The Adventures of Kathlyn

ltering through the canvas, became mellowed, warm and golden. Above the girl's head-yellow like the stal

f form, with an indescribable suggestion of latent physical power or magnetism. On her temples there were little daubs of clay, caused doubtl

ote period, a Persian idyl, mayhap. With a smile on her lips she stared at the living model. The chatoyant eyes of

iful thing

ingers added bits here and there to the creature w

yn! Oh

nnie was the apple of her eye, and she brooded over her as the mother would have done had the mother

es of the leopard. The animal rose, and his nostrils palpitated. He hated the dog with a hatred not unmixed with fear. Treachery is in the marrow of all cat

you do it? Some day we'll make dad take

r Winnie turned and ran in the direction of the bungalow. Kathlyn, seizing the leash, followed like the wind, hampered though she was by the apron. The cat loped a

ouse some of the keepers. Seeing the door of an empty cage open, and that it was approached by a broad runway, she flew to it, ente

d, but he submitted to her touch because invariably it soothed him, and because he sensed some undefinable power whenever his gaze me

n his arms, "how many times have I told you never to ta

think,"

ust always do your th

answered the

ket over there. Sadie may los

s. He knew how to stop captive lions from roaring. He knew how t

arm about Winnie, wal

he called over his should

isfied rumble stirred his throat, and his tail no longer slashed about. She led him to his own cag

ealized that she possessed it, but it was beyond analysis. Often some wild-eyed keeper would burst in upon her. Some newly captive lion or tiger was killing itself from mere passio

footed things. But I think Ahmed is right. Kathlyn is heaven born. I've seen the night when Brocken would be tame besi

orld to find a perfect black panther, a cheetah with a litter, or a great horned rhinoceros. He was tall and broad, and amazingly active, for all that his hair and mustache were almost white. For thirty years or more he had gone about the hazardous enterprise of supplying zo

is bronzed face. He gazed for a space at the calendar. The day was the fifteenth of July. Should he go back there, or should he give up the expedition? He might never return. India and the border cou

ss enamel and took from it a medal attached to a ribbon. T

rtha, that will be all," with a nod toward

" cried Winnie, rea

her," said Kathlyn. "What lovely ston

he colonel, smiling down into their cha

n, indignantly, too, since the ques

me if I took the Big

the

ad

out him, as vin

s seeing the show places. I'm a bit tired myself of jungle fodder. We'll go to Paris, and Berlin, and Rome, and Vienna. And yo

her's eyes. She did not quite like the way he said those wo

et this medal, f

Where did you g

I started out

or have it made over?" laughed Winnie, w

nts a royal title conferred on me by the king of Allaha. You have never been to India, Kit. Allaha is the na

" demanded Kathlyn, her eye

think it was b

never do anything but big things. As the

s. Most of them are dominated by the British Raj, some are only protected, while others do about as they please. This state"-touching the order-"does about as it did since the days of th

hing like that," said Kat

was dead. The girls waited patiently. They knew that his silence mean

hampered by parasitical relatives. By George, the old boy could have given his kingdom, lock, stock and barrel, to the British government, and no one could say him nay. There was a good deal of rumor the last time I was there that when he died England would step in actually. The old boy gave me leave to come and go as I pleased, to hunt where and how I would. I had a mighty fine col

a hunting lodge not far from my quarters. One day Ahmed came to me with a message saying that the king commanded my presence at the lodge, where his slaves had

murmured Winnie, snugg

went on the colonel. "He

hat?" ask

caught the king's fancy, and he brought up the boy, clothed, fed him, and sent him away down to Umballa to school. When the boy returned he talked Umballa morning, noon and night, till the soldiers began to call him that, and from them it passed on to the natives, all of whom disliked the upstart. Hanged if I can recall his

e lau

an honest liking for the king. Seeing the brute make for him, I dashed forward. You see, at ceremonials you're not permitted to carry arms. It had to be with my hands. The leopard knocked the old boy flat and began to maul him. I kicked the brute in the face, swept the king's turban off his head

s!" exclaimed Kathlyn, kissing the scar

s and putting them on Kathlyn'

" asked Winni

what is it, Martha? Dinner? Well, if I ha

u're awfully mean to Kit and me. If you'd take the troubl

es would interest vain young

ons of the volatile Winnie, but there was no getting by Kathlyn with evasions. Frowning, he replaced the order in the box, which he put away in a drawer. It was all arrant nonsense, a

is the ki

makes you as

e; you said he

he news came this morn

e any danger

may stick; a man may stumble; a man you rely on may fail you. As

did he speak of the Big Trek? There was something more than this glittering medal, something more than this

walked to and fro in the moonlight, with his head bent and his hands clasped behind his back. There was a restlessness in his stride not unlike that of the capti

man could rule over a brown one by the choice of the latter! And yet, that man Umballa's face, when he had shown the king the portraits of his two lovely daughters! He would send Ahmed. Ahmed knew the busin

and emeralds and pearls.... Well, it's not cupidity for myself. It's for the girls. Besides; there's the ca

extracted a large envelope heavily sealed. This he balanced in his hand for a moment, frowned, laughed, and swore softly. He would abdicate, but at a snug profit. Why

hirty-first, at midnight. Girls like mysteries, and if you opened it any time but midnight it would

the medal?" d

ld is beginning to reaso

e occultly she felt that her father expected her to laugh

he repeated. "All right, father. You must

and write a long letter from Allaha. Co

e way home. December thirty-first kept running through her mind. It held a portent of evil. She knew something of the Orient, though she had never visited India. Had h

larly every Saturday and returned at night. Winnie became, if anything, more flighty than ever. Her father never had young men about. The men he generally gathered round hi

. For Hindus and Japanese and Chinamen and what-nots from the southern seas were every-day affairs. The brown turban, however, and an enormous emerald on one of his fingers, produced an effect q

his old friend, Colonel Hare. It was easy enough to find. At the village inn he was treated with to

e envelope in her hand. By and by she put it away, and he was particular to note the drawer in which she placed it. That the dark-haired girl at the tea tabouret was equally charming did not stir the watcher. Dark-haired women were plentiful in his native land. Yonder was the girl of the photogr

id Kathlyn,

he teacup; her ey

a line from father since

ou th

from telegraph wires and railroads; it is only that he should forget us so long. Who k

instil into the heart of her char

ws in the envelope? Dad's always do

ne vase. Both girls were glad to welcome this diversion. They rose simultaneously and gave chase. Th

read the letter and changed his plans completely. He would not play messenger; he would use a lure instead. With his ear strained for sounds, he wrote and substituted a note. This houri of Sa'adi would not

sco, and the roaring and confusion were

on. The old year was dead, the new year was born, carrying with it the unchanging s

et!" crie

child. All the responsibility lay upon her shoulders.

e in Allaha. Sealed document can save me. B

the

, as the brown man had anticipated, blinded her to the fact

Kit,

isco to-morrow. The Empress of India, six a. m. I must make that. Now, you're your father's daughter, too, Winnie. You mu

just drawn out. For a while Kathlyn felt beaten. She woul

e freight, then

gel! I never t

It was absolutely against the compa

the rules," said the condu

t was then she saw the boxed lion on the platfo

that lion

thout an attendant, miss.

onductor confidently. "I'll travel as the lion's

But where the dickens will we put the cat? Every c

in the caboose. I'll see th

d's business better than I do. Look alive, boys, and get that an

t,

nni

ust got to be. But I've ne

nnie went sobbing back to the

rless young woman captured it alone, unaided, may be found in the files of all metropolitan newspapers. Of the brown man who was found hiding in the coat closet of the caboose nothing was said. But t

as th