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.