Kathlyn heard the shouts from behind, but she could not understand
whether these were warnings or advice. Could they overtake her before
she was flung off? She tried to recall the "elephant talk" Ahmed had
taught her in the old days at the farm, but just now she was too dazed.
At the end of an hour all sounds from the rear ceased; no more pistol
shots to encourage her with the knowledge that friends were near.
Rajah must have outstripped them two or three miles.
At length she came into a small clearing amid the tall jungle grass, a
dead and brittle last year's growth. She saw two natives in the act of
kicking out a dung fire. Rajah headed directly toward them, the fire
evidently being in the line of path he had chosen. This rare and
unexpected freedom, this opportunity to go whither he listed, was as
the giant fern he used to eat in the days when he was free and wild in
Ceylon.
Kathlyn called out to the men, but they turned and fled in terror. To
them Rajah was amuck. The elephant passed the fire so closely that the
wind of his passing stirred the fire into life again; and this time it
crept toward the highly inflammable grass. A few hundred yards beyond
Kathlyn turned to see the flames leaping along the grass. Rajah,
getting a whiff of the acrid smoke, quickened his stride. The fire
followed with amazing rapidity and stopped only when it reached the bed
of a trickling stream, no doubt a torrent during the big rains. A
great pall of smoke blotted out everything in the rear; blotted out
hope, for Bruce could never pick up the trail now.
Kathlyn's eyes were feverishly dry and bright. It was only a matter of
time when the howdah would slip down the brute's side. She prayed that
she might die instantly. Strange fancies flitted through her mind,
disordered by all these days of suspense and terror. . . .
And suddenly the jungle came to an end, and a long plowed field opened
into view. Beyond this field rose a ruined wall, broken by a crumbling
gate, and lounging in the gateway were soldiers. Near by were two
elephants employed in piling logs.
Rajah, perforce, slackened his gait. The soldiers became animated.
Immediately the two mahouts charged their brutes toward Rajah, who
stopped. He had had his sport. He swayed to and fro. One of the
mahouts reached forward and clouted Rajah on the knee. He slowly
kneeled. The soldiers ran forward to help Kathlyn out of the howdah.
At the sight of her skin their astonishment was great.
She was very weak and faint, and the increasing babel of tongues was
like little triphammers beating upon her aching head. One of the
soldiers gave her a drink of water. He held his canteen high, so that
the water trickled into her mouth; no lips but his own must touch the
nozzle, otherwise, being a Brahmin, he would be denied. Natives
instantly flocked about, jabbering in wonder. Some of the bolder
touched her bare arms. The soldiers drove them back angrily. Through
the press a horseman pushed forward. The rider stared at the strange
captive, started and uttered an astonished cry.