_ CHAPTER X. WAITING
Kathlyn flung herself into her father's arms.
"Dad, dad! To leave you alone!"
"Kit, you are wasting time. Be off. Trust me; I wasn't meant to die in this dog's kennel, curse or no curse. Kiss me and go!"
"Curse? What do you mean, father?"
"Ahmed will tell you. In God's name go, child!"
"Come, Miss Kathlyn," Bruce called anxiously.
Kathlyn then climbed up to the window, and Bruce lifted her into his howdah, bidding her to lie low. How strong he was, she thought. Ah, something had whispered to her day by day that he would come when she needed him. Suddenly she felt her cheeks grow hot with shame. She snuggled her bare legs under her grass dress. Till this moment she had never given her appearance a single thought. There had been things so much more vital. But youth, and there is ever the way of a man with a maid.
Now, Kathlyn did not love this quiet, resourceful young man, at least if she did she was not yet aware of it; but the touch of his hand and the sound of his voice sent a shiver over her that was not due to the chill of the night. She heard him give his orders, low voiced.
"Do not lift your head above the howdah rim, Miss Kathlyn, till we are in the jungle. And don't worry about your father. He's alive, and that's enough for Ahmed and me. What a strange world it is, and how fate shuffles us about! Forward!"
The curse: what did her father mean by that? It seemed to Kathlyn that hours passed before Bruce spoke again.
"Now you may sit up. What in the world have you got on? Good heavens, grass! You poor girl!" He took off his coat and threw it across her shoulders, and was startled by the contact of her warm flesh.
"I can not thank you in words," she said faintly.
"Don't. Pshaw, it was nothing. I would have gone----" He stopped embarrassedly.
"Well?" Perhaps it was coquetry which impelled the query; perhaps it was something deeper.
He laughed. "I was going to say that I would have gone into the depths of hell to serve you. We'll be at your father's bungalow in a minute or so, and then the final stroke. Umballa is not dependable. He may or may not pay a visit to the cell to-night. I can only pray that he will come down the moment I arrive."
But he was not to meet Umballa that night. Umballa had won his point in regard to having his prisoners flogged; but, Oriental that he was, he went about the matter leisurely. He ate his supper, changed his clothes and dallied in the zenana for an hour. The rascal had made a thorough study of the word "suspense"; he knew the exquisite torture of making one's victim wait. For the time being his passion for Kathlyn had subsided. He desired above all things just than revenge for the humiliating experience in the ceil; he wanted to put pain and terror into her heart. Ah, she would be on her knees, begging, begging, and her father would struggle in vain at his shackles. Spurned; so be it. She should have a taste of his hate, the black man's hate. Two should hold her by the arms while the professional flogger seared the white soft back of her. She would soon come to him begging. He had been too kind. The lash of the zenana, it should bite into her soft flesh. He would break her spirit and her body together and fling her into his own zenana to let her gnaw her heart out in suspense. She should be the least of his women, the drudge.
First, however, the lash should bite the father till he dropped in his chains; thus she would be able to anticipate the pain and degradation.
And always there would remain the little dark-haired sister. She would marry him; she would do it to save her father and sister. Then the filigree basket heaped with rubies and pearls and emeralds and sapphires! As for the other, what cared he if he rotted? It gave him the whip hand over the doddering council. Master he would be; he would blot out all things which stood in his path. A king, till he had gathered what fortune he needed. Then let the jackals howl.
Accompanied by torch bearers, servants and the professional flogger, he led the way to the cell and flung open the door triumphantly. For a moment he could not believe his eyes. She was gone, and through yonder window! Hell of all hells of Hind! She was gone, and he was robbed!
"Out of your reach this time, you black devil!" cried the colonel. "Go on. Do what you please to me, I'm ready."
Umballa ran to the tabouret and jumped upon it. He saw the trampled grass. Elephants. And these doubtless had come from the colonel's camp. He jumped off the tabouret and dashed to the door.
"Follow me!" he cried. "Later, Colonel Hare, later!" he threatened.
The colonel remained silent.
Up above, in the palace, Umballa summoned a dozen troopers and gave them explicit orders. He was quite confident that Kathlyn would be carried at once to her father's bungalow, if only for a change of clothes. It was a shrewd guess.
As the iron door changed upon the sill Colonel Hare leaned against the pillar and closed his eyes, praying silently.
At the bungalow Pundita fell at Kathlyn's feet and kissed them.
"Mem-sahib!" she cried brokenly.
"Pundita!" Kathlyn stooped and gathered her up in her arms.
After that Ramabai would have died for her under any torture.
"Now, Ahmed, what did my father mean when he said 'curse or no curse'?"
