As the women spread about the throne, Ramabai signified to the musicians to cease.
Silence.
Then Ramabai brought candidate after candidate close to the colonel, so that he alone might see the face behind the veil.

At each uplifting of the veil the colonel shook his head.

A dark frown began to settle over Umballa's face.

If the colonel refused the last candidate for nuptial honors, he should die.

But as Ramabai lifted the veil of this last woman the colonel nodded sharply; and Kathlyn, for a brief space, gazed into her father's eyes.