The Augusta herald. (Augusta, Ga.) 1914-current, August 07, 1914, Home Edition, Page FOURTEEN, Image 14

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FOURTEEN (Continued) TV* flays passed The chief of tha Ixrlganda was growing restles*. Ifs finally declared that unles* the ranaotn waa delivered that night he would rid himself of them all The tiger waa starving In order to prove that ha waa not chattering Idly he had the pr la on ere tied to the wheela of tha Cage It would at leaat. amuae him to watch their growing terror. "look! Some one la doming!" cried Kathlyn. The chief aaw the caravan at tha atemn time, and lie act up a ahout of pUanure Three fat bnga of silver ru pees' TJmbaJla, the good Samaritan, bar gained with the chief He did not want all the prtaonars. only one Three hagH of allver would be forthcoming ttpon the promise that the young wom an and the young man abould be dis posed of. “By the tiger?" Umballa shrugged To him It mat tered not ho» The chief, weary of hi* vigil, agreed readllv enough, and I'm balla Itirm-d over the allver “The guru, my Kir You see’ This 1a the end Well, Imn tired A filigree basket of gems!" "So!” said I'mballa, amlllng at Kath lyn "You and your lover ahall In deed be wed by lho atrlped one! A sad tale I ahall take bank with me Yon were both dead when I arrived" Preacntly Bruce and Kathlyn were alone. They could hour the brute In the cage, snarling and clawing at the wooden door CHAPTER XIII. i In the Jackal'* Lair, The golden Bands, the purple cliff*, the translucent blue of the heavens, and the group of picturesque rascals Jabbering and gesticulating and presa Ing about their chief made a picture Kathlyn waa never to forget. "Patience, my little ones!" said the chief, showing hla white, strong teeth In what waa more of a annrl than a smile. 'There la plenty of time.” Bruce leaned toward Kathlyn "Stand perfectly still, just as you are I bellove I can reach the knot back of your handa. This squabbling la tha very thing needed They will not pay any attention te ua for a few minute* and If I cam read algna they'll all be at aach tuber's throats short- IT" "But even If w* get free what can we do?" Kathlyn waavbeglnnlng te loee both 1 faith and heart The tight of her father being led back to Allaha by Durga Ram. after ail the misery to which be had been subjected, shook the eourage which bad held her up fheee long, unhappy weeks For the rankled that her father waa still weak, j and that any additional suffering would kill him "You muetnt talk like that" an Id Bruce. "You've been In tighter placca than thla If we ran get free, leave the real to me Ho long aa one can tte and hear and move, there's hope” "I'm becoming a coward Do what yon can I promise to obey you tn all thing* " Bruce bent a* far aa he could, and went desperately to work at the knot with hla teeth Hncceaa or failure did not realty matter, simply, he did not propoae to die without making a mighty struggle to avoid death Tbs first knot became looee, then another. Kathlyn stirred her bands cautiously "Now!" he whispered She twisted her handa two or three times and found them free "Mine, now!" said Bruce "Hurry!" It »i« a simple matter for her to re lease Bruce. “God Mesa those rupees!" he mur mured "There'll he a flue row In a minute Keep perfectly a til], and when the moment oomee follow toe lu te the cave. They have left thetr guua In there " "You are a brave and ready man. Mr Bruce.'' "You called me John once." "Well, then, John," a ghost of a •mile flitting across har lips. Men war* not generally sentimental in tbs face of death. "There are nine of ua'" err earned one of tbe brigands "And I claim one bag beoaune with oat my help and brains you would bars bad nothing." roared the chief "Who warned you agalnat the opium* Ha Pig!" The first blow wae struck. Instant ly tbe chief drew hla knife and lunged at the two nearest him “Treachery'" "Ha! riga' Dogs! Coma I'll show yon who la master!" “Thief!" Tha remaining brigands cl need tn upon their loader and bore him down upon bis book “To tha tiger with him!" "Howl" cried 1 truce Ho flung tha rope from hla handa naught Kofhtyn by tha arm. and. run ning and stumbling, they gained th* gjv*, gilh** Ignored ot unobserved hr The Adventures of Kathlyn By HAROLD MAC GRATH - - ■ - ■ —— Illustrated by Picture* from the Moving Picture Production ot tbe Sells Polys cap*- Co. tbe victorious brigand* They dragged the atonned