The Washington herald., 1915-12-19
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF DICK ANTHONY OF ARRAN

soldierwise. on the offensive. As he rode
In he had seen the fresh dung and the
hoof marks Of two or three troops at
least. He was quite sure they would
not have left their UNATTENDED officer hr
! behind or for any length OF time. There
fore this was a plan and possibly a trap.
80 the Russians back in Baku know
that We have landed. eh?'' he reasoned.
| For mean Afghan-there would be no
orders to hold hard. The Cossacks would
have leave to work their sweet will on
me and my seven. They know Deck
Antonee has landed. and they have
learned by telegraph a description OF
| him and of his prowess that has turned
their bones to water, 90 far so good"
But his war-trained brain assured him
that there had been d trap laid Orders
given In advance to stable hands. and
troops Of cavalry that galloped out OF
sight when one man came were proof
to him OF preconcerted plan.
So. with a final cat-call of derision and
/ a last peppery jest that included all Rus
sia and all Cossacks. horse. infantry. and
guns in one atrocious summary. Csbeg
Ali marshaled his little party and set 1t
gathering through the gate in the direc-
! ton OF the camp.
! "Ho! Followers of Islam" He fattered
them at the limit OF his soldier lungs.
, well knowing that not one of the ragged
4 ten deserved the title Il lead you now
/ to see 4 man of men. to see n warrior.
| to see a king. who landed in the morn
ing mist with a sword hung at his side
! that once Iskander wore-Iskander-the
sword of him who conquered the world"
! Luck was all with I-sbeG. as it usually
IL with men whose eyes are skinned and
! whose wit plays second to their
! pluck. Dick. who would have been furi-
Gus had he guessed a fragment OF the
| AfGhan's game. and who would never
| under any circumstances have agreed TO
1t. was all unwittingly setting the stage
10 rights and getting ready for perfect
| climax
Bored. as he always was when there
was nothing strenuous and difficult to do
Dick bethought him Of the boar's blood
on his claymore. Usually Andry cleaned
the sword and kept it brighter than
mirror: now Dick busted himself about
the polishing and took his time to do the
job thoroughly.
And while Dick polished. Csbeg AIS
brain was busy. at the center contrivinS
new details OF his plan. Like the Rus
sian government. UsbcG Ali wanted Dick
committed to a course. Unlike the Rus
sian government. he wanted that course
to be along the road to kabul. and he
prayed as did Russia. for an insurrection
in the hills in order that Dick might be
driven in the right direction.
He wanted this rabble of a post horse
party to be Dicks advance guard. the
messengers Of rumor. sowing rumor
Listen he shouted. followers of Is
! LAM And they loved him while they
listened, because he accorded them a
title to which none Of them had any
right: to a man they were rank back
sliders. First. we will canter to the
seashore where viii be seven men of my
race So ran the prophecy. There will
he seven AfShsns waiting by the sea.
with saddles. but no horses: with bag
gage. tut no TRANSPORT: With To sign Of
the ship that brought them. and yet with
new. unsoiled shoes IN proof that they
did not march. Them we will take with
us,'
They cantercd in sight of the two white
tents and swcrved for the seashore in
stantIy: For a mile or two then tsbcS
All made strange signals AZ he rode: he
assured them that he waved his arms to
guard against witchctaft and powers I'M
seen and they grew less timd as they
saw no seven Afghans. though their eyes
could arch the whole plain down TO the
ssashoTe reeds.
But Jrsbeg Ali left OF signaling. And
suddenly seven armed men In turbans
leapcd from the long. coarse grass and
leveled automatic pistols at them in grim
silence. tsbe- Ali gave curt orders in
tongue they did not understand. and the
seven mounted. After that there was nc
chance OF escape. for each of the seven
had a dagger at his helt and hand that
twitchcd to use it. In silence. most un-
willingly. the Fersians rode tho mile that
lay between them and the tents. noting
with fear-wideninS eyes a pill. of bag
age that was left behind. that there was
no sign Of a ship. and that the seven
wore new shoes.
They rode very slowly. very -rudsin-ly.
but the mile rolled UP. AMI the two white
tents drew near. and man with a
drawn sword in his hand arose from be-
tween the tents 10 look at them.
True to UsheS AIRS most minute de-
scription of him. with the Caspian sun
rays SlintinE golden from his bare red
head. man stood as kings ought to
stand. and smiled as man should who
is quite wnafraId ard quite uncovetous.
He spoke In strong strange voice that
carried far. and n giant arose beside
him from the grass. Tsbcg Ali broke
the spell with an Afghan oath. and the
Persians broke ard fed.
What did You say to friShten them"
asked Dick. And why aren't they
headed straight for home?'
answered Tsbeg All They fear the
Cossacks behind them. And as We came
they talked of an eagle. and of ma n
with golden hair. and OF bloody war
There is an eagle overhead" he added.
looking UP.
why didn't you bring your baggage
along? asked Dick. You'd better go
for it. and we'll see how far we can
travel before night. The mountains tempt
me much more than the pla'n"
There was no pause in the game the
okhrana played. although there did
seem a few days of peace while Lln-
caster led Dick and his party up over
the spurs of the Elhurz Mountains, trav-
cling far moro slowly than the ''ba nkcr''
wished because Dick would not overtax
the poor. leg-wcary horses. They had
no means of knowing that a Cossack
regiment had taken advantage of their
dallying TO make a ring around them
and precede them to the hills.
At a point where three hill spurs COIN
cided at a ridge and the only passage to
the mountain-range beyond was neck
Of land. well wooded. that narrowed grad
ually to a notch of fifty feet between
two cliffs. 10 open again into a natural
walled amphitheater. the Russians
bivouacked. And there. one by one, eight
OF the struggling. leg-weary victims Of
Usbeg Ali Kahn's imagination strolIed
into the trap and were made prisoners
They were instantly recognized and flos-
ged by Russian Cossacks for having de-
serted the Persian serviceL II was the
crack OF knout and victims scream
he la ftr-.t i'm, stt,,a. tt,at-