The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-04

The fragrant odor of permeated the room. Hare
paused at his desk. Lines suddenly appeared on his
bronzed face He gazed for space at the calendar.
The day was the 10Th of July. Should he 60 back
there, should he give up the expedition? He might
never return. India and the border countries What
land full OF beauty and romance and squaor
at barbaric and civilized He it and hated
it, and sometimes feared it, who had faced on foot
many wounded tiger.
lie shrugged reached into the desk for a box of
Jaipur brass enamel and took from it attached
to ribbon. The golden disk was encrusted with uncut
rubies and emeralds.
: Girls!' . he called " Come here a moment. Martha
that will be ALL" with nod toward the door, never
showed you this before"
Goodness gracious!" 3" cried Winnie reaching out her
hand.
Why it looks like decoration father" said Kath-
iyn. What lovely stones! 1t would make a beautiful
pendant"
Vanity, vanity, all is vanity" said the colonel sm-
ing down into their charming faces Do you love your
old dad?"
Love you'll" they exclaimed in unison, Indignantly,
too, since the question impuation of the fact
Would you be lonesome if l took the Big Trek?"
whimsically.
"Father!"
"Dad!"
Hang it 1 that this shall be the last hunt
I'm rich Wen get rid of all these brutes and spend
the rest of the years seeing the show places I'm
bit tired myself of jungle fodder. Well go to Paris
and Berlin, and Rome, and Vienna. And you, Kit
shall 60 and tell Rodin that you've Inherited the spirit
of Gerome And you. Winnie shall make a stab at
grand opera"
Winnie gurged her delight but her sister searched
her fathers She did not quite like the way he
said those lis ad baor
and spontaneity.
Where did you get this medal, father?" she asked.
"Thats what started oat to tell your
"Were you afraid we might wish to wear it or have
it made over7" laughed Winnie who below
the surface of things.
No The truth is, had almost forgotten it. But
the preparations for India recalled it mind 1t repre-,
senta roysl title conferred by he king Of AL
laha. You have never been India, Kit Aaha is the
name hunters give that border kingdom. Some
day England will gobbe it up only waiting for good
excuse"
What big thing did you do ~ demanded Kathlyn her
eyes still filed with scrutiny.
What makes you think 1t was big?" jestingly
Because" she answered seriously, Z" you never do
anything but big things As the lion is among beasts.
you among men,"
Good lord" The colonel reached emoarrassedly for
his pipe, lit it, pufed few niutes then laid down the
pipe. India is full of strange tongues and strange
Kingdoms and principalities Most of them domi-
mated by the British raj only protected while
others do about they please This state touching
the order does about 1t did since the Gays Of the
first white who touched the shores of Hind 1t
small, but that signifies nothing; for you brew
mighty poison in a small pot Well happened save
the old kings life"
II knew it would be something like that" said Kath.
yn. :" Go Tell 1t aI.'
The colonel had recourse to his pipe again. He
smoked on till the coal dead The girls waited
patiently They knew that his silence meant that he was
only marshang the events in their chronological ORDER
The King was kindly old chap, simple. yet shrewd,
hnd with that slumbous oriental way ACCOMPLISHING
his ends despite all obstacles. Underneath this ap-
parent simplicity discovered grim sardonic humor.