leader to bis feet and haled blm to the cage, lnehlng him to a wheel. Nert, they seised the rope which operated the door and retired to the mouth of the cave "Rob us, would he!" “Take the lion's share when we did all the work!'' "8wlne!" "1 will give It all to you!" whined th* whilom chief, mad with terror. "And knife ua In the back when we sleep! No, no! You have kicked and cuffed ua for the last time!” Bruce picked up one of the rifles and drew Kathlyn farther Into the cave. "(Jet! behind me and crouch low. They'll come around to us presently." The rascals gave the rope a savage pull, and frotn where he stood Bruce could are the lean strip'd body of the furious tiger leap to freedom. "Keep your eyes ahut. It will nod be a pleasant thing to look at," he warned the girl. But Kathlyn could not have closed her eyes If ahe had tried. She saw tha brute pause, turn, and strike at the helpless man ul the wheel, then lope off, doubtless having In mind to teat his freedom before he fed. The remaining brigands rushed out and gathered up the bags of rupees This was the opportunity for which Bruce had waited. "dome There may be some outlet to thla cHva Here 1s another rift*. I.et us cut for It! When thieve# tall out; you know the old saying.” They ran back several yards and discovered a kind of chasm leading diagonally upward "Thank Ood! We ean get out of thla after all Are you strong enough tor a stiff climb?” "I've got to be —John!" "Truat me, Kathlyn," he replied sim ply. He had but one life, but he de termined then and there to make It equal or outlast the six live* which stood between him and liberty. The brigands, having succeeded In their mutiny, bethought themselves of therlr prisoners, only to And that they had vanished Familiar with the cave and Its outlet, they started eagerly In pursuit. They reasoned that If an old man was worth three hag* of rupee*, two yuong people might naturally be worth twice us much. And besides, being tigers, they bad tasted blood. A shout caused Bruce to turn In stantly he raised hla rifle, and pulled the trigger. The result was merely a snap The gun had not been loarded 11a snatched Kathlyn'a rttle, but this, too, waa useless. The brigands yelled exultantly and began to swarm up the ragged cliff Bruce flung aside tha gun and turned hla attention to a boulder. Half way np the chasm had a width which waa little broader than the shoulders of an ordinary man. He watted tIU ha aaw the wretohr* within a yard or ao ot thla epot, then pushed the boulder It roared and crashed and bounded, and before it reached the narrow pathway I truce fled started a mate to It Then a third followed. Thla oauaed a terrtflo allde of rocka and boulder*, and the brigand* turned for thetr lives "That will be about all for tha pres ent." said Bruce, wiping hla forehead. "Now If we can make that village we shall be all right. Bala Khan’* men will not laave with the c*m«ds till they learn whether we are dead or alive. It will be a hard trek. Mias Kathlyn. Ten miles over sand Is worse than 50 over turf I don't think wa ll see any mors of those ruffians." "Kathlyn." she said. "Well Kathlyn!" "Or. better aitll, at home they caR me Kit" They smiled Into each other's eyea, and no word* wens needed Thu* quickly youth discards Its burdens! That he did not take her Into his arms at once proved the caliber of the man. And Kathlyn respected him non* the less for hts control She knew now, and she was certain that bar eyes had told him as frankly as any words would have done; and she fall Into h'.i stride, strangely embar rassed and not a little frightened. Tha firm grasp of hts hsnd as here and there he steadied her sent a thrill of •Iqulslt* pleasure through her Love! She laughed softly; and h# ■topped and eyed har tn astonishment. "What ts It”' "Nothing," rite answered. Bnt she went on with the thought whtoh had provoked her laughter Love! Danger all about, unseen, hid den; misery tn the foreground, and perba >* death beyond, her father back In chntna, to face she knew not what horro.