The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-05-22

| her and she felt ashamed. And there
was not a little doubt. Perhaps she
had mistaken the look in his eyes,
back there in the desert, back in the
first day when they had fed together
from the ordeals. And yet -.
On his part, Bruce did not particu-
larly welcome the sea. There might
be another man somewhere No wom-
an SO beautiful as Kathlyn could pos
sibly be without suitors. And when
the Journey down to the sea was re-
sumed he became taciturn and moody,
and kathlyn's heart correspondingly
heavy.
The colonel was quite oblivious to
this change. He swung his legs free
of the primitive stirrups and whistled
the airs which had been popular in
America at the time of his departure.
There was no lightness in the ex-
pressions of Ramabai and Pundita.
They were about to lose these white
people forever, and they had. grown to
love, nay, worship them More, they
must return to face they knew not
what.
As for Ahmed, he displayed his orr
entalism by appearing unconcerned.
He had made up his mind not to re-
turn to America with his master.
There was much to do in Alfalfa. and
the spirit of intrigue had laid firm hold
of him. He wanted to be near at hand
when Ramabai struck his blow. He
would break the news to the Colonel
Sahib before they sailed.
1t was four o'clock when the caravan
entered the little seaport town. A few
tramp steamers lay anchored in the
oflng. A British flag dropped from the
stern of one of them. This meant Bonn
bay; and Bombay, in turn, meant Suez,
the Mediterranean, and the broad At
lantic.
The air was still and hot, for the In
dian summer was now beginning to
lay its burning hand upon this great
peninsula. The pale dust, the white
stucco of the buildings, blinded the
eye.
They proceeded at once to the single
hotel, where they found plenty of &C.
commodation. Then the colonel hur-
ried off to the cable office and wired
Winnie. Next he ascertained that the
British ship Simla would weigh anchor
the following evening for Bombay;
that there they could pick up the Delhi,
bound for England. There was moth
ing further to do but wait for the an.
swer to the colonel's cable to Winnie,
which would arrive somewhere about
noon of the next day.
And that answer struck the hearts
Of all of them with the coldness of
death. Omballa had beaten them.
Winnie had sailed weeks ago for ALA.
ha in search CT father and sister.
Ahmed spat out his betel nut and
squared his shoulders. Somehow he
had rather expected something like
this. The reason for Umballas half.
hearted pursuit stood forth clearly.
"Sahib, it is fate" he said. I'VE
must return at once to Alfalfa. Truly
the curse of that old guru sticks like
the blood leeches of the Bengal
swamps. But as you have faith in
your guru, l have faith in mine Not
hair Of our heads shall be harmed"
81 am a very miserable man, All.
med. God has forsaken me-" The
colonel spoke with stole calm; he was
more like the man Ahmed had former
ly known
mo, Allah has not forsaken; he has
forgotten us for time" And Ahmed
strobe out to make the arrangeme- IS
for the return.
Bruce" said the colonel, 1T is time
for you to leave US. You are a man.
You have stood by us through thick
and thin cannot ask you to share
any of the dangers which now confront
us, perhaps more sinister than any we
have yet known"
Don't you want me?' asked Bruce
quietly.
Kathlyn had gone to her room to
hide her tears.
Want you. But no." The colonel
wrung the young mans hand and
turned to go back to Kathlyn.
"Wait a moment, colorel. Suppos-
ing l wanted to go, what then? Sup
posing should say to you what dare
not yet say to your daughter, that
| love her better than anything else in
all this wide world; that it will be
| happiness to follow wherever she goes
even unto death?"
The colonel wheeled Bruce do YOU
mean that?"
with all my heart, sir. But please
say nothing to Kathlyn till this affair
ends, one way or the other. She might
be stirred by sense of gratitude, and
later regret it. When we get out OF
| this-and | rather believe in the
prophecy Of Ahmed's guru or fakir-
! then I'll speak. have always been
rather a lonely man. There's been no
real good reason have always de-
sired to be loved for my own sake, and
not for the money | have"
! Money" repeated the colonel
Never had he in any way associated
this healthy young hunter with money
| Did he not make business of tran
ping and selling wild animals. like
himself? Money! l did not know that