The Arvada enterprise., 1915-11-11

where the cave was One man did
know the way. but he refused to show
1t. There were spirits there. ruled
by an evil god.
Take me there, you. and l will en-
ter without harm. Am I not holy?"
That put rather a new face upon the
situation. If the holy man was willing
to risk an encounter with the god, far
be 1t that they should prevent him.
An ordinary seeker would not have
found the entrance in a lifetime. UNI
balla had not known exactly where the
cave was, but he knew all that the
cave contained. When they came to
it Umballa shifted: the tang of sui
phur became evident both in his nose
and on his tongue. He understood 1t
was simply a small spring. a mineral.
in which sulphur predominated He
came out with some cupped in his
hands. He drank and showed them
that it was harmless. Besides. he was
a holy man. and his presence made in
effectual all evil spirits which might
roam within the cave.
Cmballa, inpatient as he was, had
to depend upon patience. By dint Of
inquiries he learned that wild Moham.
mcdans had cast the spell upon the
cave. set curse upon its threshold.
Umballa tottered and destroyed this
by reasoning that the curse OF Mo-
hammedan could not affect Hindu.
| Finally. he offered each and all OF them
a fortune-and won.
Torches were lighted and the cave
entered There were many side pas.
| sages: and within these the astute Um-
balla saw the true reason for the curse
OF the Mohammedans: guns and pow.
der. hundreds and hundreds OF pounds
OF black destruction. A lower gallery
the mouth OF which lay under slab
OF rock-lcd to the pit wherein rested
! the filigree basket. For time
Umballa acted like a madman. He
sang, chnnted. dug his hands into the
| gold and stones. choked, sobbed. Here
was true kingship; the private treas.
ures OF dozen decades. all his COR
! the taking He forgot his enemies and
their nearness as the fortune revealed
| itself to him.
As his men at length staggered out
of the lower gallery with the basket
slung upon an improvised litter he
espisd his enemies marching up the
hill Back into the cave again. I'm
balla cursed and bit his nails. lie was
uuarmed. as were his men. and he had
not time to search among the snug
gled arms to find his need.
"Hcayen.born." spoke up the man
who had known where the cave was
there is an exit on the other side
We can 20 through that without yon
der people noticing US"
A fortune for each OF you when you
pu, this on the sloop!"
Back through the cave they rushed
torches flaring Once a bearer stun
bled over a powder can. and the torch
holder all but sprawled over him. I'm
bslla's hair stood on end Fear I'm
PEELED the men toward the exit
There is powder enough here &c
blow up all OF Hind Hasten,"
At the mouth OF the exit the mer
with the torches. finding no furthe,
need OF them. carelessly flung then
aside.
Fools" roared umbslla you hav,
destroyed US
lie fed. The bearers followed with
the burden Down the side OF tn,
promontory they slid. Under "a pro
jcctlng ledge they paused, swcatin,
with terror. suddenly the whole islam,
rocked An explosion followed tina
was heard half hundred miles away
where the gunboat OF the British ra
patroled the shores Rocks. trees
sand filed the air, and small IRE
broke out here and there The bull
OF the damage, however. was done 4
( the far side OF the promon,ory no
, where the frightened tmballa stood
a twisted rifle barrel fell at his fee,
ITO the sloop'" he yelled 1T is al
, Overt"
on the far side the other treasur
. seekers stood huddled together. scare
, knowing which way 70 turn. The mil