-#. and yet she could )<auee by the wav aide and think of love! "There was something." he tnatsted. "That wasn’t happy laughter. What cause 1 ks "Bom* day 1 will tell you—ts we live." "Ldre?" Then he laughed. And she was not alow to roongnixe the Homeric quality of his laughter. "Kit, I am going to get you and your f*th*~ out of all thla. If but for on* tbtag." . {Ospyrlgkl by Harold MaeUratb) - Ard what la that?" curious In her turn. "I'll tell you later.” And there the matter stood. The Journey to the village proved frightfully exhausting. The two were In a sorry plight when they reached the well. The camel men were overjoyed at the sight of them For hours they had waited In dread, contemplating flight, which would take them anywhere but to Bala Khan, who rewarded cowardice In one fashion only. For, but for their cowardly In activity, their chargee might by now be safe In the seaport toward which they had been Journeying. So they brought food for the two and begged that they would not be accused of cowardice to Bala Kahn "Poor devils!” sold Bruc*. "Had they shown the least resistance those brigand chaps would have killed them off like rats "He beckoned to the head man. “Take us back to Bala Khan In the morning, and we promise that n* harm shall betall you. Now, And ua a place to sleep," Nevertheless, it was hard work to keep that promise. Bala Khan stormed asid swore that death waa too good for the watery hearts of hi* camel men. They should be oruclfled on tbe wall. Kathlyn'a diplomacy alone averted the tragedy. Finally, with a good deal of reluctance, Bala Khan gave hla word. So Bruoe and Kathlyn planned to retarn to Allaba, and It waa the khan himself who devised the method. The two young people should stain their skins and don native drees. He would give them two camels outright, only they would be obliged to m&ka tha Journey without servant*. ‘Hut if harm oomes to you, and I hear of it, by the beard of the prophet. I'll throw Into Allaha such a swarm of stinging beea that ail Hind shall hear of IL Go, and may Allah watch over you, Infidels though you bal" TTmbaUa sent a messenger on bo fore, for he loved the theatrical, which is innate In all orientals. Ha desired to enter the city to the shrill ing of reed* and the booming of tom toms; to impress upon tbit unruly populace that be, Durga Ram, was a man at his word, that when he set out to acoompliKh a thing It waa aa good aa done. His arrival was greeted with cheers, but there waa an undertone of groona that was not pleasant to his keen ears. Deep In bis heart be canted, for by these sounds he knew that only the froth was his, the froth and senm of the town. The iron heel; so they would hare It tn preference to hla friendship. 0. for some way to trap Ramabai, to hold him up In ridicule, to smash him down from hts pedestal, known but so yet unseen! He wondered If be would find any more of those anonymous notes re lating to the Inviolable person of Ro me bnl Woe to him who laid them •bout, could he bnt pat hie hand npon him! He, Durga Ram. held Allaha in tbe hollow of hla hand, and this day be would prove It. So he put a rope abont the waist of Colonel Hare, and led him through th* streets, as tbe ancient Romans he had read about did to the vanquished. He hluiself recognised the absurdity of all these things, but his safety lay In the faot that the populooe at large were Incapable of reasoning for them selves; they saw only that which was visible to the eye. On the palace steps he harangued the people, praising his deeds. He alone had gone tnto the wilderness nnd faced death to ransom thetr law ful king. Why thane bonds? The king had shirked his duty; he had be trayed his trust; but tn order that tbe people should be no longer without a head, this man should become thetr prisoner kin*; he should be forced to etgn law* for their betterment With out the royal signature the treasury could not be touched, and now th* soldiers should be paid In full. From the soldier* about came wtM huszahs Ahmed and lei Singh, packed away In the heart of the crowd, exchanged gloomy looks Once the army wae Umballa*. they readily understood what would follow: Umballa would acclaim himself, and the trap pa would back him. “We have a thousand guns and ten thousand rounds of ammunition," mur mured Uil Singh “Perhaps we had beat prevail upon Kainatmt to strike at once. But watt. The colonel sahib understands He knows that If he signs anything It will directly prove his death warrant There Is still an obstacle ag Umballa'a feet. Listen!" Badly I'mhalta recounted his ad venture in full. The daughter of the ktug and hts friend, th# American hun ter, were dead He, I'mballa. had ar rived ton late The colonel, mnd with rage, was about to give Pinball* the lle-ptibllcly. when he saw a warning hand uplifted, and below that hand the