The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1915-06-03

genufecting and using grandiloquent
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. l 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. l
kicked the brute in the face. swept
/ the kings turban of his head and
flung it about the head OF the leopard.
Somehow or other l 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.
rs that all?" asked Winnie. breath
lessly.
Isn't that enough?" he retorted.
We'll. what is 1t. Martha? Dinner?
Well, II l haven't cheated you girls
out Of your tea"
Tea" shifted Winnie disdainfully.
DO you know. dad. you're awfully
mean to Kit and me. II you'd take the
trouble you could be more interesting
than any book l ever read"
He doesn't believe his stories would
interest vain young ladies'" said Kath-
lyn. gravely.
Her father eyed her sharply or
what was she thinking? In those calm
unwavering eyes Of hers he saw a
question. and he feared in his soul
she might voice 1t. He could evade
the questions of the volatile Winnie,
but there was no getting by Kathlyn
with evasions. Frowning. he replaced
the order in the box, which he put
away in a drawer. It was all arrant
nonsense. anyhow; nothing could pos
sibly happen: II there did, he would
feel certain that he no longer dwelt
in real workaday world. The idle
whim Of a 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 u.s."
Yes. he's dead. and the news came
this morning. Hence, the yarn"
will there be any danger in re-
turning?"
my girl. whenever I pack my lug
gage there is danger. A cartridge may
stick; a man may stumble: a 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
glittering medal. something more than
this simple tale Of bravery. What?
Well, II 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 filed
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 not
unlike that of the captive beasts In
the cages nearby. Occasionally he
paused ut the clink clink OF the ele-
plant irons or at the "wuff" al the un-
easy pachyderm poured dust on his
head
BAH 1t 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! 1t
was bally nonsense. As II white
man could rule over brown one by
the choice OF the latter! And yet, that
man Umballa's face. when he had
shown the king the portraits of his
two lovely daughters! lie would send
Ahmed. Ahmed knew the business
rs well as he did. lie would send his
abdicatIon to the council, giving them
| the right to choose his successor He
| himself would remain home with the
girls. Then he gazed up ut the moon
and smiled grimly.
"IIukum hail" he murmured In Hin.
dustani. 1t Is the orders. I've simply
got to go When recall those rubies
and cmcralds and pearls.
1 Well, it's not cupidity for myself It's
| for the girls. Besides, there's the call.
the adventure. I've simply go to 20.
| can't escape II. must be always on
the 70 since she died"
! \ few days later he stood again
before the desk in the living room
| He was dressed for travel. He sat
down and pcnned a note. From the