Page 126 (1/2)

"What is the law to us?" demanded Umballa frankly "Let us make laws

to suit our needs The whitea finger suggestively toward the floor

"Only e have the troops," replied the council firmly "We have

bent our heads to your will so far in everything, but we refuse to

sacrifice these heads because of a personal spite against Ramabai, whom

we frankly and wisely fear We dare not break into the treasury The

keepers are unbribable; the priests are with the back the white hter If that

is ihter and ill crown her; and

then you may work your will upon Ramabai You have failed in all

directions so far Succeed but once and we are ready to follow you"

Umballa choked back the hot imperious words that crowded to his lips

These were plain unvarnished facts, and he ht be For the present then, Raht die suddenly and

accidentally in the recapture of the Colonel Sahib An accidental

death would certainly extinguish any volcanic fires that smoldered

under Allaha So, with this secret determination in mind, Umballa set

forth

Ahot the thousand and

first, at that stage most important of all; and this was the short cut,

a le, but which lessened the journey by

some thirty miles And this pathway Umballa chose The three hours'