Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-12

wanted the maxim ia be beside him.
but Kings men treated the messenger
10 open scorn and sent him packing.
IBID the mullah hunt himself an
other hakm, BE thou his hnkim =
Stay, we will give thee II lesson in
how to use knife
The man ran, lest they carry out
their threat, for men joke grimly in the
Hills"
lSmal came and held Kings stirrup.
stridIng beside him with the easy hill
man gait.
Art thou my man at last" King
asked him. but lsmal laughed and
shook his head
al am her man
"Where is shef" King asked.
"Nay, who am that should knOw?"
"Rut She sent thect"
save. she sent me-"
ITO what purpose"
"To her purpose" the Afridi an
swered and King could not get another
word out of him. He fell behind.
But out OF the corner cf his eye. and
once or twice by looking back DELHI
erately, King saw that lsn.ail was
taking the members Of his new band
one by one and whispering to them.
What he Saiu vas Il mystery, hui aS
they talked each man looked at King
And the more they talked the better
pleased they seemed. And rs the day
wore on the more dcferentiul they
grew. BY midday if King wanted 10
diSmount there were three ut least to
hold his stirrup and ten TO help him
mount again.
-Four thousand men with women and
, children and baggage do not move so
swiftly as one man or II dozen, espe-
clally in the "IIills.' where. discipline
Is reckoned beneath a proud mans
honor. There were many miles to 90
f, before Khinjan when night fen and
the mullali babe them camp. He bad,
j.. them camp because they would have
done it otlierwke in any case. :
When the evening meal was eaten
and SonlreS had been set al every van
tage point there came another order
front The mnlIdh. The women and
children We're to be left In camp next
dawn, and To remain there until sent
for. There was murnuring at that
around the camp. and especially among
Kings contingent. But King laughed
2 III il good he said.
"Why? How 500" they asked him.
bid your women make for the khy-
bei soon after the mullah marches to-
morrow. Bid Them travel down the
Khyhcr until we and they meet"
Out"
"pleGSe Yourselves. sahibS r. IT,
hakim's air was one of supremest in.
difference. AS for me, leave ne
wolErn behind uc in the mountains
am content"
They murmurpd a while, but they
gave the orders to their women. and
King watched the women nod.
Even rs lasmni had tested him and
tried him before tempting him al last
she must be watching him now. fol
even the East repeats itself. She had
sent ISmniI for that purpose. 1t was
likely that her course would depend on
his. If he failed, She was done viii
him. II he succeeded In establishing Il
strong position of his own she WouC
yield. With or without lShlal'S aid
with or without his cnmity. he mus
control his eighty men and give tn
slip to the mullah. and he went mt one,
about the best way 10 do both
1--WE will go now" he said quietly
"That sentry in yonder shadow ha'
his back turned. He has overcaten
We will rush him and put good runnin!
between us and the mullah."
Surprised into obedience, and too dc
lighted at the prospect of action t.
wonder why they should obey II hakin
so. they Slung on their bandoierS AM
made ready. Ismail brought up King
horse and he mounted. And then n
Kings word all eighty made a Suddel
Sw0op on the drowsy sentry and tool
him unawares. They tossed him owe
the cliff. too startled to scream al
alarm; and though scntries on ethe
hand heard them and shouted. the
: were gone like wind-hlown ghosts o
dead men before the mulah even knc,
what was happening.
They did not halt until not che o
them could run another yard. Kin
trusting to his horse to find footin
nlnny the cliff.tops. and to the men I