"It's a long story, Mem-sahib," said Ahmed evasively.
"Tell it."
"It was in a temple in the south. The Colonel Sahib took a sapphire from an idol's eye. The guru, a very wise and ancient priest, demanded the return of it. The Colonel Sahib, being a young man, refused. The guru cursed him. That is all."
"No, Ahmed; there must be more. Did not the guru curse my father's children and their children's children?"
"Ah, Mem-sahib, what does the curse of a Hindu amount to?"
"Perhaps it is stronger than we know," glancing down at her dress.
Further discussion was interrupted by one of the armed keepers, who came rushing up with the news that armed soldiers were approaching. Bruce swore frankly. This Umballa was supernaturally keen. What to do now?
"Quick!" cried Ahmed. "Get the howdahs off the elephants." It was done. "Hobble them." It was immediately accomplished. "Into the bungalow, all of you. Mem-sahib, follow me!"
"What are you going to do?" asked Bruce.
"Hide her where none will dare to look," answered Ahmed.
He seized Kathlyn by the hand and urged her to run. She had implicit faith in this old friend, who had once dandled her on his knees. They disappeared behind the bungalow and ran toward the animal cages. He stopped abruptly before one of the cages.
"A leopard, but harmless. You'll know how to soothe him if he becomes nervous. Enter."
[Illustration: You'll know how to soothe him.]
Kathlyn obeyed.
This cage was not a movable one, and had a cavity underneath. The heavy teak flooring was not nailed.
The soldiers arrived at the bungalow, boisterously threatening the arrest of the entire camp if Durga Ram's slave was not produced forthwith.
"You are mistaken," said Bruce. "There is no slave here. Search."
"You stand in extreme danger, Sahib. You have meddled with what does not concern you," replied the captain, who had thrown his fortunes with Umballa, sensing that here was a man who was bound to win and would be liberal to those who stood by him during the struggle.
"Search," repeated Bruce.
The captain and his men ran about, but not without a certain system of thoroughness. They examined the elephants, but were baffled there, owing to Ahmed's foresight. They entered the native quarters, looked under the canvases into the empty cages, from cellar to roof in the bungalow, when suddenly the captain missed Ahmed.
"Where is the Colonel Sahib's man?" he asked bruskly.
"Possibly he is going the rounds of the animal cages," said Bruce, outwardly calm and shaking within.
"And thou, Ramabai, beware!"
"Of what, Captain?" coolly.
"Thou, too, hast meddled; and meddlers burn their fingers."
"I am innocent of any crime," said Ramabai. "I am watched, I know; but there is still some justice in Allaha."
"Bully for you!" said Bruce in English.
The captain eyed him malevolently.
"Search the animal cages," he ordered.
Bruce, Ramabai and Pundita followed the captain. He peered into the cages, one by one, and at length came to the leopard's cage. And there was the crafty Ahmed, calmly stroking the leopard, which snarled suddenly. Ahmed stood up with a fine imitation of surprise. The captain, greatly mystified, turned about; he was partially convinced that he had had his work for nothing. Still, he had his tongue.
"Thou, Ramabai, hast broken thy parole. Thou wert not to leave thy house. It shall be reported." Then he took a shot at Bruce: "And thou wilt enter the city on the pain of death."
With this he ordered the soldiers right about and proceeded the way he had come.
"Ahmed, where is she?" cried Bruce, who was as mystified as the captain.
Smiling, Ahmed raised one of the broad teak boards, and the golden head of Kathlyn appeared.
"Ahmed," said Bruce, delighted, "hereafter you shall be chief of this expedition. Now, what next?"
"Secure files and return for my master."
"Wait," interposed Kathlyn, emerging. "I have a plan. It will be useless to return to-night. He will be too well guarded. Are you brave, Pundita?"
"I would die for the Mem-sahib."
"And I, too," added Ramabai.
Ahmed and Bruce gazed at each other.
"What is your plan, Mem-sahib?" asked Ahmed, replacing the board and helping Kathlyn out of the cage, the door of which he closed quickly, as the leopard was evincing a temper at all this nocturnal disturbance.
"It is a trap for Umballa."
"He is as wise as the cobra and as suspicious as the jackal," said Ahmed doubtfully.
"Reason forbids that we return to-night. Umballa will wait, knowing me. Listen. Pundita, you shall return to the city. Two men will accompany you to the gate. You will enter alone in the early morning."
Pundita drew close to her husband.
"You will seek Umballa and play traitor. You will pretend to betray me."
"No, no, Mem-sahib!"
"Listen. You will demand to see him alone. You will say that you are jealous of me. You will tell him that you are ready to lead him to my hiding-place."
