Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-03-24
"fatienc.. colonel; just little diplo-

Patience. colonel: just u little diplo
macy" he urged.
| But the man lies!"
THAT may be, but Just at present
there seem to be more men standing
back of him than back Of our chief
here. We have no way of getting a
warning to Ahmed. Wait!"
| "Jackal." spoke the chief wrathfully,
thou liest!"
"Ah! thou has grown too fat with
rule"
"Ay" cried the men back of the mu-
tinous one.
ing any of his natural dignity, "the
man has betrayed me. see the lust of
gold in their eyes. EVIL presage. But
you have saved the life Of my child
and mine. and 1 will throw my strength
| with you"
Father, can't you see?" asked Kath-
lyn.
See what?"
THE inevitable. 1t was in my heart
all the way here that we should meet
with disaster. There is yet time to
leave here peacefully"
But her pleading fell upon the ears
of a man who was treasure mad. He
would not listen to reason. Ahmed
could have told Kathlyn that the old
guru stood back of her father. push
ing. pushing.
He is mad" whispered Bruce. but
We cannot leave him."
What would do without you,
John!"
From down the beach the chiefs lit
tie girl came toddling to the group OF
excited men. She was clutching some
thing In her hand. Her father took
her by the arm and pulled her back to
him. Kathlyn put her hand upon the
child's head, protectingly. The child
gazed up shyly. opened her little hand
and disclosed a yellow sovereign.
The argument between the chief and
his mutinous followers went on.
John" said Kathlyn. you speak the
dialect. can understand only word
here and there. But listen. Tell the
chief that all we desire is to be per-
mitted to depart in peace later" she
added. significantly.
Whats up?"
THE child has a COMA British
sovereign-in her hand. She knows
where Umballa has secreted the treas
ure. Since father cannot be budged
from his purpose. let us try deceit You
speak to the chief while l explain to
father"
To the chief Bruce said: THE treas
ure is evidently lost. So, after short
rest, we shall return to our caravan
and depart. We do not wish to be the
cause of trouble between you and your
people"
But. sahib, they have the gold!"
The false holy one doubtless gave
them that before the explosion" Bruce
laid hold of his arm In friendly fash
ion. apparently, but In reality as
warning. "All we want is slight rest
in your house. After that we shall
proceed upon our journey"
The mutineers could offer no reason
able objections to this and signified
that it was all one to them SO long as
the white people departed. They had
caused enough damage by their ap-
pearance and 1t might be that 1t was
through their agency that the prom
ontory was all but destroyed. The
fish would be driven away for weeks.
And what would the fierce gun rum
ners say when they found out that their
stores had gone up in flame and
smoke? Al, al! What would they do
but beat them and torture them for
permitting any one to enter the cave?
when these men come" answered
the chief, with a dry smile, Il will deal
with them. None OF us has entered
the cave. They know me for man OF
truth. Perhaps you are right" he add
ed to the mutineer. There could not
have been a treasure there and escape
the sharp eyes of those Arabs. Go
back to your homes. These white peo-
pie shall be my guests till they have
rested and are ready to depart"
Reluctantly the men dispersed. and
from his hiding place Umballa saw an
other of his schemes fall into pieces.
There would be no fight. at least for
the present. The men, indeed, had
hoped to come to actual warfare, but
| they could not force war on their chief
without some good cause. After all.
the sooner the white people were out
of the way the better for all con-
cerned.
Did the leader of this open mutiny
have ulterior designs upon the treas
ure. upon the life of Umballa? Per-
haps. At any rate, events so shaped
themselves as to nullify whatever
plans he had formed in his gold-dazzled
brain.
The colonel was tractable and fell
in with Kathlyn's idea. 1t would have
| been nothing short of foolhardiness to
/ have opanly antagonized the rebellious