Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1917-12-07

/
not learned yet; but King did not make
the mistake of trusting him any better
for his easy manners, and his eyes
sought swiftly for some unrhythmic,
implanted thing on which to rest, that
he might save himself by sort of
mental leverage.
CHANGING along the wall that faced
| the big window, he noticed for the first
time huge Afridi, who sat on stool
and leaned back against the silken
hangings with arms folded.
sWho is that MANI" he asked.
"He? Oh, he is savage-just
big savage" said Rewa Gunga, looking
vaguely annoyed.
"Why is he here?"
He did not dare let go Of this chance
side issue. He knew that Rewa Cum
ga wished him to talk of Yasmini and
to ask questions about her, and that If
he succumbed to that temptation all
his self-control would be cunningly
Slapped away from him until his Sc
crets, and his very senses, belonged TO
some one else.
| 'What is he doing here?" he insisted.
| "He? Oh, he does nothing. He waits"
purred the Hangar. "He is to be your
body-servant on your journey to the
North. He is nothing nobody at all
except that he is to be trusted ut
terly because he loves Yasmini. He is
obedience! A big obedient fool! Let
him be!''
"No," said King. eff he's to be my
man I'll speak to him !''
| He felt himself winning. Already
the spell Of the room was lifting, and
he no longer felt the cloud Of sandal
wood like veil across his brain.
won't you tell him to come here to
| met"
Rewa Gunga laughed, resting his silk
turban against the wall hangings and
clasping both hands about his knee. It
was as man might laugh who has
been touched in bout with foils.
"Oh !-Ismail!" he called, with
voice like bell, that made King stare.
The Afridi seemed to come out Of
deep sleep and looked bewildered, rub
bling his eyes and feeling whether his
| turban was on straight. He combed
his beard with nervous fingers as he
/! gazed about him and caught Rewa
Gunga's eye. Then he sprang to his
Feet. =
Conner ordered Rewa Gunga.9
The man obeyed.
did you seer" Rewa Gunga
chuckled. "He rose from his place like
a buffalo, rump first and then shoulder
after shoulder! Such men are safe
Such men have no guile beyond what
will help them to obey! Such men
think too slowly to invent deceit for
it's own sake! !"
The Afridi came and lowered above
them, standing with gnarled hands
knotted into clubs.
"What is thy name?" King asked
him.
'Ismail !" he doomed.
"Thou art to be my servant?"
"Aye! SO said she. am her man.
obeyl"
"When did she say sop King asked
him blandly. The hillman stroked his
great beard and stood considering the
question King entered a shrewd sus
chose to seem. His eyes were too
hawk-bright to be a stupid mans.
Before she went away" he an
swered at last.
"When did she go away?"
He thought again. then yesterday"
he said.
"Why did you wait before you an
swered?'
The Afridi's eyes furtively sought
Rewa Gunga's and found no aid there.
Watching the Hangar less furtively,
but even less obviously, King was
aware that his eyes were nearly closed,
as il they were not interested. The
fingers that clasped his knee ,drummed
on it indifferently, seeing which King
allowed himself to smile.
''Never mind" he told Ismail. SIT Is
no matter. It is ever well to think
twice before speaking once, for thus
mistakes die stillborn. Only the mon
key-folk thrive on quick answers-is it
not so? Thou art man of many inches
of thew and sinew-hey, but thou
art a man! If the heart within those
great ribs Of thine is true as thine
arms are strong shall be fortunate
to have thee for servant!"
"Aye!" said the Afridi. "But what
are words? She has said I am thy
servant, and to hear her is to obey!"
'"Then, take me telegram said
King.
He began to write at once on half
sheet of paper that he tore from a let
ter he had in his pocket, transposing
into CIPHER as he went along.
Yasrnini has gone North. Is there any
reason at your end Why I should not
follow her at once?
He addressed it in plain English to
his friend the general at Peshawur,
and handed it to Ismail, directing him
carefully to government office where
the CIPHER signature would be recog-
nized and the telegram given prece-