Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-03-24
CHAPTER xxv-contInued.


Bruce wondered. as at length his
hand reached up and took hold Of the
gunwale of the boat he had picked out
TO bring down. Would Umballa have
possessed tenacity enough to hang on
to 1t In face of all the devastation?
Bruce sighed as he drew himself up
and crawled into the boat. He knew
that treasure Lad often made a hero
put of a coward; and treasure at that
moment meant life and liberty to UNI
balla. On his return to the island he
greeted the colonel somewhat roughly.
But for this accursed basket they
would have been well out of Asia by
this time.
"Umballa has your basket. colonel
II he hasn't, then say good-by to 1t. for
It can never be dug from under those
tons of rock. Here! where are
those fishermen going?" he demanded.
The men were in the act of pushing
of with the boats. which they had only
lust brought back.
rife.
"Stop!"
They are frightened" explained the
chief
We'll. they can contain their fright
TIL we are in safety" Ramabai de-
clared. Warn them"
Hurry, everybody! feel 1t in my
bones that that black devil has the
treasure. Get these men into the
boats. Here. pick up those oars. Get
In. Kit; you, Winnie; come every
body!"
Kathlyn gazed sadly at her father.
Treasure. treasure; that first. She was
beginning to hate the very sound of
the word. The colonel had been nerv-
ous. impatient, and irritable ever since
the document had been discovered
TIL recently Kathlyn had always be-
ueved her father to be perfect, but
now she saw that he was human. he
had his hawed spot. Treasure! Before
her or Winnie! So be 1t.
"Cofonel," said Bruce, taking a
chance throw, I'VE are less than a
hundred miles from the seaport. Sup
pose we let Umballa clear out and we
ourselves head straight up the coast?
1t is not fair to the women to put them
to any further hardship
Bruce, | have sworn to God that
Umballa shall not have that treasure.
Ramabai. do you understand what 1t
will mean to you If he succeeds in
reaching Alfalfa with that treasure.
probably millions? He will be able to
buy every priest and soldier in Alfalfa
and still have enough left for any ex-
trayagance that he may wish to plunge
IN"
"Sahib." suggested Jtamabai, '1et US
send the women to the seaport in care
Of Ahmed, while we men seek Umbal.
Ia"
Good" Bruce struck his hands to-
gether. The very thing"
Il refuse to be separated from faith
er." declared Kathlyn. IF he is deter
mined to pursue Umballa back to AL
iaha. ! must accompany him."
"..s .s y" added Winnie,
Nothing more to be said," and
Bruce signed to the bSatmen to start.
IF only this breeze had not come up!
We could have caught him before he
made shore"
Umballa paced the deck of the sloop.
thinking and planning. He saw his
enemies leaving In the rescued boats.
Had he delayed them long enough? AS
matters stood, he could not carry away
the treasure. He must have help, an
armed force of men he could trust. On
the mainland were Ahmed and the 10y.
al keepers; behind were three men
who wanted his life as he wanted
theirs. The only hope he had lay in
.he cupidity of the men on the sloop.
II they could be made to stand by
him, there was a fair chance. Once
he was of n mind to heave the basket
over the rail and trust to luck in find
Ing 1t again. But the thought tore at
his heart. He simply could not do It.
Perhaps he could start a revolt. or
win over the chief of the village. He
had known honest men to fall at the
sight of gold. to fight for 1t, to commit
any crime for it-and. II need be, to
die for 1t. But the chief was with his
enemies. Finally he came to the con-
clusion that the only thing to be done
was to carry the treaure directly into
the chiefs hut and there await him.
He would bribe the men with him suf-
ficiently to close their mouths. II All
med was on the shore. the game was
up. But he swept the mainland with
his gaze and discovered no sign of
him.
As matter of fact, Ahmed had ar
ranged his elephants so that they could
start at once up the coast to the sea-
port. He was waiting on the native
highway for the return of his master.
quite confident that he would bring the
bothersome trjnkets with him. He
knew nothing OF Umballa's exploit.
The appalling thunder of the explo-
.Ssxn ,,.orrjad bIx, He would ,rnit for