"No, Miss Kathlyn; that will not do at all," declared Bruce emphatically.
To this Ahmed agreed with a slow shake of the head.
"Let me finish," said Kathlyn. "You will tell him, Pundita, that he must come alone. He will promise, but by some sign or other he will signify to his men to follow. Well, the guard may follow. Once Umballa steps inside the bungalow we will seize and bind him. His life will depend upon his writing a note to the council to liberate my father. If he refuses, the leopard."
"The leopard?"
"Yes; why not? A leopard was the basic cause of all this misery and treachery. Let us give Umballa a taste of it. Am I cruel? Well, yes; all that was gentle and tender in me seems either to have vanished or hardened. He has put terror into my heart; let me put it into his."
"It is all impractical," demurred Bruce.
"He will never follow Pundita," said Ahmed.
"Then shall we all sit down and wait?" Kathlyn asked bitterly. "At least let me try. He will not harm Pundita, since it is I he wants."
"She is right," averred Pundita. "A woman can do more at this moment than a hundred men. I will go, Mem-sahib; and, more, I will bring him back."
"But if he should hold you as a hostage?" suggested the harried Ahmed. "What then?"
"What will be will be," answered Pundita with oriental philosophy.
"You shall go, Pundita," said Ramabai; "and Durga Ram shall choke between these two hands if he harms a hair of your head."
"And now to bed," said Ahmed.
Well for Kathlyn that she had not the gift of clairvoyance. At the precise moment she put her head upon the pillow her father was writhing under the lash; but never a sound came from his lips. Kit was free. Kit was free!
"To-morrow and to-morrow's to-morrow you shall feel the lash," cried Umballa when he saw that his victim could stand no more. "Once more, where is the filigree basket?"
Feebly the colonel shook his head.
"To-morrow, then! Up till now you have known only neglect. Now you shall feel the active hatred of the man you robbed and cheated. Ah, rubies and pearls and emeralds; you will never see them."
"Nor shall you!"
"Wait and see. There's another way of twisting the secret from you. Wait; have patience." Umballa laughed.
And this laughter rang in the colonel's ears long after the door had closed. What new deviltry had he in mind?
The next morning Kathlyn came into the living-room dressed, for the first time in weeks. She felt strangely uncomfortable. For so long a time her body had been free that the old familiar garments of civilization (are they civilized?) almost suffocated her.
"You are not afraid, Pundita?"
"No, Mem-sahib. Ahmed will have me carried to within a few yards of the gate, and after that it will be easy to find Durga Ram. Ah, Mem-sahib, if you but knew how I hate him!"
After Pundita had departed Ahmed brought in the leopard. Kathlyn petted it and crooned, and the magic timbre of her tones won over the spotted cat. He purred.
And now they must wait. An hour flew past. Kathlyn showed signs of restlessness, and this restlessness conveyed itself to the leopard, who began to switch his tail about.
"Mem-sahib, you are losing your influence over the cat," warned Ahmed. "Go walk; go talk elephant; and you, Bruce Sahib, go with her. I'll take care of the cat."
So Bruce and Kathlyn went the rounds of the cages. She was a veritable enigma to Bruce. Tigers lost their tenseness and looked straight into her eyes. A cheetah with cubs permitted her to touch the wabbly infants, whereas the keeper of this cage dared not go within a foot of it. By the time she reached the elephants a dozen keepers were following her, their eyes wide with awe. They had heard often of the Mem-sahib who calmed the wild ones, but they had not believed. With the elephants she did about as she pleased.
"Miss Kathlyn, I am growing a bit afraid of you," said Bruce.
"And why?"
"I've never seen animals act like that before. What is it you do to them?"
"Let them know that I am not afraid of them and that I am fond of them."
"I am not afraid of them and am also fond of them. Yet they spit at me whenever I approach."
"Perhaps it is black art." The shadow of a smile crossed her lips. Then the smile stiffened and she breathed deeply. For the moment she had forgot her father, who stood chained to a pillar in a vile cell. She put her hand over her eyes and swayed.
"What is it?" he cried in alarm.
"Nothing. I had almost forgot where I am."
"I, too. I am beginning to let Ahmed think for me. Let us get back to the bungalow."
He loved her. And he feared her, too. She was so unlike any young woman he had ever met that she confused his established ideas of the sex. The cool blood of her disturbed him as much as anything. Not a sign of that natural hysteria of woman, though she had been through enough to drive insane a dozen ordinary women. He loved the fearless eye of her, the flat back, the deep chest, the spring with which she measured her strides. Here at last was the true normal woman. She was of the breed which produced heroes.
