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Updated: June 17, 2025
She returned his ironical gaze calmly over the shoulder of a trooper. "Wait," she said. "I wish you to understand the enormity of your crime." "Crime?" with elevated eyebrows. "Yes. You have abducted me." "No. You came of your own free will." "The white men of my race will not pause to argue over any such subtlety. Marry you? I do not like your color." A dull red settled under Umballa's skin.
It seemed incredible. To have her fall into Umballa's hands thus easily, when he and Bruce Sahib had searched the jungle far and wide! Well, she was alive; praise Allah for that; and where there was life there was hope. Later Kathlyn was standing under the cell window gazing at the yellow sunset. Two hours had gone, and no sign of Umballa yet. She shuddered.
For in Umballa's house, as in Ramabai's, there were secret chambers, and to-day the majordomo entered one of them through a panel concealed behind a hanging Ispahan rug. On the night after the revolt, Umballa, sober and desperate, had slunk back disguised as a candy seller. The house was not guarded then; so he had no difficulty in gaining admittance.
He must be strong ere he took the long journey over the hot sands to the sea. A spy of Umballa's watched and waited to carry the news to his master, the day his master's enemies departed from the haven of Bala Khan's walled city.
The crack of their rifles soon announced to Kathlyn that the dread of wolves was a thing of the past. She wisely refrained from recounting her experiences. The men had worry enough. After a hasty meal the journey toward the sea-port began in earnest. Umballa's attack had thrown them far out of the regular track. They were now compelled to make a wide detour.
But he had died during the last visitation of the plague. They had wearied of their tolerant king, who had died mysteriously; they were now wearied of the council and Umballa; in other words, they knew not what they wanted, being People. Who was this fair-skinned woman who stood so straight before Umballa's eye? Whence had she come? To be ruled by a woman who appeared to be tongue-tied!
He dismounted and entered, found three or four of his whilom slaves, who, when he revealed his identity, felt the old terror and fear of the man. His prisoners were brought in. A slave took the elephants to the stables. He wanted to run away and declare Umballa's presence, but fear was too strong. Ironically Umballa bade the fishermen to enter to eat and drink what they liked.
No harm will come to them, since no one can identify them as having been Umballa's assailants. My wife will not be molested in any way for remaining at the bungalow." Without another word Ramabai curled himself up and went to sleep; and one by one the others followed his example. Bruce was last to close his eyes.
"Heaven born," spoke up the man who had known where the cave was, "there is an exit on the other side. We can go through that without yonder people noticing us." "A fortune for each of you when you put this on the sloop!" Back through the cave they rushed, torches flaring. Once a bearer stumbled over a powder can, and the torch holder all but sprawled over him. Umballa's hair stood on end.
Two days later, when the fires were extinguished and the populace had settled back into its former habits, this majordomo betook himself to Umballa's house. It was well guarded, and by men who had never been close to Umballa, but had always belonged to the dissatisfied section, the frankly and openly mutinous section.
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