Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-28
CHAPTER xIx-contlnued.


~
King nodded again, for a nod is less
connittal than a word; Rnd the nod
was enough TO start the mullah off
again.
~ saw the Sleeper and his bride be-
fore she knew a either 1t was who
set her into Khinjanl 1t was who
told the men she is the Heart Of the
Hills come to llfel She tricked me
But this Is no hour for bearing grudges.
she has plan aud l am minded to
help"
King lay still and looked up at him,
sure that treachery was the ultimate
end Of any plan the mullah Muham-
mad Amin had. India has been saved
by the treachery of her enemies more
often than ruined by false friends. SO
has the world. for that matter.
"a iihad when the right hour comes
will raise the tribes" the mullah
growlcd. "She and thou. as the Sleep
er and his mate could work wonders.
But who can trust her? She stole that
head She stole all the ammunitionl !
Does she surely love theef"
King nodded again, for modesty
could not help him at that juncture.
Love and boastfulness go together in
the "Hills."
"She shall have thee back. then, at a
pricep
King did not answer His brown eyes
watched the mullah's, and he drew his
breath n little Jerks, lest by breath
ing aloud he should miss one word of
what was coming.
"She shall have thee back against
Khinjan and the ammunitlonl She
and thou shall have India, but shall
be the power behind youl / have men
In Khinjanl / have as many as she |
On the day / march there will be q re-
volt within. She would better agree
20 terms !"
King lay looking at him. like a pris-
oner on the rack undergoing examna-
ton. He did not answer.
Write thou letter. Since she loves
thee, state thine own case to her. Tell
her that / hold thee hostage, and that
Khinjan is mine already for a little
lighting. In a month she cannot pick
out my men from among her own. Her
position Is undermined. Tell her that.
Tell her that II she obeys she shall
have India and be queen. II she dis
obeys. she shall die In the Cavern of
Earth's Drinkr
"She Is proud woman, mullah," an
swered King. Threats to such as
she-w
The mullah mumbled and strobe
back and forth three times between
Kings bed and the fire, with his fists
knotted together behind him and his
head bent. as Napoleon used to walk.
When he stood beside the bed again at
last II was with his mind made up. as
his clenched fists and his eyes indi-
Gated.
Make thine own terms with her ~
he growled. "Write the letter and
send i'll | hold thee; she holds Khin-
Jan and the ammunition. am between
her and India. So be it. She shall
starve In therel She shall lie in there
until the war is over and take what
terms are offered her in the end Write
thine own letter State the case, and
bid her answerW
Very WELL" said King. He began
to see now definitely how India was tc
be saved. 1t was none of his business
to plan yet, but to help others plans
destroy themselves and to sow suct
seed In the broken ground as might
bear fruit in time.
3 The mullah left him, to SQUAT ant
gaze into the fire, and mutter. and Kina
lay still. After a while the mullah wen
TO the mouth Of the cave, to stand ant
stare out at the camp where the thou
sand fires were dying fitfully and wooc
smoke purged the air of human nasti
hess. The stars looked down on him
and he seemed to try to read them
standing with fists knotted together a
his back.
And al he stood so, six other mul
lahs came to him and began to argu
with him in low tones, he browbeatin
them all with furious words Kissed be
tween half-closed teeth. They wer
whispering still when King fell asleel
1t was courage, not carelessness, tina
let him sleep-courage and a grea
hope born Of the mullah's perplexity.