He loved her, and yet was afraid of her. A wall seemed to surround her, and nowhere could he discover any breach. Vaguely he wondered how the Viking made love to the Viking's daughter. By storm, or by guile? Yes, he was afraid of her; afraid of her because she could walk alone. He locked up his thoughts in his heart; for instinct advised him to say nothing now; this was no time for the declaration of love.
"It is best," said Ahmed, "that we all remain inside the bungalow. Ramabai, have you any plan in case Pundita does not return?"
Ramabai's breast swelled. "Yes, Ahmed. I have a thousand friends in yonder city, ready at my call. Only, this is not the time. Still, I can call to them, and by to-morrow there will not be a stone of the palace upon another. Be not alarmed. Pundita will return, but mayhap alone."
So they waited.
Now, Pundita, being a woman, was wise in the matter of lure. She entered the city unquestioned. She came to the palace steps just as Umballa was issuing forth. She shivered a little--she could not help it; the man looked so gloomy and foreboding. The scowl warned her to walk with extreme care.
He stopped when he saw her and was surprised into according her the salute one gave to a woman of quality.
"Ah!"
"Durga Ram," she began, "I am seeking you." Her voice trembled ever so little.
"Indeed! And why do you seek me, who am your enemy, and who always will be?"
"A woman loves where she must, not where she wills."
Umballa seemed to ponder over this truth.
"And why have you sought me?"
"A woman's reasons. My husband and the Mem-sahib----"
"You know, then, where she is?" quickly.
"Aye, Durga Ram; I alone know where she is hiding."
He sent a shrewd glance into her eyes. Had she wavered, ill would have befallen her.
"Tell me."
"Follow."
He laughed. Near by stood two of the palace guards. "All women are liars. Why should I trust you?"
"That is true. Why indeed should you trust me?" She turned and with bowed head started to walk away.
"Wait!" he called to her, at the same time motioning to the guards to follow at a distance.
"If I lead you to the Mem-sahib, it must be alone."
"You say that you alone know where she is?"
"I meant that I alone will lead you to her. And you must decide quickly, Durga Ram, for even now they are preparing for night, and this time they will go far."
"Lead on."
"Send the guards back to the palace."
Umballa made a sign with his hand, but another with his eyes. The guards fell back to the palace steps, understanding perfectly that they and others were to follow unseen. Umballa knew instinctively that this was a trap. He would apparently walk into it unsuspectingly; but those who sprung the trap would find no rat, but a tiger. And after the manner of hungry tigers, he licked his chops. A trap; a child could have discerned it. But having faith in his star he followed Pundita. Only once during the journey did he speak.
"Pundita, remember, if you have lied you will be punished."
"Durga Ram, I have not lied. I have promised to lead you to her, and lead you to her I shall."
"Durga Ram," he mused. She did not give him his title of prince; indeed, she never had. She was really the rightful heir to this crown; but her forbears had legally foresworn. Ah! the Colonel Sahib's camp. Good! He knew now that in Kathlyn's escape he had the man Ahmed to reckon with. Presently.
"She is there, Durga Ram."
"And what more?" ironically.
His coolness caused her some uneasiness. Had he, by means unknown to her, signed to the guards to follow?
Umballa entered the living-room of the bungalow. It was apparently deserted. He cast a quick glance about. The curtains trembled suspiciously, and even as he noted it, Bruce, Ramabai and Ahmed sprang forth, carrying ropes. Umballa made a dash for the door, but they were too quick for him. Struggling, he was seized and bound; but all the while he was laughing inwardly. Did they dream of trapping him in this childish fashion? By now twenty or thirty of his paid men were drawing a cordon about the camp. All of them should pay the full penalty for this act. What mattered a few ropes? He was rather puzzled as to the reason of their leaving his right arm free.
Next, the curtains were thrown back, and Kathlyn stood revealed. Near her a leopard strained impatiently on the leash. Umballa eyed her wonderingly. She was like the woman who had arrived weeks ago. And yet to him she seemed less beautiful than when he paid five thousand rupees for her in the slave mart. He waited.
"Umballa, write an order for my father's release."
"And if I refuse?" Umballa wanted to gain time.
"You shall be liberated at the same time as this leopard. You have had experience with leopards. Do you not recall the one my father killed, saving the life of your benefactor?"
"I will free him in exchange for yourself."
"Write."
She offered the pen to him.
He shrugged and made no effort to take it.
"Very well," said Kathlyn. "Leave us." Once alone she said: "Can you run as fast as this cat?" She approached and began at the knots of the ropes.
He saw by the thin determined line of her lips that she meant to do exactly as she threatened. He concluded then to sign the paper. His men would arrive before a messenger could reach the city.
