Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1915-03-18
CHAPTER xxIl-contInued.


propaganda of the inf1del?"
mol" The word was not spoken
loudly, but sibilantly, with something
resembling a hiss. mol"
And shall king who has no mind
no will, no strength, resume his au'
thority? Perhaps to bring more white
people into Alfalfa. perhaps to give AL
laha eventually to the British rail-"
Again the negative.
But the method?"
Umballa smiled. What brings the
worshiper here with candles and flow
ers and incense? Is 1t love or rev.
erence or superstition"
The bald yellow heads nodded like
porcelain mandarins.
Superstition" went on Umballa,
the sword which bends the knees Of
the layman, has and always will
through the ages!"
In the vault outside a bell tinkled,
q gong doomed melodiously.
When give the sign," continued
the schemer. declare the curse upon
all those who do not bend. A word
from your lips, and Ramabais troops
vanish, reform, and become yours and
mine!"
While the king lives?" asked the
chief priest curiously
All" And Umballa smiled again.
But you, Durga RAM
There is RRmabai, a senile king,
and /. Which for your purposes will
you choose?"
mere was a conference. The
priests drifted away from Umballa.
He did not stir. His mien was proud
and naughty, but for all that his knees
shook and his heart Numbered. He
understood that 1t was to be all or
nothing, no middle course, no half
methods. He waited, wetting his
cracked lips and swollen lips. When
the priests returned to him, their
heads bent before him a little. 1t
represented a salaam, as much as
they had ever given to the king him
self. A glow ran over Umballa.
Highness, we agree. There will be
terms"
Il will agree to them without ques.
ton"
Lie and power again; real power!
These doddering fools should serve
him. thinking the while that they
served themselves.
Half the treasury must be paid
to the temple
Agreed" Half for the temple and
half for himself; and the adjustment
OF the seven leopards. with this
stipulation: Ramabai is yours, but the
white people are to be mine"
The priests signifled assent.
And Umballa smiled in secret Ra,
mabai would be dead on the morrow.
There remains the king" said the
chief priest.
Umballa shrugged.
The chief priest stared soberly at
tho lamp above his head. The king
would be. then. Umballa's affair.
He is ill?"
He is moribund SiIencel"
warned Umballa.
The curtains became violently agi-
tated. They heard the voice of the
young priest outside raised in protest,
to be answered by the shrill tones of
a woman.
you are mad!"
And thou art a stupid fool"
umballa's hand fell away from his
dagger.
1T is a woman" he said admit
her"
The curtains were thrust aside, and
the painted dancing girl who had
saved Umballa from death or capture
In the fire Of his own contriving rushed
in. Her black hair was studded with
turquoise, a necklace of amber
cleaned like gold around her neck.
and on her arms and ankles a pleni.
tude of silver bracelets and anklets.
With her back to the curtains, the
young priest staring curiously over
her shoulders, she presented a pic.
turesque tableau.
"Well?" said Umballa, who under.
stood that she was here from no idle
within.
"Highness, YOU must hide with me
this night"
"Indeed?"
"Or de-" coolly
Umballa sprang forward and seized
her roughly.
What has happened?"
Il was in the zenana, highness, Wis.
iting my sister, whom you had trans
ferred from the palace. All at once
we heard shouting and tramplinR of
feet, an moment later your house
was overrun with men. They had
found the king in the hut and had
taken him to the palace. That they
did not find you is because you came
here"
Tell me ALL"
1T seems that the majordomo gave
the poison to Ramabai, but the white
goddess
"The white goddess!" cried Um-
balla, as II stung by cobra's fang.
"Ay. highness. She did not die on
that roof. Nothing can harm her II