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


while we were salaaming and
genufeCting and using grandil0Quent
phrases the bally leopard got loose.
somehow. Maybe some one let him
loose; | don't know Anyhow, he
made for the king, who was too thun-
derstruck to dodge. The rest of EN-
took to their heels, you may lay odds
on that. Now, ! had an honest liking
for the king. Seeing the brute make
for him, | dashed forward. You see,
at ceremonials you're not permitted
to carry arms 1t had to be with my
hands. The leopard knocked the old
boy fiat and began to maui him. i
kicked the brute in the face, swept
the kings turban. off his head and
flung it about the head of the leopard.
Somehow or other | got him down.
Some Of the frightened natives came
up, and with the help of Ahmed we
got the brute tied up securely. When
the king came around he silently shook
hands with me and smiled peculiarly
at Umballa, who now came running
up
And that's how you got those poor
hands," exclaimed Kathlyn, kissing
the scars which stood out white
against the tan.
That's how" raising the hands and
putting them on Kathlyn's head in a
kind Of benediction.
is that all?' asked Winnie, breath.
lessly.
isn't that enough" he retorted.
We'll, what is it, Martha? Dinner?
Well, if l haven't cheated you girls
out Of your tea"
Teal" shifted Winnie disdainfully.
do you know, dad, you're awfully
mean to Kit and me- If you'd take the
trouble you could be more interesting
than any book ever read"
He doesn't believe his stories would
interest vain young ladies" said Kath-
Ign, gravely.
Her father eyed her sharply. OF
what was she thinking? In those calm
unwavering eyes Of hers he saw a
question, and he feared in his soul
she might voice it. He could evade
the questions of the volatile Winnie,
but there was no getting by Kathlyn
with evasions. Browning, he replaced
the order in the box, which he put
away in a drawer. 1t was all arrant
nonsense, anyhow; nothing could pos
sibly happen; if there did, he would
feel certain that he no longer dwelt
in a real workaday world. The idle
within of sardonic old man; nothing
more than that.
Father, is the king dead?"
Dead! What makes you ask that,
Kit?"
THE past tense; you said he was,
not is"
Yes, he's dead, and the news came
this morning, Hence, the yarn
viii there be any danger in re.
turning?"
My girl, whenever l pack my lug.
gage there is danger. A cartridge may
stick; a man may stumble; man
you rely on may fail you. AS for that
there's always danger. It's the penalty
of being alive"
On the way to the dining room Kath.
Ign thought deeply. Why had her IA
Their asked them II. they loved him
Why did he speak of the Big Trek?
There was something more than this
gIittering medal, something more than
this simple tale of bravery. What?
Well, if he declined to take her into
his confidence he must have good
reason.
After dinner that night the colonel
went the rounds, as was his habit
nightly By and by he returned to the
bungalow, but did not enter. He filled
his Guilty and walked to and fro in the
moonlight, with his head bent and his
hands clasped behind his back. There
was a restlessness in his stride moi
unlike that of the captive beasts In
the cages nearby. Occasionally he
paused at the clink clink OF the ele
plant irons or at the "wuff" as the un
easy pachyderm poured dust on his
head
BAH It was madness. A parchment
in Hindustani, given jestingly or ironic
ally by humorous old chap in orders
and white linen and rhinoceros san
dals. A throne. Pshaw! Il
was bally nonsense. AS If a white
man could rule over brown one by
the choice of the latter! And yet, thai
man Umballa's face, when he hat
shown the king the portraits of his
two lovely daughters! He would sent
Ahmed. Ahmed knew the business
as we'll as he did. He would send his
abdication to the council, giving then
the right to choose his successor, HI
himself would remain home with the
girls. Then he gazed up at the moor
and smiled grimly,
"Hukum hail" he murmured in Hin
dustani st Is the orders. I've simply
got to go. When | recall those rubfes
and emeralds and pearls.
Wall ;t,e not cuniditv for nvcnlf ~,