ter bubbling. "In a few weeks I believe all will be
ready, even the British Raj."

"Why will men be sheep?"

Lal Singh shrugged. "Only Allah knows. But what about this guru's
curse you say follows the Colonel Sahib?"

"It is true. I was there," said Ahmed. "And here am I, with a price
on my head!"

"In the business we are in there will always be a price on our heads.
And Umballa will bring back the Colonel Sahib. What then?"

"We know what we know, Lal Singh," and the face under the hood broke
into a smile.

Five days passed. The chief of the brigands was growing restless. He
finally declared that unless the ransom was delivered that night he
would rid himself of them all. The tiger was starving. In order to
prove that he was not chattering idly he had the prisoners tied to the
wheels of the cage. It would at least amuse him to watch their growing
terror.

"Look! Some one is coming!" cried Kathlyn.

The chief saw the caravan at the same time, and he set up a shout of
pleasure. Three fat bags of silver rupees!

Umballa, the good Samaritan, bargained with the chief. He did not want
all the prisoners, only one. Three bags of silver would be forthcoming
upon the promise that the young woman and the young man should be
disposed of.

"By the tiger?"

Umballa shrugged. To him it mattered not how. The chief, weary of his
vigil, agreed readily enough, and Umballa turned over the silver.

"The guru, my Kit! You see? This is the end. Well, I am tired. A
filigree basket of gems!"

"So!" said Umballa, smiling at Kathlyn. "You and your lover shall
indeed be wed--by the striped one! A sad tale I shall take back with
me. You were both dead when I arrived."

Presently Bruce and Kathlyn were alone. They could hear the brute in
the cage, snarling and clawing at the wooden door.

CHAPTER XIII

LOVE

The golden sands, the purple cliffs, the translucent blue of the
heavens, and the group of picturesque rascals jabbering and
gesticulating and pressing about their chief, made a picture Kathlyn
was never to forget.

"Patience, my little ones!" said the chief, showing his white strong
teeth in what was more of a snarl than a smile. "There is plenty of
time."

Bruce leaned toward Kathlyn.

"Stand perfectly still, just as you are. I believe I can reach the
knot back of your hands. This squabbling is the very thing needed.
They will not pay any attention to us for a few minutes, and if