Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1917-11-08

Il "
"Thats the Womanl How Do You
Like the Look o. Her7"
rye heard she didn't! There's another
story that she poisoned him. I know
she got away with his mOney-and
that's proof enough Of brains! Some
say she's she-devil. l think that's
an exaggeration, but bear in mind
she's dangerous!"
King grinned. A man who trusts
Eastern women over readily does not
rise far In the secret service.
IF. you've got nous enough to keep
on her soft side and use her-nOt let
her use you-you can keep the Hills
quiet and the Khyber safe! II You
can contrive that-nOw-in this pinch
there's no limit for you Com
mander In chief shall be your job be-
fore you're slxty!"
King pocketed the photograph and
papers. "Tm we'll enough content.
sir, as things are" he said quietly.
The general paced once across the
room and once back again, with hands
behind him. Then he stopped in front
Of King.
mo man in India has sitter task
than you have now! A jihad launched
from the Hills would mean anarchy
In the plains. That would entail send
ing back from France an army that
can't be spared. There must be no
No
one! Keep that In your head!"
"What arrangements have been
made with her, sir?"
practically none! She's watching
the spies In Delhi, but they're likely
to break for the Hills any minute
Then they'll be arrested. When that
happens the fate Of India may be in
your hands and hers! Get out of my
way now. until tiftin-time"
In way that some men never learn,
King proceeded to efface himself en-.
tirely among the crowd In the hall,
| contrivlng to say nothing Of any &C
count to anybody until the great gong
doomed and the general led them all
In to his long dining table. Yet he
did not look furtive or secrative. No
body noticed him. and ne noticed ev.
| erybOdy. There is nothing whatever
| secretive about that
The fire was plain. and the meal q
perfunctOry affair The general, and
his guests were there for no other
reason than to eat food, and only the
man who happened to seat himself
next to King--a major by the name
Of Hyde-spoke to him ut all.
"Why aren't you with your regi.
mert?" he asked.
Because the general asked me tc
lunch, sir!"
Il suppose you've been FOSTERING
him for an appointment
King. with his mouth full of curry.
did not answer. but his eyes smiled.
| After lunch he was closeted with
the general again for twenty minutes.
Then one Of the generals carriages
took him to the station; and II did not
appear to trouble him at all that the
other occupant Of the carriage was the
self-same Major Hyde who had sat
next him at lunch. In fact. he smiled
80 pleasantly that Hyde grew exas.
perated. Neither Of them spoke. At
the station Hyde lost his temper open.
~. and King left him abusing an I'm.
happy native servant.
The station was crammed to suffO.
cation by a crowd that roared and
writhed and smelt to high heaven. But
the general himself had telephoned for
Kings reservation. so ne took his time.
There were din and stink and dust be-
meath savage sun, shaken into re-
verberations by the scream of an en-
gine's safety valve. 1t was India in es-
sence and awake India arising out
Of lethargy India as she Is more
often nowadays-and 1t made King.
for the time being of the Khyber rifles,
happier than some other men can be in
bathrooms
Any one who watched nim-and
there was at least one man who did
must have noticed his strange abil.
ity. almost like that Of water, to reach
the point he aimed for, through. and
not around the crowd.
He neither showed nor argued Or
ders and blows would have been equal.
" useless, for had 1t tried the crowd
could not have obeyed. and It vas In
no mind to try. Without the least ap-
parent effort he arrived-and there IL
no other word that quite describes IT.
be arrived. He climbed into MS car
riage and leaned from the window.
Why are JON herer' asked an add