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SATURDAY. JULY is.
(Continued From Thursday.)
TDurga Ram, called lightly T'm'balla,
■went directly to the palace, where he
knew the Council of Three solemnly
his arrival. He dashed up the
Imposing flight of marble steps, exult
ant. He had fulfilled his promise; the
golden daughter of Hare Sahib was
but a few miles away. The soldiers,
guarding the entrance, presented their
arms respectfully; but instantly after
Tlmballa disappeared the expression
on their faces was not pleasing.
TJmballa hurried along through the
deep oorridor, supported by exquisite
ly carved marble columns. Beauty in
stone was in evidence everywhere and
magnificent brass lamps hung from
the ceiling. There was a shrine topped
by an idol in black marble, lacrusted
with sapphires and turquoises. Durga
Bam, who shall be called TJmballa,
plodded slightly ae he passed It. Pore*
pf habit, since in his heart there was
pnly one religion—self.
He stopped at a door guarded by a
Single soldier, who saluted but spat
es soon as TJmballa had passed into
the throneroom. The throne itself
<was vacant. The Council of Three rose
pt the approach of TJmballa.
"She is here,” he said haughtily.
The Council salaamed.
TJmballa stroked his chin as he
gazed at the huge candles flickering
at each side of the throne. He sniffed
the Tibetan incense, and shrugged. It
was written. "Qo,” he said, “to Hare
Sahib’s bungalow and await me. I
shall be there presently. There Is
plenty of time. And remember our
four heads depend upon the next few
hours. The soldiers are on the verge
of mutiny, and only success can pacify
them.”
He turned without ceremony and
left them. With oriental philosophy
they accepted the situation. They had
sought to overturn him, and he held
them in the hollow of his hand. Dur
ing the weeks of his absence in Amer
ica his spies had hung about them like
bees about honey. They were the fowl
ers snared.
TJmballa proceeded along the corri
dor to a flight of stairs leading be
neath the palace floor. Here the sol
diers were agreeable enough; they
had reason to be. TJmballa gave them
new minted rupees for their work,
many rupees. For they knew secrets.
Before the door of a dungeon TJmballa
paused and listened. There was no
sound. He returned upstairs and
sought a chamber near the harem.
This he entered, and stood with folded
arms near the door.
"Ah, Colonel Sahib!”
’‘Umballa?” Colonel Hare, bearded,
unkempt, tried to stand erect and face
bis enemy. "You black scoundrel!”
"Durga Ram, sahib. Words, words;
the patter of rain on stone roofs. Our
king lives no more, alas!”
“You He!”
“He is dead. Dying, he left you this
throne —you, a white man, knowing
It was a legacy of terror and confu
sion. You knew. Why did you re
turn? Ah, pearls and sapphires and
emeralds! What? I offer you this
throne upon conditions.”
"And those conditions I have re
fused.”
"You have, yes. but now —” TJmballa
smiled. Then he suddenly blazed forth:
“Think you a white man shall sit upon
this throne while I live? It is mine.
I was his heir."
“Then why didn’t you save him from
the leopard? I’ll tell you why. You
expected to inherit on the spot, and
I spoiled the game. Is that not true?”
“And what if I admit it?” trucu
lently.
' “TJmballa, or Durga Ram, if you
wish, listen. Take the throne. What’s
to hinder you? You want it. Take it
and let me begone.”
"Yes. I want It; and by all the gods
of Hind I’ll have it—but safely. Ah!
It would be fine to proclaim myself
when mutiny and rebellion stalk about.
Am I a pig to play a game like that?
TPchl Toh!” He clicked his tongue
against the roof of bis mouth in de
rision. "No; I need a buckler till all
this roily water subsides and clears.”
"And then, some fine night, Hare
Sahib's throat? 1 am not afraid of
death, TJmballa. I have faced it too
many times. Make an end of me at
once or leave me to rot here, my an
swer will always be the same. I will
not become a dishonorable tool. You
have Offered me freedom and jewels.
No; I repeat, I will free all slaves, abol
ish the harems, the buying and selling
of flesh; I will make a man of every
poor devil of a coolie who carries
stones from your quarries."
