The Adventures of Kathlyn

"Money?" repeated the colonel. Never had he in any way associated this

healthy young hunter with money. Did he not make a business of

trapping and selling wild animals as he himself did? "Money! I did

not know that you had any, Bruce."

"I am the son of Roger Bruce."

"What! the man who owned nearly all of Peru and half the railroads in

South America?"

"Yes. You see, Colonel, we are something alike. We never ask

questions. It would have been far better if we had. Because I did not

question Kathlyn when I first met her I feel half to blame for her

misfortunes. I should have told her all about Allaha and warned her to

keep out of it. I should have advised her to send native

investigators, she to remain in Peshawur till she learned the truth.

But the name Hare suggested nothing to me, not till after I had left

her at Singapore. So I shall go back with you. But please let Kathlyn

continue to think of me as a man who earns his own living."

"God bless you, my boy! You have put a new backbone in me. It's hard

not to have a white man to talk to, to plan with. Ahmed expects that

we shall be ready for the return in the morning. He, however, intends

to go back on a racing camel, to go straight to my bungalow, if it

isn't destroyed by this time. Perhaps Winnie has not arrived there

yet. I trust Ahmed."

"So do I. I have known him for a long time--that is, I thought I

did--and during the last few weeks he has been a revelation. Think of

his being your head man all these years, and yet steadily working for

his Raj, the British Raj."

"They can keep secrets."

"Well, we have this satisfaction: when Pundita rules it will be under

the protecting hand of England. Now let us try to look at the cheerful

side of the business. Think of what that girl has gone through with

scarcely a scratch! Can't you read something in that? See how strong

and self-reliant she has become under such misfortunes as would have

driven mad any ordinary woman! Can't you see light in all this? I

tell you, there is good and evil working for and against us, and that

Ahmed's fakir will in the end prove stronger than your bally old guru.

When I am out of the Orient I laugh at such things, but I can't laugh

at them somehow when I'm in India."

"Nor I."

That night Kathlyn signified that she wished to go down to the beach

beyond the harbor basin. Bruce accompanied her. Often he caught her

staring out at the twinkling lights on board the Simla. By and by they

could hear the windlass creaking. A volume of black smoke suddenly

poured from the boat's slanting funnel. The ship was putting out to

sea.