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?