The Irish standard., 1915-05-15

Inere lS no use your waiting" SAID
Dravot politely. "It's about 4 O'Clock
now. Well go before 6 o'clock IL you
want to sleep, and we won't steal any
Of the papers. When we've got our
kingdom in going order we'll let you
know, and you can come up and help
US to govern it."
"Would two lunatics make con-
track like that?" asked Carnehan with
subdued pride. showing me greasy
half sheet of note paper on which was
written the following. l copied it then
and there as curiosity:
This contrack between me and you per.
suing witnesseth in the name Of God
Amen and so forth.
One.-That me and you will settle this
matter together-i. e.. to be Kings Of Kafi-
tristan.
Two.-That you and me will not. while
this matter is being settled look at any
Liquor. nor any woman black. white or
brown. SO as to get mixed up with one
Tor the other harmful.
Three.-That we conduct ourselves with
dignity and discretion. and II one of us
Igets into trouble the other will stay by
him.
Signed by you and me this day,
Peachey Taliaferro Carnehan.
Daniel Dravot.
Both Gentlemen at Large.
left them still porting over the maps
and making notes on the back of the
''contrack." BE sure to come down to
the Serai tomorrow to say goodby.'
were their parting words.
The Kumharsen Serai is the great
four square sink of humanity where
the strings of camels and horses from
the north load and unload. In the
afternoon l went down there to See
whether my friends intended to keep
their word or were lying about drunk
A priest attired in fragments of rib
bons and rags stalked up to me. grave
~ twisting child's paper whirligig
Behind him was his servant. bending
under the load of crate of mud toys
The two were loading up two camels
and the inhabitants Of the Serai watch
ed them with shrieks of laughter.
1.-THE priest is mad" said horse
dealer to me. HE Is going up to Ia
bull to sell toys to the ameer. He will
either be raised to honor or have his
head cut off. He came in here this
morning and has been behaving madly
ever since"
From Roum have come" shouted
the priest. waving his whirigig-"from
Roum. blown by the breath of a hun
dred devils across the sea! Who will
take the protected Of God to the north
to sell charms that are never still to
the amir? Ho: Hazar Mir Khan" he
yelled to his servant. drive out the
camels. but let me first mount my
own"
He leaped on the back of his beast
as 1t knelt and, turning round to me,
cried. Come. thou, also. sahib, little
along the road and l will sell thee a
charm, an amulet that shall make thee
king of Kafiristan."
Then the light broke upon me. and !
followed the two camels out of the
Serai till we reached open road. and
the priest halted.
What d'you think o. that?" said he
in English. "Carnehan can't talk their
patter. so I've made him my servant
he makes handsome servant "Tisn't
for nothing that I've been knocking
about the country for fourteen years.
Didn't ! do that talk neat? Wen
hitch on to caravan Mt Pesia war till
we get to Jagtlalak. and then we'll see
If we can get dOnkeys for our canlpls
and strike into Katiristan. Whirligiss
fo- the ameer, . Lord: Put your hand
under the camel bags and tell me what
you feel"
felt the butt of Martini and an
other and another.
Twenty Of 'em." said Dravot placid
~, twenty of 'em. and ammunition to
correspond under the whirligigs and
the mud dolls"
Heaven help you II you are caught
with those things" l said "a Mar.
tint is worth her weight in silver
among the Pathans."
Fifteen hundred rupees of CAPITAL
every rupee we could beg. borrow or
steal-are invested ON these two cam.
els" said Dravot. I'VE won't get
caught We're going through the
Khafber With regular caravan.
who'd touch poor mad priest? Good.
by" And he gave me his hand eau
tiously.
Carnehan leaned down and shook
hands. Then the camels passed away
along the dusty road. and was left
alone to wonder. My eye could detect
no failure in the DISCUSSES. The scene
in the Serai attested that they were
complete to the native mind.
Ten days later native friend Of
mine. giving me the news of the day
from Peshawar, wound up his letter
with, There has been much laughter
here on account Of certain mad priest
who is going in his estimation to sell
petty gauds and Insignificant trinkets
which he ascribes as great charms to
81. Fl. the ameer of Bokhara."
The two, then, were beyond the bor.
der. l would have prayed for them.
but that night real king died in Eu.
rope and demanded an obituary notice.
PART ii.