Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-10-29

drop the skin and tiptoe toward the
house. glance right and left alertly
Then he disappeared. Presently at
the head Of the stairs Bruce heard
whisper-"Ramabai!"
dialect.
| Ahmed"
| Ahmed. Who was Ahmed!
Bruce shook Ramabai. Ahmed is
here. Who is he?" he asked softly.
"Ahmed?" drowsily. Then. wide
! awake enough: Ahmed? He was
Hare Sahib's head animal man. Where
is he?"
Hush, Not so loud. Come up,
Ahmed; am Bruce. Let US speak in
| English
Good" Ahmed came into the
chamber ITO see Bruce Sahib is
good. Tomorrow my masters daugh-
ter is to be carried into the Jungle.
The memsahib is to be tiei inside a
tiger trap. bait for the cat. That is the
first ordeal"
Shaitan!' murmured Ramabai.
Go on. Ahmed"
The cage will be set near the old
peepul tree, not far from the south
gate. Now. you sahib. and you. Rama
bal, must hide somewhere near. 1t is
the law that IL she escapes the ordeal
from unexpected sources she is free.
at least till the second ordeal. ! know
not what that is at present or when
it is to take place. The troops will be
there. and the populace, the Council.
the priests, and Umballa. | shall have
two swift camels near the clump of
bamboo. | may not be there. but
some one will. She must be hurried
off before the confusion dies away.
Must. sahib. There must be no second
ordeal"
But how am to get out of here?'
asked Ramabai. Guards all about, and
doubtless hidden to shoot il l stiri'
Itch! Tch!" clicked Ahmed. He
unwound his dirty turban and slipped
out of the ragged shirtlike frock.
These and the water skin below.
bhisti entered. bhisti goes out. What
is simpler than that? 1t is not light
enough for the soldiers to notice"
Ahmed" said Bruce. holding on;
his hand. you're man"
At dawn tomorrow. or late tonight, Ra;;
mabai returns with a full water skin.
The memsahib must at least stand the
ordeal Of terror. for she is guarded too
well. Yet. if they were not going TO
bind her. should not worry. She has
animal magic in her eye, in her voice
l have seen wild beasts grow still
when she spoke, Who knows? Now.
sleep"
Bruce and Ramabai had no difficulty
in passing the guards. They wisely
made wide detour to the peepul tree,
which they climbed. disturbing the
apes and the parrakeets.
Somewhere near s o'clock they
heard the creaking of wheels and a
murmur of voices. Shortly into the
range OF vision drew a pair OF bullocks.
pulling a tiger trap toward the clear
ing
When Bruce saw this damnable
thing he understood. and he shook
with horror and voiceless rage. He
caught Ramabai by the arm so savage |
ly that a low cry came from the brown !
mans lips.
Patience. sahib!' he warned. With |
out you what will the memsahib do?
They will tie her in that and liberate |
a tiger The rest lies with you. sahib."
"Ramabai. as God hears me. some /.
one shall pay for this!"
Hush" again warned Ramabai, !
hugging his perch
Later by half an hour Bruce wit |
messed spectacle such as few white |
men, happily for their reason, are per- |
mitted to see. kathlyn, in her royal |
robes (for ordeals OF this character |
we're ceremonials). a necklace of won |
derful emeralds about her throat, !
stepped from her palanquin and stood |
waiting. From other vehicles and con, |
veyances stepped Umballa. the Coun- !
ell. and the yellow-robed priests. |
He saw the bejeweled turban of Um- |
balla bend toward the girl. and it was /
hard to resist taking a pot at the men.
Kathlyn shook her head. Thereupon |
bound. and the rope round her waist |
attached securely to the ring.
All. they talked about 1t that night |
in the surging bazaars. in the palace. |
wherever two persons came together: |
how the white hunter had appeared |
from nowhere. rushed toward the trap |
as the tiger approached, entered and |
dropped the door. blazed away at the |
beast. who turned tail and limped of |
into the jungle. Al. 1t was a sight |
for eyes. They could laugh behind |
Umballa's back, the gutter born, the |
iron-heeled upstart: they could riddle
lconfidentiaily) the Council with rude
jests The law was the law; and none,
not even the priests in their shaven |
polls and yellow robes, might slip be- |
,I lou ba fret