The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1915-03-20

sister searched her fatherS eyes. She |
did not quite like the way he said
those words His voice lacked its
usual heartiness and spontaneity
Where did you get this medal, ia
ther?" she asked.
That's what | started out to tell
you"
Were you afraid we might wish to
wear it or have it made over?" laughed
Winnie, who never went below the
surface of things.
mo. The truth is, had almost for
gotten it. But the preparations for
India recalled it to mind. 1t repre-
sents a royal title conferred on me by
the king of Alfalfa. You have never
been to India, Kit Alfalfa is the name
we hunters give that border kingdom.
Some day England will gobble it up;
only waiting for a good excuse"
What big thing did you do?" de-
manded Kathlyn, her eyes still filed
with scrutiny
What makes you think it was bigT
jestingly.
you never do anything but big things
AS the lion is among beasts, you are
among men,"
Good lord!" The colonel reached
embarrassedly for his pipe, lit it.
pulled few minutes, then laid down
the pipe. India is full of strange
tongues and strange kingdoms and
principalities. Most of them are domi-
mated by the British raj. some are
only protected, while others do about
as they please. This state"-touch-
ing the order-"does about as it did
since the days of the first white rover
| who touched the shores of Hind. 1t Is
small, but that signifies nothing; for
you can brew a mighty poison in
small pot. Well, l happened to save
the old kings life
81 knew it would be something like
that" said Kathlyn. Go on. Tell it
ALL"
The colonel had recourse to his pipe
again. He smoked on till the coal was
dead. The girls waited patiently.
They knew that his silence meant that
he was only marshaling the events in
their chronological order.
"The king was a kindly old chap,
simple, yet shrewd, and with that
slumbrous oriental way of accom-.
plishing his ends, despite all obstacles.
Underneath this apparent simplicity
discovered grim, sardonic humor.
Trust the oriental for always having
that packed away under his bewilder-
ing diplomacy. He was all alone in
the world. He was one Of those rare
eastern potentates who wasn't ham,
pered by parasitical relatives. By
George, the old boy could have given
his kingdom lock, stock and barrel,
to the British government, and no one
could say him nay. There was good
deal of rumor the last time l was there
that when he died England would step
in actually. The old boy gave me
leave to come and go as pleased, to
hunt where and how l would. had a
mighty fine collection. There are
tigers and leopards and bears and fat
old pythons, 40 foot long. OF course
, it isn't the tiger country that central
! India Is, but the brutes you find are
, bigger. have about 60 beasts there
: now, and that's mainly why I'm going
! back. Want to clean it up and shiI
. 'em to Hamburg, where I've large
standing order. I'm going first to Cey
| lon, for some elephants"
\ The colonel knocked the ash from
!. his pipe.
! 1.-THE old boy used to do some trap
: ping himself. and whenever he't
e catch fine speciman he'd turn it owe
t to me. He had hunting lodge no
!. far from my quarters. One day All
a med came to me with message say
ing that the king commanded my pres
k ence at the lodge, where his slave
d had trapped fine leopard. Yes, m,
a dears, slaves. There is even slav
/, mart at the capital this day. A bal
barrie fairy land, with its good gent
a and its bad djinns."
/" THE Arabian Nights" murmure
r. Winnie, smuggling close to Kathlyn.
1.-THE oriental loves pomp," went O
the colonel. HE can't give YOU
chupatti-"
whats that?" asked Winnie.
:, Something like bareback. Well, h
:, can't give you that without ceremonial
When arrived at the lodge with AL
!, med the old boy--he had the compile,
: ion OF a prima donna-the old boy Sc
: on his portable throne, glittering wit
:" orders Standing beside him was
chap we called Umballa. He had bee
y a street rat A bit Of impudence hs
. caught the kings fancy, and
brought up the boy. clothed, fed hiI
x and sent him away down to Umbal
to school. When the boy returned
talked Umballa morning. noon. al
night, till the soldiers began to CO
Do him that, and from them 1t passed I
to the natives. all of whom disliked Il
% upstart. Hanged II ! can recall
ID real name. He was ugly and han
ST some at the same time; suave, 7
's tient, courteous; yet somehow or 9th
d sensed the real man below-the II,
u Ill A..