face of Ah med Ahmed shook his head The colonel s shoulders drooped, in that alga he read dona or. THE AUGUSTA HERALD, AUGUSTA, GA. iney live," said Ahmed. "That is enough for the present. Let us begone to the house of Ramabai.” "The Colonel Sahib is safe for the time being." "And will be so long as he refuses to open the treasury door to I'mballa. There Is a great deal to smile about. I-al Singh. Here Is a treasury, guard ed by seven leopards, savage as sav age can be Only the two keeper; ever dare approach them, and thee' keepers refute to cage the leopard' without a formal order from the kin" Jr queen. Superstition forbids Umbal la to makp way with the brutes. The people, your people and mine. La Singh, bellqve that these leopards art sacred, and any who kills them com ilts sacrilege, and you know what hat amounts to here. 8o there he dodders; too cowardly to fly in the face of superstition. He must torture ;nd humiliate the Colonel Sahib and ’its daughter. Ah, these white people! They have heads and hearts of steel. I know." "And I'mballa has the heart of a flea bitten pariah dog. When the time comes he will grovel and squirm and whine." "He will.” agreed Ahmed. "His feet are even now Itching for th* tread mill.” The colonel was taken to on* of the palace chambers, given a tub and fresh clothing. Outside In the corri dors guards patrolled, and there were four who watched tha window. He was a king, but well guarded. Well, they had crowned him, but never should Umballa, through any signature if his. put his hand Into the royal treasury. Besides, this time he had "•en pity and sympathy In the faces if many who had looked upon his en ■ ranee to the city. Th# one ray of comfort lay 1n the knowledge that faithful Ahmed lived. He dared not think of Kathlyn He forced his mind to dwell upon his sur roundings, hla own state of misery. Bruce was there, and Bruce was a man of action and resource. He would give a good account of himself before those bronze devils In the desert made away with him. He feared not for Kath lyn'* 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—” "Walt!" thundered the colonel. Sud denly he turned to the troopers. "Am I your king?" "Yea. majesty!” The four men sa laamed. “Then I order you to arrest this man Durga Rem for treason against tha person of your king!” The troopers stared, dumfounded. first at the colonel, then at Umballa. "I command It!" Umballa laughed. The troopers did not stir. ■'Ah." said the colonel. "That Is ail I desire to know. I am not a king. I am merely a prisoner Therefore those papers which you bring to me cannot lawfully be signed by me.” The colo nel turned his back to Umballa. sought the latticed window, and peered forth. "There are ways.” blazed forth Um balla. ® "Bah! You black fool!" replied th* colonel, wheeling. "Have I not yet convinced you that all you can do la to kill me? Don’t waste yonr time in torturing me. It will neither open my lips nor compel meato take a character brush In my hand. If my daughter la dead, ao be IL At any rate, she la at present beyond your clutches. Yon overreached yours*U. Had you brought her back U Is quite possible I might hare surrendered. But I am don* now." “You refuse to tell where the fill gree basket la hidden?” “I do." “You refuse to exercise your pre rogative to open the doors of tha treasury ?" "I do.” Umballa opened the door, motioning to the troops to pi .as out He framed the threshold and curiously eyed thla unbendable man Presently he would bend. Umballa smiled. "Colonel Sahib. I am not yet at tha end of my resource i,” and with this hi went out, closing tie door. That smile troubled the oolonet What deviltry was the scoundrel up tc now? What could he possibly do? I.a ter. as he pared wearily to and fro, he saw something white slip under the door He stooped and picked np a note, folded Kuropean fashion. “Ah med and l shall watch over you. Be patient. This tlm-J l am pretending to be your enemy, and you mult act accordingly. A metsenger has arrived from Bala Khan. T our daughter and Bruce Sahib are alive, and, more, on the way to Allaha In native guise. Be of good cheer Ramabai." And Umballa ae he lifted hla fruit dlah at supper, espied another of those sinister warning*. "Beware!” Thla time he summoned his entire house hpld and threatened death to each and all of them If they did not Immediately disclose to him the person who had placed thla 