the pail OF dust, the roaring of
the frightened lions which had escaped
destruction, the shrill cries of the
panic-stricken populace, who now
looked upon the white memsahib as
the daughter Of Shaitan. these dulled
his inventive faculties for the nonce.
Here was the confusion, properly
planned, and he could not make use
Of it. Possibly when no further ex-
plosion shook the air, the mob and
the soldiers would return out Of Gu
riosity. And then, good-by!
But the sight of a lion emerging
from the murk the wrong side OF the
crevasse reused him thoroughly.
Save YOURSELF" cried Kathlyn in
despair; there is no possible way of
saving me. / have never in all my
life injured any me and yet God
makes me go through all this. F..
I am mad,you are. the whole world is!"
RUM"
Bruce laughed; it val that kind Of
laughter with which men enter battle.
He drew Lal Singh's revolvers and
thrust one into her hand.
Shoot at the keyhole. Leave the
lion to me. With the pandemonium no
one will note the shots. or If they do,
will think that more explosions are
on the way. I'll get you out Of this
nightmare; that's what ! was born
for"
"Nightmare!"
There. now!"-as Kathlyn leaned
dizzily against one Of the supports.
1--WE gone through a good deal" she
said. Without more ado she pressed
the muzzle Of the revolver into the
keyhole and fired. She heard a shot
behind her, another sRd another; but
she kept on firing into and about the
keyhole till the revolver was empty.
A firm hand drew her aside.
The lion?"
Gone to sleep. Let me have a whack
at that door,"
Where's Ramabai?"
Went back over the wall. Probably
to warn Ahmed; maybe gone directly
on toward camp. Anyhow, he has faith
In me-"
And, o! so have l. SO have II"
Bruce bore his weight savagely
against the door-once, twice. thrice;
and pitched forward on his knees. out
side. He was up instantly. He caught
Kathlyn by the hand and hurried her
along; and all she could think Of wal
Winnie romping toward the c%anopied
studio, her father half asleep on the
veranda. and the leopard cat sprawled
on the divan.
"Sahib! Huzoor!" q voice called.
This way!"
Ahmed! Ahmed" cried Kathlyn.
Yes, heaven born; but hurry. hur-
~! Umballa will return to search
as soon as he can get the better OF his
legs. silva take that battery that was
worn out! Heaven born, you are now
q queen in fact" ~.
Il want to 60 home. Ahmed. homer
Here's the gharri. Here. sahib!'
he held out q handful Of cartridges 70
ward Bruce. These At Lal Singh's
pistols. Hurry, hurry"
Bruce helped Kathlyn into the We
hicle and jumped in beside her, and
Ahmed struck the horse. The gharri
was a rfckety old c%ontrivance. every
hinge creaking like some lost soul; but
Ahmed had reasoned that the more
dllapidated the vehicle, the less n
spicuous 1t would be. He urged the
horse. He wanted the flying mob to
think that be was flying. too, which.
indeed, be was. The gharri rolled and
careened like q dory In q squalL. a
dozen times Bruce and Kathlyn were
fiung together, and quite unconscious
" me caught hold 81 his lean. strong
brown hand. II would not be true ~
Nv thas he va unconscious "a ne
ut.
Presently they entered ths pavsd
utrcets II the basaars. md the s0ing
improved. KAthlyn leansd back.
At ~ Kathlyn Hare spd ~ \ ths
ys1s S