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

hang back and refuse to drink the
medicines. There should be one OF
two among the crowd who will come
forward and swallow the draughts
eagerly, in proof that no harm results.
Be We two they!"
Ismail spat ~savagely.
"Nay! Bismillah! Nay, nay!
will hold them who have boils. sitting
firmly on their bellies-so-Or between
their OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the boils
are behind! Nay, / will drink no
draughts! am a man, not a cess
pool"
Sand I will study how to heat hot
irons!" said Darya Khan, with grim
conviction. ut Is likely that, having
worked for a blacksmith once, / may
learn quickly! Phaughghgh! have
tasted medaceen! have drunk Apsin
saats Epson salts)."
He spnt, too, in a very fury of remi-
niscence.
Good" said King. "Henceforward.
then, l am Kurram Khan. the dakitar.
and We two are my assistants, Ismail to
hold the men with boils, and Darya
Khan to heat the irons-both of We to
be my men and support me with
words when need bel"
"Aye!" said Ismail, quick to think
of details. "and these others Shall be
the tasters!"
w will not drink the medicines !"
announced the man who had n stom-
ach ache. NAY, nay"
But 1sinail hit him with the back of
MS hand in the stomach again and
danced away, hugging himself and
shouting "Hee-yee-yee!" until the
Jackals Joined him in discontinued
chorus and the Khyber pass became
full of weird bowling. Then suddenly
the old Afridi thought of something
else and came back to thrust his face
close to Kings.
why be a Hangar? Why be n Raj
put, sahib? She loves us hillmen bet
ter !"
do / look like a hillman of the
'Hills'?" asked King.
Nay, not now. But he who can work
one miracle can work another. Change
thy skin One more and be a true
Hillman |"
Aye" King laughed. "And fall heir
to II bl0od-feud with every second man
l chance upon! Better be a converted
Hindu and be despised by some than
cousins in the Hills! Is that
thou oaf?"
AYE! Thou art more cunning than
any man | ever met"
The great Afrldi began to rub the
tips of his fingers through his straggly
beard in a way that might mean any.
thing, and King seemed to draw con-
satisfaction from it, as il 1t
were a sign language that just then he
needed Il friend, and he certainly did
not propose to refuse such Il useful
one.
And" he added, as If it were an |.
tfterthought, instead of his chief rea-
son, IF her special man Rewa Gunga
$ n Hangar, and is known as n Ran
ear throughout the Hills shall | not
he more likely win favor by being a
too? If l wear her bracelet
at the same time nm a Hangar,
who will not trust me?"
True" agreed Ismuil. "True! Thou
lrt Il magician !"
BUT the moon was getting low and
\hyber would be dark again In half an
lour, for the great crags in the dis
to either hand shut off more
light than do the Khyber walls. The
mist, too, was growing thicker. 1t was ,
to make n move. ,
King rose. "Pack the mule and bring ,
horse!' he ordered and they hur-
led to obey with alacrity born of new ,
Darya Khan attending to the :
trimming of the mules load in person j.,
of snarling at another man. 1t :
las a very different little escort from :,
he one that had come thus far. Like :
ling himself, 1t had changed its very :,
allure In fifteen minutes! ;
They brought the horse and King =.
at them, calling them idiots -
len without eyes. =
II am Kurram Khan, the dakitar. but :,
'ho IN the Hills would believe IT? :,