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 prin ciple*. Kathlyn and Bruce returned to Al laha without mishnp Neither animal nor vagabond molested them. When they arrived they Immediately found mean* to acquaint Ramabai. who. with Pundit*, set out to meet them In thetr plctureeqae disguise* Kath lyn and Bruce made a handsome pair of high caste natives. The blue eye* alone might have caused remark* but this was a negligible danger, since color and coauirn* detracted. , 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 loot. She had been for dyeing her hair, but Bruce would not hear of thla desecration. So they entered the lion’B den. or, rather, the Jackal's. At Ramabal's house Ahmed fell on hla knees In thankfulness not that his memsahlb was In AllaJva, but that she was alive. During the evening meal Ramahel outlined his plot to circumvent Umbal la. He had heard from one of his faithful followers that Umballa intend ed to force the colonel Into a native marriage; later, to dispose of the colo nel and marry the queen himself. Sutj 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 oolonel would refuse to marry, he, Ramabai. would suggest that the colo nel be married by proxy. However suspicious Umballa might be, he would not be able to find fault with this plan. The betrothal would take place In about a fortnight. The mem- Overcoming th* Bandits. sahfb would he chosen as consort out of all the assembled high oasts ladles of the state. Ahmed threw np hts hands tn hor ror, but Lai Singh bade Mm be pa tlent What did the memsahlb say to this? The memsahlb answered that she placed beraelf unreservedly In Ra mabai's hands; that Umballa was a madman and must be treated as one. "Ramabai, why not strike now? - suggested Ahmed. “The promise Umballa has made to the soldiers has reunited them tem porarily. Have patience, Ahmed.” Lai Singh selected a leaf with betel nut and began to chew with satisfaction. "Patience?" said Ahmed. "Have I none?" So the call went forth for a bride throughout the principality, and was answered from the four points of tbe compass. Between the announcement and the fulfilment of these remarkable pro ceedings there arrived in the biasing city of Calcutta a young maid. Her faoe wae very stern for one so youth ful, and It wae aa fearless as it waa stern. UmbaM&'s last cord, had she but known the treachery which had lured her to this mystic shore. The young tnaM was Winnie, come, as she supposed, at the u/gent call of her fa ther and sister, and particularly warned to oonflde In no one and to hide with the utmost socraoy har daa- Unattoo. OMAPTTO XM. The Garden of Bride* From the four ends of the princi pality they came, the veiled candi dates ; from the North, the Fast, the South, and West. They nuns in marvelous paianqnlns. In curtained howdaha, on camels, in splendid bul lock o&rts. Many a rupee resolved ltaalf Into new-bought finery, upon the vague chance of getting It baok with compound interest What was most unusual, they oatne jrlthoot pedigree or dowry, thla being Ramabal's idea; though, In tnitn, Umballa objected at first to the lack of dowry. He had expected to Inherit this dowry. He gave way to Rama hoi because be did not cars to have Ramabai suspect what his tuner thoughts were. Let the fool Ramabai pick out his cbestnuta for him Um balla lai -hed to hia voluminous sleeve. Borne one of the matrimonially tn dined houria the colonel would have to select; if he refused, then should Ramabai do the selecting. More, he would marry the fortunate women by proxy There was no possible loop hole for the colonel. The populace was charmed, enchant ed, as R always la over a new excite ment. Much as they individually de spised Umballa, collectively they ad mired hla Ingenuity In devising fresh amusements. Ultra feast days came one after another. The oriental dle likee work; and any one who could invent means of avoiding It waa worthy of gratitude. So. then, the populace fell In with Umballa'a scheme agreeably. The bhang and betel and toddy sellers did a fine business dur ing the festival of Rama. There was merrymaking in the streets, day and night. The temples and mosques were filled to overflow ing Musicians with reeds and tom toms paraded the bazaars. In nearly ev*ry square the nautch girl danced, or the juggler plied hts trade, or there was a mongoose-cobra light (the cobra, of course, bereft of its fangs), and fakirs grew mango trees out of noth ing. There was