TJmballa laughed. "Then remain
here like a dog while I put your golden
daughter on the throne and become
what the British Raj calls prinoe oon
sort. She’ll rebel, I know; but I have
a way He stepped outside and closed
the door.
“Umballa?”
“Well?”
“Kit, my daughter? Good God. wbat U
she doing here when I warned her?”
Hare tugged furiously at his chains.
"Durga Ram, you have beaten me.
State your terms and I will accept
ta Utfi letSfiL . . Sit. my
Tbc Adventures of Katblyn
By HAROLD MAC GRATH
Illustrated by Pictures from the Moving Picture Production of the Sellg Polyscope Co.
beautiful Kit, in this hell hole!' r
“Ah, but I don’t want you to accept
now. I waß merely amusing myself.”
The door shut and the bolt shot home.
Hare fell upon his knees. “My head,
my head! Dear God, save me my rear
son!”
*•**•*
The moment Kathlyn arrived at the
animal cages of her father she called
for Ahmed.
“My father?"
"Ah, memeahib, they say he is dead.
I know not. One night—the second
after we arrived —he was summoned
to the palace. He never came back.”
“They have killed him!”
“Perhaps. They watch me, too; but
1 act simple. We wait and see.”
Kathlyn rushed across the ground
intervening between the animal cages
and the bungalow. There was no one
la sight She ran up the steps . . .
ho be granted inside by the suave Una*
balht
“YouV” bar band flying to her bosom.
“I, Mlae Hare.” He salaamed, with
a sweeping gesture of bis hands.
Sadly the wretch told her the tale;
the will of the king, his death, and the
subsequent death of her father in hta,
Durga Ram's, arms. Yonder tmx con
tained his ashes. For the first time
in her young life Kathlyn fainted. She
had been living on her nerves for
weeks, and at the sight of that urn
something snapped. Daintily Um
balla plucked forth the packet and
waited. At length she opened her
eyes.
“You are a queen, Miss Hare."
"You are mad.*’’
“Nay; It was the madness of the
king. But mad kings often make laws
which must be obeyed. You will ac
cuse me of perfidy when I tell you all.
The note which brought you here was
written by me and substituted for
this.”
Dully Kathlyn read; "Kathlyn—H
not heard from, I’m held captive in
Alktba. The royal title given to me
by the king made me and my de
scendants direct heirs to the throne.
Do not come to Allaha yourself. De
stroy sealed document herewith.
“FATHER.”
The Council of Three entered noise
lessly from the adjoining room. At
the flour dark, inscrutable faces the be
wildered girl stared, her limbs numb
with terror. * Gravely the council told
her she must come with them to the
palace.
"It is impossible!" she murmured.
“You are all mad. lam a white wom
an. I cannot rule over an alien race
Wbooe tongue I cannot speak, whose
babits I know nothing of. It is impos
sible- Sinoe my father is dead, I must
return to my home.”
“No,” said Umballa.
“I refuse to stir!” She was all afire
of a sudden: the base trickery which
bad brought here here! She was very
lovely to the picturesque savage who
stood at her elbow.
As he looked down at her, in his
troubled soul Umballa knew that 1*
was not the throne so much as it was
this beautiful bird of Paradise which
he wished to cage,
“Be brave,” he said, "like your fa
ther. I do not wish to use force, but
you must go. It is useless to strug
gle. Come.”
She bung back for a moment; then,
realising her utter! helplessness, she
signified that she was ready to go. She
needed time to collect her stunned and
disordered thoughts.
Before going to the palace they con
ducted her to the royal crypt. The
urn containing her father's ashes was
deposited in a niche. Many other
inches contained urns, and Umballa
explained to her that these held the
ashes of many rulers. Tears welled
into Kathlyn's eyes, but they were of
a hysterical character,
“A good sign,” mused Umballa, who
thought he knew something of women,
like ail men beset with vanity. Oddly
enough, he had forgotten all about the
incident of the lion in the freight ca
boose. All women are felines to a cer
tain extent. This golden-haired woman
had claws, and the day was coming
when be would feel them drag over his
heart.
FVom the crypt they proceeded to
the palace senana (harem), which sur
rounded a court of exceeding beauty.
