The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-06-25

| through the same phases. Sum
mer passed, and winter there
~ after, and came and passed
again. The daily paper continued and |
| with it, and upon the third summer
there fell a hot night, a night issue and
a strained waiting for something to be
! telegraphcd from the other side of the
world, exactly as had happened before
| At 3 o'clock | cried. Print off," and
! turned to go. when there crept to my
| chair what was left of a man. He was
| bent into circle. his head was sunk
between his shoulders, and he moved
his feet one over the other like bear.
Can you give me drink? he whirn
pered. For the Lords sake, give me a
drink!'
I went back to the Office, the man
following with groan of pain, and
turned up the lamp.
looked at him iDtently. Once before
had seen eyebrows that met over the
nose in an inch broad black band. but
Il don't know you," l said. handing
him the whisky. What can l do for
you:"
He took gulp of the spirit raw and
shivered in spite of the suffocating heat
1--WE come back" he repeated. And
l was the king Of Kafiristan-me and
DravOt-crowned kings we was! In
this office we settled it-you setting
there and giving US the books. l am
Peachey-Peachey Taliaferro Carne-
han, and you've been sitting here ever
since--oh, Lord! Poor, poor. Dan, that
would never take advice, not though
begged of him."
Take the whisky said, land take
your own time. Tell me all you can
recollect Of everything from beginning
to end. You got across the border on
your camels. Dravot dressed as mad
| priest and you his servant. DO you
remember that:"
l leaned forward and looked into bis
face as steadily as could. He dropped
one hand upon the table and ! grasp
ed it by the wrist 1t was twisted like
birds claw, and upon the back was
a ragged. red, diamond shaped scar.
mo, don't look there. Look at me-
said Carnehan.
"You went as far as Jagdallak with
that caravan" l said at venture. ITO
Jagdallak, where you turned off to try
to get into Ka6ristan."
mo, we didn't neither. What are you
talking about? We turned off before
Jagdallak, because we heard the roads
was good. But they wasn't good
enough for our two camels-mine and
Dravot's. When we left the caravan
Dravot took off all his clothes and
mine too and said we would be heath
en-. because the Kaffirs didn't allow
Mohammedans to talk to them. So we
dressed betwixt and between. and such
a sight as Daniel Dravot | never saw
yet nor expect to see again That was
in a most mountainous country, and
our camels couldn't so along any more
because of the mountains. They were
tall and black, and coming home I saw
them fight like wild goats-there. are
lots of goats in Kafiristan.'
Take some more whisky" I said
very slowly. what did you and Dan
lei Dravot do when the camels could
60 no further because OF the rough
roads that led into Kafristan?'
what did which do? There was a
party called Peachey Taliaferro Carne-
han that was with Dravot Shall tell
you about him? He died out there in
the cold. Slap from the bridge fell old
Peacbey, turning and twisting in the
air like penny whirligig that you can
sell to the ameer.
"And then these camels were no use,
and Peachey said to Dravot. For the
Lords sake let's get out of this before
our heads are chopped off, And with
that they killed the camels all among
the mountains. not having anything in
particular to eat but FIRST they took off
the boxes with the guns and the am
munition till two men came along driv-
ing four mules. Dravot up and dances
iE front of them. singing, Sell me four
mules Says the first man. If you are
rich enough to bly, ycu are rich enough
4 ~ EOU. UclUAC CIV CS hC SeIIu put
his hand to his knife Drsvct breaks
his neck over his knee. and the other
party runs away. SO Carnehap loaded
the mules with the rifles that was
taken off the camels. and together we
| starts forward into those bitter cold
mountainous parts and never road
broader than the back of your hand"
! He paused for moment while
1 asked him if he could remember the
nature of the country through w!s;ch
he had journeyed.
Il am telling you as straight as !
can. but my head isn't as good as it
/ might be. They drove nails through 1t
to make me hear better how DravOt
died. We came to a big level valley all
among the mountains. and the mules
were near dead. 50 we killed them. not
thaving anything In special for them or
n w - m u