a flurry in the slave mart. too. The troops swaggered about, over bearing They were soon to get their pay. The gold and allver were rot ting In the treasury. Why leave It there, since gold and silver were mint ed to be spent? There were elephant fights in the reconstructed arena; tigers attacked wild boars, who fought with enormous, razorlike tusks, as swift and deadly as any Malay kris. The half forgotten ceremony of feeding the wild pig be fore sundown each day was given life again. And drove after drove came in from the Jungles for the grain, which was distributed from a plat form. And wild peacocks followed the pigs. A wonderful sight it was to see several thousand pigs come trotting In, each drove headed by its fighting boar. When the old fellows met there was carnage; squealing and grunting, they fought. The peacocks shrilled and hopped from back to back for such grain as fell upon the bristly backs of the pigs. Here and there a white pea cock would be snared, or a boar whose tusks promised a battle royal with some leopard or tiger. And through all this turmoil and clamor Ahmed and Lai Singh moved, sounding the true sentiments of the people. They did not want white kings or white queens; they desired to be ruled by their kind, who would not start innovations, but would let af fairs drift on as they had done for centuries. Nor was Bruce Inactive. Many a time Umballa had stood within an arm’s length of death; but always Bruce had resisted the impulse. It would be rank folly to upset Ramabal's plans, which were to culminate in Umballa's overthrow. But upon a certain hour Ramabai came to Bruce, much alarmed. During his absence with Pundita at some palace affair his home had been en tered, ransacked, and 10,000 rupees had been stolen. His real fortune, however, was hidden securely. The real trouble was that these 10,000 ru pees would practically undo much of what had been accomplished. He was certain that Umballa had instigated this theft, and that the money w-ould be doled out to the soldiers. For upon their dissatisfaction rested his future. “Take Bala Khan at his word,” sug gested Bruce, "and ask him for hia 5,000 hlllmen.” Ramabai smiled. "And have Bala Khan constitute himself the king of Allaha! No, sahib; he is a good friend, but he Is also a dangerous one. We must have patience." "Patience!" exploded Bruce. “I have waited several years. Do you not see that when I strike I must succeed?” "But these warnings to Umballa?" "He Is not molesting me, is he?” re turned Ramabai calmly. “Well, It is more than I could stand.” "Ah, you white people waste so much life and money by acting upon your Impulses! Trust me; my way Is best; and that is, for the present we must wait.” "God knows,” sighed Bruoe, "but I am beginning to believe In the colonel's guru.” "Who can say? There are some In this lend who possess mighty wills, who oan make man sleep by looking into his eyes, who can override and destroy weaker minds. I know; I have seen. You have heard of suspended animation? Well, I have seen ex amples of it; and so have my people. C.an you wonder at their easiness in being swayed this way and that? But theee men I refer to do not sit about In th* bosaars with wooden bowls for coppers. It Is said, however, that all oursea die with their makers. It de pends npon how old the Colonel Sahib's guru Is. I know priests who are more than a hundred years old, and wrin kled like the hide of Hathl, the god of elephants." “But a child could see through all this rlgamarole." “Can Bruce Sahib?” Again Ramabai smiled. "My peoplo are sometimes children in that they need constant amusement. Have patience, my friend; for I understand. Do I not love Pun dita even as you love the memsahlb?” _ "What do jou mean?” demanded Bruce, roughly. “I have eyes." "Well, yes; it Is true. Behind you are your people; behind us, nothing. That Is why I am frantic. Umballa, whenever he finds himself checkmat ed. digs up what he assumes to be an unused law. There is none to contest iL I tell you, Ramabai. we must es cape soon, or we never will. You sug gested this impossible marriage. It la horrible!" “But It lulls Umballa; and lulled, he becomes careless. Beyond the north gate there are ever ready men and elephants. And when the moment ar rive*. thither w* shall fly, all of us. But,” mysteriously, "we may not have to fly. When Umballa learns that the Colonel Sahib will refuse to sign the necessary treasury