Three ladles of the harem were sitting
in the portico, attended by slaves. All
were curiously Interested at the sight
of a woman with white skin, tinted
like the lotus. Umballa came to a
halt before a latticed door.
“Here your majesty most remain
till the day of your coronation.”
"How did my father die?”
“He was assassinated on the palace
steps by a Mahomedan fanatic. As I
told you, be (Med In my arms."
“His note signified that he feared
imprisonment. How came be on the
palace steps?"
"He was not a prisoner. He came
and went as he pleased in the olty."
He bowed and left her.
Alone In her chamber, the dullness
of bor mind diminished and finally
cleared away Ilka a fag in a wind. Her
dear, kind, blue-eyed father was dead,
and she was virtually a prisoner, and
Winnie was all alone. A queen! They
sort mad. ih* rts in tha. midst of
(Copyright by Harold UacGralh)
some hideous nightmare. Mad, mad,
mad! She began to laugh, and it was
not a pleasant sound. A queen, she,
Kathlyn Hare! Her father was dead,
she was a queen, and Winnie was all
alone. A gale of laughter brought to
the marble lattioe many wondering;
eyes. The white oockatoo shrilled hla
displeasure. Those outside the lattioe
saw this marvelous whitoskinmedl
woman, with hair like the gold threads
in Chinese brocades, suddenly throw
herself upon a pile of cushions, and
they saw her shoulders rock and
heave, but heard no sound of wailing.
After a while she fell asleep, a kind
of dreamless stupor. When she awoke
it was twilight in the court. The
doves were cooing and fluttering in the
cornices and the cockatoo was preen
ing his lemon-colored topknot. At first
Katblyn had not the least idea where
she was, but the light beyond the lat
tice, the flitting shadows, and the tin
kle of a stringed instrument assured
her that she was a wake, terribly
awake.
Bbe set perfectly still, slowly gather
tug her strength, mental and physical.
She was not her father's daughter lor
nothing. She was to fight in some
strange warfare. Instinctively she
thin; but from what direction, In
Wbat shape, only God knew. Yet she
must prepare for it; that was the vital
thing; she must marshal her forces,
feminine and only defensive, and
watch.
Raol Her hands clutched the pO«
lows. In five days’ time he would ba
off to seek John Bruce; and there
would be white men there, and they
would oome to her though a thousand
legions of these brown men stood be
tween. She must play for time; she
must pretend docility and humility,
meet guile with guile. She could gef
no word to her faithful khttmatgar|.
none here, even If open to bribery,
could be made to understand. Only
Umballa and the council spoke Eng
lish or understood It. She bad tea
days’ grace; within that time she
hoped to find some loophole.
Slave girls entered noiselessly. The
hanging lamps were lit. A tabaret
was set before her. There were qnali
and roast kid, fruits and fragrant tea.
She was not hungry, but she ate.
Within a dozen yards of her sst her
father, stolidly munching his chupat
tis, because he knew that now he must
live.
• ••••••
One of the chief characteristics of
the East Indian is extravagance. To
outvie each other in celebrations ol
births, weddings, deaths and corona
tions they bfeggar themselves. In this
the oriental and the occidental have
one thing in common. This principal
ity was small, but there was a deal of
wealth in it because of its emerald
mines and turquoise pits. The durbar
brought out princes and princelings
from East, South and West, and ewen
three or four wild-eyed amirs from the
North. The British government at
Calcutta heard vaguoly about this fleta,
but gave it scant attention for the sim
ple fact that it had not been invited
to attend. Still it watched the per
formance covertly. Usually durbars
took months of preparation; this one
had been called into existence within
ten days.
Elephants and camels and bullookn;
palanquins, gharris, tongas; cloth of
gold and cloth of jewels; color, confu
sion, maddening noises, and more col
or. There was very little semblance
of order; a rajah preceded a prince
ling, and so on down. The wailing of
reeds and the muttering of kettle
drums; music, languorous, haunting,
elusive, low minor chords seemingly
struck at random, intermingling e
droning chant; a thousand streams of
incense, crossing and recroeeing; and
fireworks at night, fireworks which
had come all the way across China by
caravan —these things Kathlyn saw
and heard from her lattice.
