Crittenden record-press., 1917-11-08

.,' ~"lNel ratified, ana the Of
p,,c V"Nld ScIrry into bounds amid
DE- ','rS of any who had seen.
Shaving, kichlng aud elhowlng with
set purpose. l>mall forced way
,hruu-h the already seated crowd and
urew King down into the crumped
space beside him, close enough to the
arena to hc able IL catch the guards
low laughter Hut he was restless. lie
wished 10 get nearer yet, only there
secured no room anywhere ln.front
Then guard threw his shield down
with u clang and deliberately f>rrd his
rifle NJ the roof. The ricochcttlug hul-
let brought down II shower NJ spllnt-
cred stone and stnlactite, and he
Trinnrd ~ he watched the crowd dodge
IN avoid II.
lnSmntly,a .hnndNd men rose from
different directions and raced FOR the
aroma. each with n curved sword tn
either hand. The yelling changed back
into the chant, only louder than before,
and by that much more terrible. Gym.
halS crashed. The music box resumed
It's measured grinding of the "MarSril-
IaiSe." Aud the hundred hrguh m
Afr'dl sword dance. than which there
Is nothing wilder IN all the world It's
like can only be- seen under the shadow
lae Hills"
i9nall seemed ohsesspd by the spirit
~ h'drs let loosc--drawn by IT, as 10y u
magnet although subsequent events
proved him not to have been altogether
Without = plan. He got up. with his
"vr1 fxed On the dance, and thrust
himself and King next 10 some Ornk.
al pathuns. elhowing sayagely to right
anil lcft to make room. And patience
proved scarce. The nearest man
reached for the cyer.ready rathan
knife, but paused In the instant that
his knife licked clear. From swift
side glance at Kings face he changed
10 full stare, his scowl slowly civ.
ing plnce 10 grin MS he recognized
him.
Allah" He drove the long blad.
bnck again
"Well met, hakiml See-the wound
heals finely"
Earring his shoulder under the smelly
sheepSkln coat, he lifted n bnndagr
sngrr!y 10 show the clean opening out
of which King had coaxed bullc' he
day before. II looked wholesome I'D
ready to heal.
Name My reward haklm, We
Ornkzai Pathans forget no fayors!"
tNcw that boast was n true one.)
King nodded more 10 himself than TO
the other man. He needed, for In.
stance, very much TO know who was
planning jlhnd. and who "Rull.with-
a-beard" might be: but II was not snfe
10 coniide Just yet In chance. made ac-
qnalntance. A very fair acquaintance
with some phases Of the East had
taught him that names such as Bull
wltha-benrd are often almost photo
graphically descriptive. He rose To his
feet to look. Asblind man can talk. hut
II tnkes trained eyes to gather lnforma.
ton. -.......
The din had Increased. and II was
safe to stand up and stare. because all
eyes were on the madness In the mid.
die. There were plenty besides him
self who stood To get better view.
aad lie had to dodge FROM side to sid.
10 see between them
TIN not to doctor his men. There
fore lt's II fair guess that he and are
10 be- kept apart. Therefore he'll he Ms
far away from me now as possible,
surprising he's here"
Reasoning along that line. he tried
To see the fnces on the fur side. but the
problem WIS to see over III. dancers
heads. He succeeded presently. for
the Orakgai Pathan saw what he want.
ed, and In his anxiety tn be agreeable.
reached forward To pull back box
from between the ranks In front. Ia
owners offered Instant hgl.t, but mad.
no further objection when they saw
who wanted II and why. King won.
dered st their sudden change OF mind.
He found a man soon who was not
Interested 10 the dancing. but who had
eyes and ears apparently for every.
thing and everybody else. He watched
him for ten minutes, until ut last their
eyes met. Then he sat down and
kicked the box back to It's owners. he
touched the Pathan's broad shoulder.
The man smiled and bent his turbaned
head TO listen.
Opposite" said King. "neurly ex.
actly opposite-three rows from the
front, counting the front row ns one
there sits n man with black beard.
whose shoulders are like bulls. AZ
he sits he hangs his head between
them, Look Scel Tell mc truly
what his name Is r.
The Pnthan got up and strode for.
ward tn stand on the box. kicking aside
the elbows that leaned on Il and laugh.
Ing when the owners cursed him lie
stood on II and stared for Ave minutes,
counting deliberately three times over.
striking a finger on the palm OF his
hand to check himself.
"Bull-with.a.beardl" :" he announced
Mt Inst, dropping back into place beside
King. "Muhammad Amin. The mullah
Muhamnad Amin"
"An Afghan" King asked.
"Ic says he Is nm Afghan but un.
less he lies he is from Ishtamboul
tConstnntinople)."