release the sol diers will understand that once again they have been trifled with." "We must wait. But It's mighty hard." In the garden of brides on the day when the ten veiled candidates sat in waiting, there was spring in the air; and there were roses climbing trel lises, climbing over the marble walls, and the pomegranate blossoms set Are to It all. At the gate stood Ramabai, dressed according to his station, and representing by proxy the king Pres ently a splendid palanquin arrived, and within It a tardy candidate. She was laden with jewels, armlets, ank lets, and head ornaments; pearls and uncut sapphires and rubies. Upon lifting her veil she revealed a beauti ful high caste face. Ramabai bade her pass on. No sooner had she taken her place than still another palanquin was announced, and this was drawn by fat, sleek bullocks, all of a color. Ramabai held up hia hand. The bul lock drivers stopped their charges, and from the .palanquin emerged a veiled FRIDAY, AUGUST 7. woman. This was Kathlyn. The selected candidates were now all present. As master of ceremonies, Ramabai conducted them into the throne room, gaily decorated for the occasion. In a balcony directly above the canopy of the throne were musi cians, playing the mournful harmonies so dear to the oriental heart. Upon the throne sat Colonel Hare, gorgeously attired, but cold and stern of visage, prepared to play his part In this unutterable buffoonery. Near by stood Durga Ram, bo called Umbal la, Bmiling. It was going to be very simple; once yonder stubborn white fool was wedded, he would be made to disappear; there should be another wedding, in which he, Durga Ram, should take the part of the bride groom. Then for the treasury, flight, and, later, ease abroad. Let the fili gree basket of gems stay where it was; there were millions in the treas ury, the accumulated hoardings ot many decades. The council and high priests atofl wore their state robes, and behind them were officers and other digni taries. There was a stir as Ramabai en tered with the veiled candidates. The colonel in vain tried to hide his in terest and anxiety. Kathlyn was there, somewhere, among these kow-towing women; but there was nothing by wbich he could recognize her. As the women spread about the throne, Ra mabai signified to the musicians to cease. Silence. Then Ramabai brought candidate after candidate close to the colonel, so that he alone might see the face be hind the veil. At each uplifting of the veil the colonel shook his head. A dark frown began to settle over Um balla’s face. If the colonel refused the last candidato for nuptial honors, he should die. But as Ramabai lifted the veil of the last woman the colonel nodded sharply; and Kathlyn, for a brief space gazed Into her father’s eyes. The same thought occurred to both; what a horrible mockery it all was. and where would It lead finally? “Take care!” whispered Kathlyn, as she saw her father’s fingers move nevously with suppressed longing to reach out and touch her. The spectators of this little drama which was hidden from them evinced their approval by a murmuring which had something like applause In It. A queen was chosen! A real queen at last had been chosen. Ramabai had accomplished by diplomacy what yon der Durga Ram had failed to do by force. But Umballa secretly smiled as he sensed this undercurrent. Present ly they should see. (To be continued Tomorrow,) Daily Pattern 9934. A MOST ATTRACTIVE, THOUGH SIMPLE STYLE. LA DIES’ HOUSE DRESS WITH LONG OR SHORTER SLEEVE Checked gingham in black and white with facings of white are here com bined. The design is made with a panel on tne skirt front and hack, and the right waist front is crossed over the left at the cloning. The neck is collarless, but finished with a shap ed facing. The sleeves are desirable in either wrist or shorter length. This mode! may serve as a working dress, and is equally desirable for porch or afternoon wear. It will de velop well In lawn, chambray, seer sucker. ratine, linen, percale, voile, poplin or tub silk. The pattern is cut in seven sizes; 32, 34, 38. 38, 40, 42 and 44 inches bust measure, it re quires 6 yards of 36-inch material for * medium size. The skirt measures J 3-4 yards at the foot, in a medium size. A pattern of this illustration mailed to any address on receipt of 10 cent* in silver or stam: s. Ns* «,,,„*• • .fiISS ~,,,,,ateßH,« N*S®a *•■*•,«,•* wn-mnßHn * !, s*t ana Na fTtr ■ State ,