The populace viewed all these mani
festations quietly. They were perfect
ly willing to wait. If this white queen
proved kind they would go about their
affairs, leaving her in peace; but they
were determined that she should bo no
puppet in the hands of Umballa, whom
they hated for his cruelty and money
leeching ways. 0, everything was ripe
in the stato for murder and 100t —and
the reaching, holding bund of the Brit■
Mi Raj.
As Kathlyn advanced to ths canr
opted dais upon which she was to be
crowned, a hai.d filled with flowers
reached out She turned to see Ah
med.
"Bruce Sahib,” she whispered.
Ahmed salaamed deeply as she
passed on. The impression that she
was dreaming again seized her. This
could not possibly be real. Her feet
did not seem to touch the carpets; she
did not seem to breathe; she floated.
It was only when the crown was placed
upon her bead that she realized the
reality and the finality of the pro
ceedings. *
"Be wise,” whispered Umballa, cold
ly 'll yt u take off that crown now.
neither your gods nor mine could rave
you from that mob down yonder. Be
advized Rl*e!”_^
(To Be Continued Tomorrow)
THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA. GA.
Money at the top, and sorrow underground.
Money waving in the sunshine, children ground in the
Dark the Damp, out of sight.
Thine old legend tells of the famous tree Igdrasil, that
had its roots in hell and its branches in heaven.
THE RAW EDGE
For Answer the Boy Struck a Match, Illuming the Dim
Greyness of the Cabin Atmosphere, and, Holding It Be
tween Them, Looked at Her Steadily.
►She might almost have been hid moth
er, for she wjih u t the apex of woman’s
life, nearing "The splendid forties” and
he, with his clean-shaven face, looked
little more than a boy, thought his rec
ord an Lieutenant R. N. showed that lie
must have been in the twenties
Yet in that narrow wooden cabin,
darkened now by the volume of green
water tressing on the screwed-up port
hole, she forgot her seniority; it. whs
sunk, lost sight of altogether, in the
fir greeter elemental difference of sex.
Whatever her superiority in veara she
was a woman and this crop-headed
clean-skinned lad was a man, and to
him she turned Instinctively for help and
reinforcement of courage.
"You’re quite sure?’’ she asked in a
voice that, do what she would sounded
pitiably thin. "If we both tried to
gether couldn’t we hurst the floor open?”
Ife shook his head. "Wedged," ho
answered laconleally.
"What is it?"
"I don’t know. Home wooden bulk
head or hatch-cover cast loose by that
last sea I suppose. It’s Jammed In the
passage; no human power can let us
out."
Even as he spoke the ship, whleh had
been curiously still shook as If shrink
ing from some on-coming f fie, and then
a thud whleh penetrated the recesses of
life Itself resounded above them, follow
ed by a menacing swish as the volume of
water potfred back Into the sea.
"They will miss us perhaps and corns
to lfHik for ns?” the woman Hugest ed.
For answer ihe hoy struck ;i match,
illumining the dim greyness of the cabin
atmosphere, and holding It between them
looked at her steadily for a moment.
And in that moment she read all there
was In his glance and understood the
very soul of him In a way that no weeks
of easy companionship on sh’pboard.
such ns they had already enjoyed, could
have taught her. What she saw filled
her with a wave of shame and humilia
tion.
HfTe was she. a woman of position and
consequence In her own circle, a woman
looked up to and respected, considered
brave and strong, Hhe Ind lived fortv
years of a life by no means easy, she had
fought her way up for herself, and had
gained not mall measure of self-respect
thereby, vet at that moment her one
thought had been to preserve self-con
trol, not to show the dismay with wrlch
the thought of death Imminent and un
mistakable, had filled hev. Hut when
she looked at her companion she knew
that he was not even thinking of his
own end So htdeouglv nejif.
