d Umballa coldly. "If you take off that crown now,
neither your gods nor mine could save you from that mob down yonder.
Be advised. Rise!"

She obeyed. She wanted to cry out to that sea of bronze faces: "People
I do not want to be your queen. Let me go!" They would not
understand. Where was Rao? Where was Bruce? What of the hope that
now flickered and died in her heart, like a guttering candle light?
There was a small dagger hidden in the folds of her white robe; she
could always use that. She heard Umballa speaking in the native
tongue. A great shouting followed. The populace surged.

"What have you said to them?" she demanded.

"That her majesty had chosen Durga Ram to be her consort and to him now
forthwith she will be wed." He salaamed.

So the mask was off! "Marry you? Oh, no! Mate with you, a black?"

"Black?" he cried, as if a whiplash had struck him across the face.

"Yes, black of skin and black of heart. I have submitted to the farce
of this durbar, but that is as far as my patience will go. God will
guard me."

"God?" mockingly.

"Yes, my God and the God of my fathers!"

To the mutable faces below she looked the Queen at that instant. They
saw the attitude, but could not interpret it.

"So be it. There are other things besides marriage."

"Yes," she replied proudly; "there is death."

CHAPTER III

THE TWO ORDEALS

Umballa was not a coward; he was only ruthless and predatory after the
manner of his kind. A thrill of admiration tingled his spine. The
women of his race were chattels, lazy and inert, without fire, merely
drudges or playthings. Here was one worth conquering, a white flame to
be controlled. To bend her without breaking her, that must be his
method of procedure. The skin under her chin was as white as the heart
of a mangosteen, and the longing to sweep her into his arms was almost
irresistible.

A high priest spoke to Kathlyn.

"What does he say?" she asked.

"That you must marry me."

"Tell him that I refuse!"

Umballa shrugged and repeated her words. Here the Council of Three
interposed, warning Kathlyn that she must submit to the law as it read.
There was no appeal from it.

"Then I shall appeal to the British Raj."

"How?" asked Umballa urbanely.

Swiftly she stepped to the front of the platform and extended her arms.
It was an appeal. She pointed to Umballa and shook her head. Her arms
went out again. A low murmur rippled over the