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

Death Of the Real King Of AlIaha.
corner by the window lay the striped
one, a jeweled dagger in his throat.
Ramabai was first to discover the
deserted palanquin, and proceeded to
investigate. 1t did not take him more
than minute to understand what had
happened. 1t was not an accident; 1t
was cold-blooded murder, and back of
1t stood the internal ingenuity of one
man.
Thus fate took Alfalfa by the hair
again and shook her out of the pas
toral quiet. What would happen now?
This!
On the morning after the tragic
death Of the old king those who went
early to worship, to propitiate the gods
to deal kindly with them during the
day, were astounded to find the doors
and gates Of all the temples closed!
Nor was any priest visible in his usual
haunts. The people were stunned. For
there could be but one Interpretation
to this act on the part of the gurus
the gods had denied the people. Why?
Wherefore? Twenty-four hours passed
without their learning the cause; the
priests desired to fill them with ter
ror before they struck.
Then came the distribution OF PAM
phlets wherein it was decreed that
the populace, the soldiery, all Alfalfa,
in fact, must bow to the will of the
gods or go hereforth accursed. The
gods demanded the reinstatement as
regent Durga Ram; the deposing Of
Ramabai, the infidel; the fealty Of
the troops to Durga Ram; "a hours
were given the people to make their
choice.
Before the doors of all the temples
the people gathered, wailing and pour
ing dust upon their heads, from Brah-
min to pariah, from high caste ma
irons to light dancing girls. And when
the troops, company by company, be-
gan to kneel at the outer rim of these
gatherings, Ramabai dispatched note
to Colonel Hare, warning him to fly at
once. But the messenger tore up the
note and flew to his favorite temple.
Superstition thus won what honor,
truth and generosity could not hold.
Alfalfa surrendered; and Umballa
came forth.
All this happened so quickly that not
even a rumor of it reached the colo
nel's bungalow till 1t was too late.
They were to have left. on the NOR
row. The king dead, only few minor
technicalities stood in the way OF Ra-
mabai and Pundita.
Bruce and Kathlyn we're fencing
one with the other, after the manner
of lovers, when Winnie, her eyes wide
with fright, burst in upon them with
the news that Umballa, at the head of
many soldiers, was approaching. The
lovers rushed to the front of the bun
galow in time to witness the colonel
trying to prevent the intrusion of a
priest.
Patience. sahib!" warned the
priest.
The colonel, upon seeing Umballa,
made an attempt to draw his revolver,
but the soldiers prevented him from
carrying into execution his wild i'm
pulse.
The priest explained what had hap
pened. The Colonel Sahib. his friend
Bruce Sahib and his youngest daugh-
ter would be permitted. to depart in
peace; but Kathlyn Memsahib must
wed Durga Ram.
When the dazed colonel produced
the document which had been legally
cancelled, Umballa laughed and de-
clared that he himself had forged that
particular document. that the true,
which he held, was not legally de-
stroyed.
Burning with the thought of re-
venge, of reprisal. how could Durga
Ram know that he thus dug his own
pit? Had he let them go he would
have eventually been crowned, as sure
ly as now his path led straight to the
treadmill.
Ahmed alone escaped. because Um-
balla had in his triumph forgotten
himl
CHAPTER XIII.