"I will sign," he said. "For the present you have the best of me. But what of the afterwards?"
"We are going to hold you as hostage, Umballa. When my father arrives we intend to escort you to the frontier and there leave you."
"Give me the pen." His men were drawing nearer and nearer. He signed the order of release. He knew that even if it reached the council it would not serve, lacking an essential.
Kathlyn joyfully caught up the order and called to her friends. Ramabai smiled and shook his head. It was not enough, he said. He took the jeweled triangle from Umballa's turban.
"Go, Ramabai," said Kathlyn, strangely tender all at once; "go bring my father back to me. Rest assured that if aught happens to you, Umballa shall pay."
"With his head," supplemented Bruce. "Look not so eagerly toward the west, Umballa. Your troopers will remain at the edge of the clearing. They have been informed that a single misstep on their part and their master dies."
Umballa sat up stiffly in the chair. They had beaten him by a point. The heat of his rage swept over him like fire, and he closed his eyes.
Ramabai passed the guards, giving them additional warning to remain exactly where they were. The captain shrugged; it was all in a day's work, women were always leading or driving men into hell.
When Ramabai appeared before the council he did so proudly. He salaamed as etiquette required, however, and extended the written order for Colonel Hare's release. At first they refused to regard it as authentic. Ramabai produced the jeweled triangle.
"The prince has made this order imperative," he said. "Colonel Hare will proceed in my custody."
"Where is Durga Ram?"
"At the bungalow of Colonel Hare, where he found the daughter."
Ah, that cleared up everything. Umballa had some definite plan in releasing Colonel Hare. It would confuse the public, who had been given to understand that the hunter was dead; but they would claim that it was an affair of state, in nowise concerning the populace. So Colonel Hare was brought up. Ramabai instantly signaled him to smother his joy. But it was not necessary for the colonel to pretend dejection. He was so pitiably weak that he could scarcely stand and only vaguely understood that he was to follow this man Ramabai, whom he did not recognize.
Ramabai, comprehending his plight, gave him the support of his arm, and together they left the palace. So far all had gone smoothly.
The council had no suspicions. Twenty men had followed Durga Ram and without doubt they were at this moment with him.
"Free!" breathed the colonel, as Ramabai beckoned to a public litter.
"Hush! You are supposed to be my prisoner. Make no sign of jubilation." Ramabai helped the broken man into the litter and bade the coolies to hurry. "Elephants will be ready to start the moment we reach your camp. This time I believe we can get away in safety."
"And Umballa?"
"Shall go with us as hostage."
But Umballa did not go with them as hostage. On the contrary, the moment they left him alone he quickly undid his bonds. He tiptoed past the leopard which flew at him savagely, ripping the post from its socket and wrecking the banisters. Umballa, unprepared for this stroke, leaped through the window, followed by the hampered leopard. It would have gone ill with Umballa even then had not some keepers rushed for the leopard. In the ensuing confusion Umballa escaped.
"He is gone!" cried Bruce. "Ahmed, send a runner to warn Ramabai to head for my camp! Quick! Get the elephants ready! Come, Kathlyn; come, Pundita!" He hastened them toward the elephants. "Umballa made his escape east; it will take him some minutes to veer round to his men. Come!"
They waited at Bruce's camp an hour. A litter was seen swaying to and fro, with coolies on the run. Ahmed ran forward and hailed it. A moment later Kathlyn and her father were reunited.
"In God's name, Bruce, let us get out of this damnable country; I am dying for want of light, air, food!"
They lifted the colonel into a howdah and started south, urging the elephants at top speed. No sooner had they left the river than some native boats landed at the broken camp, gleefully picking up things which had been left behind in the rush.
"Our troubles are over, father."
"Perhaps! So long as I remain in India, there is that curse. Ah, I once laughed at it; but not now."
Umballa at length found his captain.
"Follow me'" he cried in a fury.
He led them back to the colonel's camp, but those he sought had flown. He reasoned quickly. The trail led toward the camp of Bruce Sahib, and along this he led his men, arriving in time to find the native boatmen leaving for their boats.
A hurried question or two elicited the direction taken by the fugitives. Umballa commandeered the boats. There was some protest, but Umballa threatened death to those who opposed him, and the frightened natives surrendered. The soldiers piled into the boats and began poling down-stream rapidly. A mile or two below there was a ford and to go south the pursued must cross it.
Later, pursuer and pursued met, and a real warfare began, with a death toll on both sides. Bruce and Ahmed kept the elephants going, but in the middle of the ford a bullet struck Kathlyn, and she tumbled headlong into the water.
The curse had not yet lifted its evil hand. _