back it is quite possible I might have
surrendered. But I am alone now."

"You refuse to tell where the filigree basket is hidden?"

"I do."

"You refuse to exercise your prerogative to open the doors of the
treasury?"

"I do."

Umballa opened the door, motioning to the troopers to pass out. He
framed the threshold and curiously eyed this unbendable man. Presently
he would bend. Umballa smiled.

"Colonel Sahib, I am not yet at the end of my resources," and with this
he went out, closing the door.

That smile troubled the colonel. What deviltry was the scoundrel up to
now? What could he possibly do?

Later, as he paced wearily to and fro, he saw something white slip
under the door. He stooped and picked up a note, folded European
fashion. His heart thrilled as he read the stilted script:

"Ahmed and I shall watch over you. Be patient. This time I am
pretending to be your enemy, and you must act accordingly. A messenger
has arrived from Bala Khan. Your daughter and Bruce Sahib are alive,
and, more, on the way to Allaha in native guise. Be of good cheer,
Ramabai."'

And Umballa, as he lifted his fruit dish at supper, espied another of
those sinister warnings. "Beware!" This time he summoned his entire
household and threatened death to each and all of them if they did not
immediately disclose to him the person who had placed this note under
the fruit dish. They cringed and wept and wailed, but nothing could be
got out of them. He had several flogged on general principles.

Kathlyn and Bruce returned to Allaha without mishap. Neither animal
nor vagabond molested them. When they arrived they immediately found
means to acquaint Ramabai, who with Pundita set out to meet them.

In their picturesque disguises Kathlyn and Bruce made a handsome pair
of high caste natives. The blue eyes alone might have caused remarks,
but this was a negligible danger, since color and costume detracted.
Kathlyn's hair, however, was securely hidden, and must be kept so. A
bit of carelessness on her part, a sportive wind, and she would be
lost. She had been for dyeing her hair, but Bruce would not hear of
this desecration.

So they entered the lion's den, or, rather, the jackal's.

At Ramabai's house Ahmed fell on his knees in thankfulness; not that
his Mem-sahib was in Allaha, but that she was alive.

During the evening meal Ramabai outlined his plot to circumvent
Umballa. He had heard from one of his faithf