The ship trad experienced terrific sans
ever since entering the bay on her home
ward voyage and in the grey light of
the morning the passengers ha/1 be*
aroused by the sudden cessation of the
laboring engines followed by a Jerk and
then an ominous roll.
stewards had rushed down the pass
ages telling all to assemble on the ur/p or
deck, and frightened, huddled crowds had
assembled . Tins woman along in huf
THE MONEY TREE OF CHILD LABOR
cabin had also tried to rcsimnd, but It
was as if the atmosphere had turned to
Jdily, so curiously slow and heavy were
the movements »»f her limbs In response
to brain stimuli. At length, with an
effort of will, akin to that of a person
fighting against hypnotic Influence, she
had managed to ge fsorne clothes around
her and forced herself through the door
of her cabin into the little side recess
on which it opened, and so on to the
narrow main passage. This was de
serted and all askew, as dreamlike in Its
way ns heV heavy hands and feet. She
had started to stumble along Its inter
minable lengtr with despair In her heart,
and as she did so ;« volume of green
water knee-keep rolled In at the fur end
and washed In a furious tide towards
her.
I'recipltately she withdrew, rushing
back to shelter, unnbleto fees the flood
and helpless as a child. Btandlg there,
nhsfS’bed In tier personal problem and I
only dimly eonidouH of intermittent |
screams and crashes overhead, she sud- j
denly beards a splashing and a voice
shouting near at hand. Hhe shouted in I
answer, and saw with such relief that j
ft filled her with almost a sensation of
acute pain, the young naval officer who 1
had been Invalided home on the steamer)
as a passenger’. j
He sprang towads tie; then all in a |
moment, so it seemed, a towelrig wall of !
water blocked the passage behind him.
In one swift moment they had slmul- •
taneously sprung Into the cabin and.
thrust hack the door, and the wat«T only j
eddying Into the recess had rolled on- •
ward In its mass. Hut when they tried J
to open the door It was blocked secure
ly as If nailed by screws, Jammed down
by something carried into the recess by!
the last side-long rol'l of the doomed j
ship as she harl finally settled on the
rock that was grinding Into her vitals,
while the monstrous waves tifro and
lashed at her from above and both sides. )
Now ns the w,ormiri looked at the man
she knew with conviction that death, his
own death In the Immediate future, was
not occupying his thoughts at all. Ills)
whole expression was one of thoughtful
Inquiry. He had not had much to do
with women so far; his strenuous life
had kept him apart from them except
In intercourse of the most superficial
kind. Now that he was thrown with
one of them in a situation that would
have tried the nerves of a hrnxex man
accustomed to h /. vds with the death
penalty In the losing throw, he was ;
wondering what she would do, how she
would be have
The query rose Involuntarily to her
lips, though it was not In the least what
she had me nt to say, "Why did you
eorne down here?"
"The old ship hns got a tremendous
list on tier I thought there might be
some of you not able to get out "
Hhe was ashamed, shsmed to her soul
For it was rio use disguising the fact, »
she wss afraid, horribly afraid, now that I
there was rut escape. Hhe thought of the .
tons of green wattV that would pissenl*
The roots of this tree of child labor money are planted
in the hell of suffering and misery. Would that the branches
miffht reach to heaven and stir up and avenging justice that
would end the system.
ly smash their way In, of that agonized
gasping struggle as they drowned in
their trsp, and then after! Hhe believed,
yes, she believed in a future life, but
what would It be? The only certainty
was It would be all so incredibly differ
ent when stripped of the flesh and the
dear familiar material surroundings
agulnst which one could bump and hurst
oneself. Was It only lack of Imagina
tion that made tills hoy so immeasur
ably her superior In the face of the al
mighty unknown? Hut the comfort of
him! JSven if she died as the result of
his crusade she was not heroic enough
to wish he had not sacrifice his eiringes;
it made such an inexpressible difference to
her not to go out into the void utterly
alone.
Hhe groped in the darkness that had
settled down upon them and found Ills
right hand; the response was Instantan
eous, and his strong thick fingers closed
over hers In a grip conveying a reassur
ing current of human sympathy and
courage as he pufthls left hand under her
elbow to steady her.
Thus they stood, half leaning agiinst
some article of fixed furniture In the
reeling cabin.
"There's no chance, I suppose?" she
whispered at length breathlessly when
the crashing and smashing overhead had
died down for a second or two.
"We’re up against It," be answered
simply.
