Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-01-07


bronze devils In the desert made away
with him. He feared not for kath-
lyn's death. only his future. For they
doubtless had lied to Umballa. They
would not kill Kathlyn so long as they
believed she was worth a single ru-
pee.
Umballa came in. followed by four
troops, who stationed themselves on
each side of the door.
Your majesty"
"Wait!" thundered the colonel. Sud
denly he turned to the troopers. Am
your king?"
"Yes. majesty" The four men sa-
laamed.
Durga Ram for treason against the
person of your king!"
The troopers stared. dumfounded.
first at the colonel. then at Umballa.
Il command I'll"
Umballa laughed. The troopers did
not stir.
"Ah." said the colonel. THAT is all
1 desire to know. l am not a king. l
am merely a prisoner. Therefore those
papers which you bring to me cannot
lawfully be signed by me-" The colo
mel turned his back to Umballa, sought
the latticed window. and peered forth.
There are ways" blazed forth Um-
balla.
Bah. You black fool!" replied the
colonel. wheeling. Have I not yet
convinced you that all you can do is
to kill me? Don't waste your time in
torturing me. 1t will neither open my
lips nor compel me to take a character
brush in my hand. II my daughter is
dead. 80 be it. At any rate. she is at
present beyond your clutches. You
overreached yourself. Had you brought
her back 1t is quite possible l might
have surrendered. But l am done
now"
You refuse to tell where the fili-
gree basket Is hidden7"
Il do
You refuse to exercise your pre-
rogative to open the doors of the
treasury"
Il do"
Umbalia opened the door, motioning
to the troops to pass out. He. framed
the threshold and curiously eyed this
unbendable man. Presently he would
bend. Umballa smiled.
Colonel Sahib, / am not yet at the
end of my resources" and with this he
went out, closing the door.
That smile troubled the colonel.
What deyiltry was the scoundrel up to
now? What could he possibly do?
Later. as he paced weariiy to and
fr< ha hl lv,ex vrynt ell n a r
the door. He stopped and picked up a
note. folded European fashion. All
med and 1 shall watch over you. De
patient This time I am pretending
to be your enemy. and you must act
| accordingly. A messenger has arrived
from Bala Khan. Your daughter and
Bruce Sahib are alive, and. more. on
the way TO Allaha in native guise. Be
OF good cheer. Ramabai."
And Umballa. as he lifted his fruit
dish at supper. espied another OF those
| sinister warnings. 'Beware!" This
time he summoned his entire house
hold and threatened death to each and
all of them II they did not Immediately
disclose to him the person who had
placed this note under the fruit dish.
They cringed and wept and walled. but
nothing could be got out of them. He
had several flogged on general prtn-
ciples.
Kathlyn and Bruce returned to Al
laha without mishap. Neither animal
nor vagabond molested them. When
they arrived they Immediately found
means to acquaint Ramabai. who. with
Pundita. set out to meet them.
In their picturesque disguises kath-
lyn and Bruce made a handsome pair
of high caste natives. The blue eyes
alone might have caused remarks, but
this was negligible danger. since
color and costume detracted. kath.
lyn's hair. however. was securely hid
den, and must be kept so. A bit Of
carelessness on her part, a sportive
wind, and she would be lost. She had
been for dyeing her hair. but Bruce
would not hear OF this desecration.
So they entered the lions den. or.
rather. the jackals.
At Ramabais house Ahmed fell on
his knees in thankfulness; not that his
memsahib was in Alfalfa, but that she
was alive.
During the evening meal Ramabaf
outlined his plot to circumvent UmbaI-
la. He had heard from one of his
faithful followers that Umballa intend.
ed to force the colonel into native
marriage; later. to dispose of the colo
mel and marry the queen himself. Sut-
tee had fallen into dIsuse in Allaha. He
Ramabai. would now apparently side
with Umballa as against Colonel Hare,
who would understand perfectly. AS
the colonel would refuse to marry. he,
Ramabai. would suggest that the colo.
mel be married by proxy. However
suspicious Umballa might be, he
would NOT be able to find fault with