The Irish standard., 1915-05-15

there fell hot night, night issue and
a strained waiting for something to be
telegraphed 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 nv
chair what was left of q 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 a drink?" he whim.
pered. "For the Lords sake. give me
drink!'
l went back to the office, the man
following with groan of pain, and
turned up the lamp.
looked at him intently. Once before
had l seen eyebrows that met over the
nose in an inch broad black band, but
for the life of me could not tell where.
Il don't know you" 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" be 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. am
Peachey-Peachey Taliaferro Carne.
han, and you've been sitting here eve,
since-oh, Lord! Poor. poor. Dan. that
would never take advice. not though
begged Of himw
"Take the whisky" ! said. land TAX.
your own time. Tell ME all You can
recollect Of everything from beginning
to end. You got across the border Oh
your camels. Drav0t dressed us a mad
remember that?"
leaned forward and looked into his
face as steadily as could He dropped
one hand upon the table aud | grasp
ed it by the wrist. 1t was twisted like
a birds claw, and upon the back was
a ragged. red. diamond shaped scar.
"No, don't look there Look at me-
said Carnehan.
"You went as far US Jagdallak with
that caravan" l said at venture ITO
Jagdallak, where you turned of to try
to get into Kaflristan"
mo. we didn't neither. What are you
talking about? We turned of 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 of all his clothes and
mine too and said we would be heath
en-, because the Kafiirs 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 most mountainous country, and
our camels couldn't go along any more
because Of the mountains. They were
tall and black. and coming home saw
them fight like wild goats-there are
lots Of goats in Kafirlstan."
take some more whisky said
very slowly. what did yon and Dan
lei Dravot do when the camels could
go no further because of the rough
roads that led into Kafiristan?'
What did which do? There was II
party called Peachey Taliaferro Carne.
han that was With .Dravot. Shall l tell
you about him? He died out there In
the cold. Slap from the bridge fell old
Peachey. 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 Will,
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 buy you are rich enough
to rob- But before ever he could put
bis hand to his knife Dravot breaks
his neck over his knee, and the other
party runs away. So Carnehan loaded
the mules with the rifles that was
taken of the camcls. and together we
starts forward into those bitter cold
mountainous parts and never n road
broader than the back of your hand"
He paused for moment while !
asked him If he could remember tile
pature of the country through which
he had journeyed
II am telling you MS strnight as I
can. but my head isn't as good as 1t
might be. They drove nails through 1t
to make me hear better how Dravot
died. We came to IA big level valley oil
among the mountains. and the mules
were near dead. so we killed them, pot
having anything In special for then, or
us to eat.
"Then ten men with bows and ar.
rows ran down that valley. chasing
twenty men with bows and arrows.
and the row was tremenjus. They
was fair men-fairer than you or me-
with yellow hair and remarkable we'll
built. Says Drayot, unpacking the
guns: This is the beginning of the
business. Well fight for the ten men,
And with that he fires two rifles at the
twenty men and drops one of them at
200 yards from the rock where we was
sitting. The other men began to run.
but Carnehan and Dravot sits on the
boxes picking them OF at all ranges
up and down the valley. Then we
goes up to the ten men that had run
across the snow. too, and they fires a
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