Meade County news., 1915-01-14

Bruce ordered one Of them TO kneel
doubtfully; but the big fellow obeyed
the command docilely, and the colonel
and Bruce helped the exhausted girl
into the howdah. The colonel followed
while Bruce took upon his own shoul-
ders the duties Of mahout. Pundita got
into the other howdah and Ramabai
initiated Bruce. The elephants shut
fled of, away from the river. For the
time being neither Bruce nor Ramabai
gave mind to the compass. To make
pursuit impossible was the main bust
ness just then.
Later Umballa, dulled and stupefied
from his immersion, stoo~ on the
shore, with but nine OF the twenty sol
diers he had brought with him. Evi-
IDENTIFY his star had faltered. Very
well; he would send for the other sis
ter. She was the Colonel Sahib's
daughter, and young; she would be as
wax in his hands. A passion remained
In Umballa's heart, but it was now
the passion of revenge.
When he had recovered sufficiently
he gave orders to one of the soldiers
to return to the city, to bring back at
once servants, elephants and all that
would be required for a long pursuit.
The messenger was also to make
known these preparations to the
Council, who would undertake to for
ward the cable submitted to them.
Quite unknown, quite unsupported
by him, for all the activity Of his spies,
volcano was beginning to grumble
under his feet. All tyrants, the petty
and the great, have heard IT.: the NUT
tering OF the oppressed.
Perhaps the fugitives had gone 30
miles when suddenly the jungle ended
abruptly and desert opened up be-
fore them. Beyond stood purple line
of rugged hills. Ramabai raised his
hand. and the elephants came to a
halt.
II believe know where am" said
Ramabai. Somewhere between US and
yonder hills is walled city, belonging
to Bala Khan, a Pathan who some
times styles himself rajah. He has
a body Of fierce fighting men; and he
lives unmolested for two reasons: loot
ing would not be worth while, and his
position is isolated and almost impreg
nable. Now, if l am right, we shall
find shelter there, for he was an old
friend of my fathers, and l might call
him friend of mine, since fell asleep
for him occasionally"
"Bala Khan?" mused Bruce reminis-
Gently. Isn't he the chap who has
sacred white elephant"
1T is the same" answered Ramabai.
I'VE can reach there before sundown.
1t would be wise to hasten. however,
as this desert and those hills are in
tested with lawless, nomadic bands of
masterless men-brigands, you call
them. They would cut the throat Of a
man for the sake of his clothes"
Let us go on" said the colonel. 81
don't care where. am dead for want
of food and sleep"
And l. too." confessed Kathlyn. my
arm pains me badly"
MY poor Kit" murmured her
father, gloomily And all this because
l told you half truth, because in play
tried to make a mystery out OF few
plain facts. | should have told you
everything, warned you against follow
ing in case | failed to turn up"
81 should have followed you just the
same"
Shall l rebind the arm?" asked
Bruce. turning.
mo, thanks" She smiled down at
him This bandage will serve till we
reach Bala Khan's."
by the way, colonel, is there pair
of binoculars in the howdah?"
"Yes. Do you want them?"
mo. Just to be sure they were
there. We may have occasion to use
them later, in case this place Ramabai
is taking us to should turn out hostile.
like to know what is going on ahead
of me-"
"a white elephant" mused the colo
mel do you know 1t for fact that
this Bala Khan has a white elephant"
he called across to Ramabai.
"I have never seen it, sahib. 1t is
what they say"
"A pair of notified ears is the near
est | ever came to seeing a white ele-
phant, and I've hunted them for so
yaara hare in CeylOn in Burma in
Africa. There was once tiger near
Madras that hadn't any stripes. The
natives would not permit him to be
killed because they held that, being
unique, he was sacred. A sacred white
elephant! Poor simple minded fools!"