Crittenden record-press., 1917-10-18
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I NNut luI luu. uttu man Nllu
Imagination, There's woman you've
got to work with on this occasion who
can imagin A shade or two too much.
WHAT'S worse. she's ambitious. So
chose you to work with her"
Kings lips stiifened under his mus
tlche, and the corners of his eyes
wrinkled into crows feet to corre-
spond. Eyes are never coal-black, OF
course, but his looked 1t at that min
ute.
"Y0u know we've sent men to Khin-
Jan who are said to have entered the
caves. Not one of 'em has ever re-
turned"
King frowned.
"She claims she can enter the caves
and come out again al pleasure. She
has offered to do II, and | have ac-
crpted. Can you guess who she is?"
mot Yasminl2" KlaS haz9rded, and
the general nodded. The helmet-strap
mark, printed indetibly on Kings jaw
and check by the Indian sun. tight
cned and grew whiter-as the general
noted out of the corner Of his eye.
"Know herr"
"Know of her, of course, sir. Every
body does. Never met her to my
knowledge"
"Um-m-m Whose fault was that?
Somebody ought to have seen to that.
Go to Delhi now and meet her. I'll
send her wire to say you're coming.
She knows I've chosen you. She tried
to insist on full discretion. but over
ruled her"
Kings tongue licked his lips, and his
eyes wrinkled. The generals voice be-
came the least shade more authorita-
tive.
when you see her, get pass from
her that'll take you into Khlnjan
caves! Ask her for 1t For the sake
! II appearances I'll gazette you sec
,nded to the Khyber rifles. For the
AXE Of success, get pass from her p
"very well. sir"
you've brother In the Khyber
1fles, haven't you? Was 1t you or your
brother who visited Khinjan once and
sent in report?"
T did. SIR
He spoke without pride. Even the
brigade of British-lndian cavalry that
went to KhlnJan on the strength of
his report and levcled its defenses
with the ground. had not been able
10 find the famous caves. Yet the
caves themselves are byword.
There's talk Of jlhad (holy war)
There's worse than that, When you
went to Khinjan, what was your chief
Object"
"To find the source Of the everlaSt-
'Hg rumors about the sO-cllled Heart
Of the Hills sir"
/ "Yes, yes. remember. read your
report. You didn't find anything did
YOU? Well The story Is now that the
Heart of the Hills has come TO life.
So the spies say
King whlStled softly.
"Thcre's no guessing what II
means" said the general. Go and
work with Yasmini. The spies keep
bringing In rumOrs of ten thousand
men in khlnjan caves, and Of another
large lashkar not far away from khin-
Jan. There must be no jihad, King
India is all hut defenSclesS This
story about Il Heart Of the Hills com
Ing to life may presnge unity Of action
and holy war such as the world has
not seen. Go up there and stop 1t If
you can. At least, let me know the
facts"
King grunted. To stop Il holy war
single handed would he rather like
stopping the wlnd-poSsibly easy
enough, II one knew the way. Yet he
knew no general would throw away n
man like himself on a useless venture.
lie began to look happy.
The general clucked to the mare
and one wheel ceased to touch the
gravel rs they whirled nlong II semi
circular drive. Under the porch Of a
pretentlouS residence, sentries Saut.
ed, the sails swung down and In less
than sixty seconds King was follow
lng the general through u wide en-
trance into crowded hall. The In
slant the generals fat figure dnrkened
the doorway twenty men OF higher
,ank than King, native and English.
rose from llned.up chairs and pressed
forward.
"Sorry-have to keep you all walt.
lng-buSy" He waved them aside
with little apologize gesture. "Come
In here, King"
! King followed him through n door
that slammed tight behind him on rub
Der jambs.
"Slt down"
The general unlocked n steel drawer
and began TO rummnge amoag the pa.
pers in IL. In a minute he produced
n package, bound In rubber bands
with faded photograph face upward
on the top.
THAT'S the woman! How d'you
like the look OF herr"
King took the package and for u
minute stared hard at the likeness Of
n woman whose fame has travelled ur
and down India, until her witchery
has become proverb. She was
dressed as a dancing woman, yet very