The Adventures of Kathlyn

the hands at his throat were the hands of a madman, steel, resistless. The colonel's chains clinked sharp

made others suffer. What new complications might follow Umballa's death did not alarm her. How could she be any worse off than she was? He had pol

yed God for days for this c

to die at that momen

d from his paralyzed fingers and lay on the floor, gasping and sobbing. Hare fell back against the pillar, groaning. The cessation

hem both now. Why, she asked with sudden passion, why this misery? What had she done in he

d crawled to the open door. He pulled himself up and stood there, weakly. But there was venom enough in

s heart far more than oral threats would have done. T

ther and flung her arms about him, support

ment longer. Well, he's still alive. But, O, my Kit, my golden Kit, to see you here is to be tortured li

h, h

not greed; I wanted them for you and Winnie … I knew you were here. Trust that black devil to announce t

he had done he bowed his head upon her bare shou

"Father, don't, don't! You

: "What shall we do,

she answered quietly. "We ca

ha

will sa

do? The moment you married him would be my death warrant. No, no! If you weaken n

d so can

above the world was going on the same as usual. Trains were hurrying to and fro; the great ships were going dow

ever a precious stone that lay not in the shadow of blood and misery? Poor, poo

s and moonstones. And I wanted them for my pretty cubs! Umballa knew th

y. Do you not know that to Winnie and me a hair of your head is more precious t

e window, and that appeared impossible since she had no means of filing through her father's chains and the bars of

since their fat flesh had been stung into such

to kill me, here and now, for if I ever get free. God help you! O, I shan't kill you; that would be too merciful. But I'll

flashes of fire before his eyes, and it was yet difficult to breathe

im outside the city g

astonished at this

l and shoot him if he is caught within the city. He is mad, and therefore I am le

You found her in th

him to dangle death before the eyes of his rival. He was no fool; he saw the trend of affa

that this time he would meet death. Ah, where was Ali, and Ahmed, and the man Lal Singh, who was to notify the English?

elpless,

e of good cheer; Umballa and I

h; there is no

ruce, moodily, "he watc

at Hare Sa

have heard yet. Ahmed will find a w

unds. The clay tinted skin, the shaking hands, the disheveled garments

r prisoner. A flash of strength w

the w

ave news for you. There is another sister, younger and weaker. Our queen," and he salaamed i

l now submit

s tiger-cats, and nothing will bend this maid; she must be bro

will must of necessity be theirs

imal keepers, armed with rifles, patrolled the menagerie. No one was to pass the co

native child was playing. From time to time t

nt shuffled into the clearing. He was halted, ma

the beast to his own devices. The child called and the elephant walked off quietly. So long as he remained within range of vision no one paid any attention to him. Finally he passed under a tree near the c

up a chattering. The child ordered the elephant to rise on his hind legs. He placed his fore legs on th

ff to test this unexpected liberty. He was frien

while the child began to cry loudly. One of the native

. He had captured it when a mere baby in British East Africa. The troglodyte, with a strange reasoning yet untranslatable, loved the colonel de

the slave mart that afternoon. It seemed incredible. To have her fall into Umballa's hands thus easily, when he and Bruce Sah

yet. She shuddered. Had she been alone she would have hunted for something sharp and deadly. But her father; not before h

it

, fa

in my pocket. Could you … My Go

and death seems all that remains. I sh

good to give me a

his time and presse

ark suddenl

nced toward

baboon!" sh

cried her fa

oon cha

about. He is tame and follows me

have you

cil?"

a note and attach it

that." The colonel went through his pockets fever

hands of the natives they would not understand, If the baboon returned to camp … It made her weak to rea

here,

ss round his neck. Then she struck her hands together violentl

is g

ply, but began to exam

here without files. If there is any

romi

sat down

strange-looking ape (for baboons did not habitate this part of the world); he had gone up one of the trees near by. Colonel Hare had always used a

ndow by tre

bordinates and hurried away to Bruce's camp, only to find that he had gone to the col

hm

sten." He told

hoot me if they catch me within the walls of

rk by the time we reach the city, and we'll enter by one of the other gates. That wil

It was empty. He had give

, Ahmed.

trainer who was only too glad not in any way to be implicated with his master. So they let him alone. Day by day he waited for the report from Lal Singh, but so far he had heard nothing

ing. Day after day I have been waiting, hopin

iv

his servant. He is my father and my mother, and I would die for him an

dozen who passed in at the same time. They threaded the narrow streets quickly, skirting th

eek to enter the front, but chose the gate in the rear of the g

alled Bruce

le came out of his dream with a

mabai, suspicious, as al

e reply in English, flin

d Ramabai. "What do you h

ame from the house. She re

ib! Have you

at sentries are about." Bruce went on to relate the incident of the baboon. "This proves that the note was written not more t

or my life. In a

" aske

ll." Pundita stole

d sm

at once. It is not necessary to enter the city, for this window, Ahmed says, is on the outsi

Ramabai prod

ing. The men, should there be any, will hark to

imidly ask

" said Ramabai. "This is a good o

dded app

ved each other, a circumstance almost unknow

shall leave for the frontier. And when we return it will be with might and

the treadmill. It is written. I am a Mohammedan. Yet sometimes these vile

t?" deman

s will come, bitter and heart burning: a storm, a whirlwind, a fire;

ai, sending a pierc

see, Ramabai. Some day they will call you the

" whispered Bruce as he d

t perhaps the fakir lied.

were junketing in the bazaars. Shortly they came up to two elephants with howdahs. They were the best mannered of the half dozen owned or ren

bai, and he consoled her. She was

t parting, "she saved both

l the gods-no, the Chris

t the pulling chains were well wrapped in cotton blankets

" began

at confused and puzzled Bruce. "It is my Mem-sahib, and I am one of the fingers of the long arm

eacock hissed from the underbrush sleepily. All silence again. Several times Ahmed halted, straining his ears. It seemed incredi

alls. Here Ramabai got down, and went In search of any sentries.

ers of dull opals. What misery had be

tree and raised h

ahib!" h

. I'll risk

dow. His heart beat wildly. He leaned down

Hare?" he

is

ru

uce heard her cry; "

as one who had Allah to thank. God w

ars and pull them out, without noise if possible. Th

a tabo

n it, and I'll pull you up an

is in

ains. What in God's

me. Get Kit away, and quickly. Umballa may return at a

ainst metal. The hooks were deftly engaged. The chains grew taut. So far there was but little noise.

yn wa