The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-07-18

He found a man soon who was not
interested in the dancing. but who had
eyes and ears apparently for every
thing and everybody else. He watched
him for ten minutes. until at last their
eyes met. Then he sat down and
kicked the box back to it's owners.
He looked again at Ismail. With
teeth clenched and eyes ablaze, the
Afridi was smashing his knuckles to-
gether and rocking to and fro. There
| was no need to fear him. He turned
| and touched the Pathan's broad Shout
der. The man smiled and bent his
| turbaned head to listen.
Opposite" said King, nearly ex-
| actly opposite-three rows back from
the front row as one-there sits a
man with his arm in sling and a
bandage over his eye
The Pathan nodded and touched his
knife-hilt.
Internationally men from him,
| counting him as one, sits man with
big black beard, whose shoulders are
like bulls. AS he sits he hangs his
head between them-thus."
"And you want him killed? Nay,
think you mean Muhammad Amin.
His time is not yet"
The suggestion was as good-natur-
eddy prompt as if the hakims need
had been water. and the others flask
were empty. He was sorry he could
not offer to oblige.
who am I that l should want him
killed." King answered with mild re-
proof. "My trade is to heal, not slay.
1 am hakim."
The other nodded. yet, to enter
Khinjan Caves you had to STAY man,
| hakim or no."
HE was an unbeliever," King ans
! wered modestly, and the other nodded
again with friendly understanding.
What about the man yonder them"
the Pathan asked. What will you
! have of him."
Look! See! Tell me truly what
his name isl"
The Pathan got up and strobe for
ward to stand on the box, kicking
! aside the elbows that leaned on it and
| laughing when the owners cursed him.
He stood on it and stared for Ave min
| utes. counting deliberately three times
over, striking a finger on the palm OF
| his hand to check himself.
"Bullwith-a-beard!" he announced
at last, dropping back into place be-
side King. "Muhammad Amin. The
mullah Muhammad Amin"
IAN Afghan" King asked.
"He says he is an Afghan. 5ut I'M
less he lies he is from Ishtamboul
Constantinople)." =
Itching to ask more questions, King
sat still and held his peace. The direr
! the need of information in the Hills,
and in all the East for that matter, the
greater the wisdom, as rule. of
seeming uninquisitive. And wisdom
| was rewarded now, for the Pathan,
who would have dried up under eager
questioning. grew talkative. Civflity
ard volubility are sometimes one, and
not always only among the civilized
world. King-the hak1m Kurram Khan
-blinked mildly behind his spectacles
and looked like one to whom savage
might safely ease his mind.
HE babe me go to Sikaram where
my village is and bring him hun
dred men for his 1ashkar. He says he
has her special favor. Wait and watch
l say!"
HAS he money!" asked King, ap-
parently drawing bow at venture
for conversations sake. But there is
an art in asking artless questions.
AYE! The liar says the Germans
gave it to him. He swears they will
send more. Who are the Germans?
Who is man who talks Of a jihad
that is to be, that he should have gold
coin given him by unbelievers? l saw
a German once, at Nuklao. He ate
pig meat. and washed it down with
wine. Are such men sons of the
Prophet? Wait and watch, say T."
Money!" said King. "He admits
it? And none dare kill him for it?
You say his time is not yet Gomez"
More than ever it was obvious that
the hakim was very simple man.
The Pathan made a gesture of con-
tempt Il dare what l will, hakim!