Hhe longed to ask him If he we*re
afraid, but it seemed too melo-dramath*
Its face of his dignified reserve, yet his
next remark wus by way of an answer
to her thought.
‘lt’s not much worse than a subma-|
rlne," he volunteered. "You see I'm
used to It; when you’re shut up below
there’s always the risk of getting cut
In two by something and being sent to
the bottom without a chance."
Thut was it then experience! Men
were used to those risks in the course
of their dally lives; they had the habit,
of them, and habit blunted the edge -
some men at least, perhaps the men who,
were men. Hhe wus getting confused.
Then all at onc e there wus a stag- ,
Bering blow far outswlnging all that had
proceeded It. It sent them reeling
across the cabin; the very plunks seem
ed rending beneath their feet, the day |
of Judgment hud come. A torrent of
wilier k‘ nwllnK Ilk" a thwartnd brant
burnt Inward The woodwork ami all
that was solid In the cabin was smashed
up in an Inextricable welter, and their
soft bodies were hurled up and down
a mid the wreckage everything disap
peared in turmoil end chaos; sight and
hearing vanished, only touch remained.
Her last thought was still to cling to
that strong hand that never let hers go
though worlds reeled and dissolved.
HAD LOST EFFECT.
The customer In the grocery sure,
having ruined his clothes, was hopping
mad "IMdn't you see that sign,
'Fresh Faint?’” asked the grocer.
»*Of course f did," snapped the cus
tomer, "but I've seen so many signs
bung up hern announcing something
fresh that wasn’t that I didn't believe
it.” Jins ton Transcript.
EXPENSIVE ACQUAINTANCE.
Wlfey—l suppose we must send
Miss Hplleer a wedding present?
Hubby—l warned you not to get too
Intimate with that girl. I knew she
wa.* one of the kind to get married
THE “PLUCKING” SYSTEM
(l-'rom the Washington Herald.)
The "plucking” system In the navy
la either wrong In principle, or It li
being wrongly administered, or both.
Opinion, possibly excepting a certain
element in ahe service. Is unanimous
thnt the results are usually had, and
this year notoriously so. The conclu
sion Inevitably is that congress should
at once discover the remedy and apply
It. •
The system, whenever applied, rare
ly falls to Inflict Injustice or hardship
upon one or more worthy and efficient
officers of the navy by placing them
on the retired list before their time,
the government being put to the ex
pense of maintaining them In Idle
ness. As n result of the recent oper
ations of the “plucking board’’ It has
been computed that the government
will pay ont about f!>5,000 annually for
which It will receive no return In ser
vices. Most of the “plucked” officers
are capable of years of a tlve service.
Thtey regard their retirement as a
punishment, and the public so regards
it, for the reason that, while the vic
tims have been guilty of nothing to
warrant charges against them, It Is
wel| understood that they are selected
for “plucking" for certain reasons,
usually of a trivial nature and often
associated with personal spite or Jeal
ousies That a great government
should sanction a system under which
such abuses are possible Is Indefen
sible.
If the ratio of retirement is not
large enough to provide for necessary
promotion, there should be a readjust
nicna In the service that will obviate
the delegation of arbitrary powers of
retirement to a board of officers whose
selections sre subject to a variety of
petty Influences.
Hurely a more business-like and Just
|dan can be devised, and the opportu
nity Is presented to Secreaary Daniels
to effect a real and beneflclent reform
In the navy.
PAVING AND PAINTING.
i Ishe Dhul.it says that he Is wedd
ed to Ills art.
Hteve- Then he Is entitled to a di
vorce on the grounds of non-support.—
Cincinnati Krmulrer.
FINE SYBTFM.
“That druggist Is an enterprising
euss.”
“Is, erf’
“Huns a moving picture show, too,
and If you have to wait long for your
medicine he passes you Into the show.
In due time, they flash up a notice,
Mr. Wombat’s prescription Is ready.’
Makes a man feel Important, I tell
you.’ * ■* . ’ /
DOCTOR’S ORDERS.
\, 11 caused you to becoma a
trump’.'
The family physician, sir. He ad
vised me to take long walks after
meals, an’ I’vo been walking after ’em
ever since.
THREE