New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-12-14

N' ~ @ ~
price! Show me the belly and pay
your money! Forget not the money,
for nothing is free except air, water
and the Word of God! have paid
money for water before now, and
where is the mullah who will not take
n fee? Nay, only air costs nothing
For a rupee, then-for one rupee I
will heal the sore belly and forget to
be ashamed for taking such a little
fee! !"
"Whither went the sahib? Nay
show us proof! !" objected Darya Khan |;
and Ismail stood back n pace to scratch
his flowing beard and think.
"The sahib left this with me" said
King, and held up his wrist. The gold
bracelet Rewa Gunga had given him
cleaned in the pale moonlight.
MAY God be with thee !" doomed all
five men together.
King jumped to his feet so sudden
~ that all five gave way in front of
him, and Darya Khan brought his rifle
to the port.
Hast thou never seen me befOre?"
he demanded, selling Ismail by the
shoulders and staring straight into his
eyes.
"Nay, never saw thee"
"LOOk again"
He turned his head, to show his face
in profile.
"Nay, l V saw thee"
"Thou, then! Thou with the belly
Thou! Thou"
They all denied ever having seen
him.
SO he stepped back until the noon
shone full in his face and pulled off
his turban, changing his expression at
the same time.
"NOw look !"
"Ma'uzbillah! (May God protect
us y"
"Now We know mel"
"Hee-yce-yee!" yelled Ismail, hug
ging himself by the elbows and begin
ming to dance from side to side. "Hee-
y~cc-yee! What said 1? Said | not so?
Said l not this is a different man?
Said ] not this is a good One-a man
of unexpected things? Said / not there
was magic in the leather bag?
shook it often and the magic grew
IIce-yee-yee! Look at him! See such
cunning! Feel him! Smell Of him!
He is Il good one-good!
Three Of the others stood and
grinned, now that their first shock Of
surprise had died away. The fourth
man poked among the packs. There
was little to see except cleaning
teeth and the white of eyes, set in
hairy faces in the mist. But Ismail
all by himself among the stones
of khyber road and he looked like q
bearded ghoul out for an airing.
'Hee-yee-yee. She smelt out Il good
Hee-yee-yee! This is n man
my heart! Hee-yee-yee! God
preserve me to see the end of this
This n will show sport! Oh-yee-yee-
yee!"
King watched the faces of the other
men. He saw them slowly waken
TO understanding of what Ismail meant
by worker of spells" and "magic in
The bag" and knew that he had even
hold on them now than Vas
minis bracelet gave him.
"Ma'uzbillah !" they murmured as Is
nails meaning dawned and they recog-
lized Il magician in their midst. MAY
Tod protect us" /
MAY God protect me! l have need t
If it," said King. what shall my
lew name be? Give We me IL name! |
Khan is a title of respect. Since |
wish for respect, l will call myself I
Khan. Name me a village the first t
you can think of-quGk" i
"Kurram," said Ismail. at a hazard.
"Kurram is good. Kurram l am!
Khan is my name hencefor-
ward! Kurram Khan the dakitar" r.
But where is the sahib who came
rom the fort to talk?" asked the man Ii
whose stomach ached yet frou Ismuii Il
nd parya Khan's attentions to it.
"GOne !" announced King. "He went v
nth the other One!"
"Went whittier? Did any see him
OF"
as that thy AFFAIR."" asked King, and
he man collapsed. 1t Is not considered
Use to the north of Jamrud to argue
18th a wizard, or even with a man who
My claims to be one. This was a
ian who had changed his very nature
lmOst under their eyes.
"Even his other clothes have gone I" I
lurmured n man, he who had pOked }
bout among the packs. '
uAnd nnvy Tcn,oiI Dorvo Ehca 90
dunderheads !-ye bellies without
rains when was there ever a daki-
hakim, who had not two assist
ats at the least? Have ye never seen,
: Observation-Disclosures one man !
dds a patient while his bOils are
need. and yet another makes the hot
on ready?
"Aye! Aye!" \
They had both seer that often.
''Then, what are yer
They gaped at him. Were they to
ork wonders too? Were they to be
lrt and parcel of the miracle? Watch
g them, King saw understanding
lwn behind Ismail's eyes and knew
was winning more than a mere ad- al.
irer. He knew it might be days vet, :
ight be weeks before the truth was '
It, but it seemed to him that 1smail LIZ
IS at heart his friend. And there WI
e no friendships stronger than those
rmed in the Khyber and beyond-no st,
,re loyal partnerships. The Hills
e the home of contrasts. of blood. is
uds that last until the last-but-one
IN dies. and of friendships that M no