The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-06-19
toepy.ishs By Harold xaeorssA,
CHAPTER XIV.
Compljcatjons.

rolling stones, Bruce turned to where
he had seen kathryn fall The explo'
sion-the last one-had opened up
veins of strange gases, for the whole
promontOry appeared to be on nre..
He bent and caught up In his arms
the precious burden. staggered down
to the beach and plunged into the wa
ter. A thin trickle of blood flowing
down her forehead explained every
thing; falling stone had struck her.
Kit, Kit! hope to God the treasure
went up also" He dashed the cold
water into her face.
The others were unhurt though
dazed. and for the nonce incapable OF
coherent thought or action.
THE boats!" Bruce laid Kathlyn
down on the sand and signed to Win.
ME. Tend to her. l must take
chance at the boats. We could cross
the neck of sand at ebb, but Umballa
will be far away before that time. Kit,
Kit: my poor girl" He patted her
wrists and called to her, and when
finally her lips stirred he rose and
waded out into the sea, followed by
four hardy fishermen. The freshening
breeze, being from the southwest, aid
ed the swimmers, for the boats did not
drift out to sea. but in a northeasterly
direction. The sloop was squaring
away for the mainland.
Did Umballa have the treasure?
Bruce wondered, as at length his
hand reached up and took hold of the
to bring down. Would Umballa have
possessed tenacity enough to hang on
to 1t in face Of all the devastation?
Bruce sighed as he drew himself up
and crawled into the boat. He knew
that treasure lad often made a hero
out of coward; and treasure at that
moment meant life and liberty to I'm.
balla. On his return to the island he
greeted the colonel somewhat roughly,
But for this accursed basket they
would have been well out OF Asia by
this time.
"Umballa has your basket. colonel.
II he hasn't. then say good-by to it, for
1t can never be dug from under those
tons of rock. 1. Here! where are
those fishermen going?" he demanded.
The men were in the act OF pushing
on with the boats. which they had only
Just brought back.
Ramabai picked up his discarded
rifle.
"Stop!"
They are frightened" explained the
chief.
well. they can contain their fright
till we are in safety" Ramabai de-
clared. Warn them"
Hurry. everybody! feel It in my
Jones that that black devil has the
treasure. Get these men into the
boats. Here, pick up those oars. Get
In. Kit: you, Winnie: come every
body!"
Kathlyn gazed sadly at her father.
Treasure, treasure; that first. She was
beginning to hate the very sound of
the word. The colonel had been nerv-
GUS. impatient, and irritable ever since
the document had been discovered,
Till recently Kathlyn had always be-
lieved her father to be perfect. but
now she saw that he was human, he
had his fiawed spot. Treasure! Before
her or Winnie! So be 1t.
Colonel" said Bruce, taking q
chance throw, I'VE are less than 9
hundred miles from the seaport. Sup
pose we let Umballa clear out and we
ourselves head straight up the coast
It Is not fair to the women to put them
to any further hardship"
Bruce, have sworn to God thai
Umballa shall not have that treasure
Ramabai. do you understand what 4
will mean to you II he succeeds II
reaching Alfalfa with that treasure
probably millions? He will be able t
buy every priest and soldier in Allahi
and still have enough left for any ex
travagance that he may wish to plung,
In"
"Sahib." suggested Ramabai. let N
send the women to the seaport In car,
Of Ahmed. while we men seek Umbal
Ia"
Good" Bruce struck his hands te
gether. The very thing"
Il refuse to be separated from fatl
err" declared Kathlyn. III he 10 detel
mined to pursue Umballa back to A
lahs. must accompany him."
And II" added Winnie.
Nothing more to be said" an
Bruce signed to the boatmen to star
III only this breeze had not come w
| We could have caught him before
made shore"
Umballa paced the deck Of the slool
thinking and planning. He saw b
enemies leaving In the rescued boat
Had he delayed them long enough! A
matters stood. he could not carry avs
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