Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-10-12

in the plains. That would entail send
ing back from France an army that
can't be spared. There must be no
jihad King There must-not-be-
one! Keep that in your head!"
"What arrangements have been
made with her, sir?"
practically none! She's watching
to break for the Hills any minute.
Then they'll be arrested. When that
happens the fate of India may be in
your hands and hers! Get out of my
way now, until tiffin-time!" !"
In a way that some men never learn,
tirely among the crowd in the hall,
contriving to say nothing of any ac-
count to anybody until the great gong
doomed and the general led them all
in to his long dining table. Yet he
did not look furtive or secretive. No.
body noticed him, and he noticed ev-
erybody. There is nothing whatever
Secret1Ve about that.
The fare was plain, and the meal a
perfunctory affair. The general and
his guests were there for no other
reason than to eat food, and only the
man who happened to seat himself
next to King-a major by the name
of Hyde-spoke to him at all.
"Why aren't you with your regi-
ment?" he asked.
Because the general asked me to
lunch, sir!'
Il suppose you've been pestering
him for an appointment ~
King, with his mouth full of curry
did not answer, but his eyes smiled.
After lunch he was closeted with
the general again for twenty minutes
Then one Of the generals carriages
took him to the station; and it did moi
appear to trouble him at all that the
other occupant of the carriage was the
self-same Major Hyde who had sal
next him at lunch. In fact, he smiled
SO pleasantly that Hyde grew exas,
perated. Neither of them spoke. Al
the station Hyde lost his temper omen.
ly, and King left him abusing an IN.
happy native servant.
The station was crammed to suffo
cation by a crowd that roared and
writhed and smelt to high heaven. But
the general himself had telephoned fol
Kings reservation, so he took his time
There were din and stink and dust be
meath savage sun, shaken into re
verberations by the scream of an en-
gine's safety valve. It was India in es
sence and awake India arising out
of lethargy India as she is more
often nowadays-and 1t made King
for the time being of the Khyber rifles
happier than some other men can be in
bathrooms.
| Any one who watched him-ant
there was at least one man who did
must have noticed his strange abil
ity, almost like that of water. to reacl
the point he aimed for, through, anC
not around, the crowd.
He neither showed nor argued. Or
ders and blows would have been equal
ly useless, for had it tried the crow,
could not have obeyed, and it was /,
no mind to try. Without the least an
parent effort he arrived-and there /
no other word that quite describes it
he arrived. He climbed into his cal
riage and leaned from the window.
"Why are you here" asked an aci,
voice behind him; and without trouh
ling to turn his head, he knew tha
Major Hyde was to be his carriag
mate again.
"Orders," said King.
"1s that your answerT' asked tn
major. Baked ambition is an ugl
horse to ride. He had tried for
command but had been shelved.
II have sufficient authority" sal
King, unruffled. He spoke as if he wer
thinking Of something entirely differ
ent. His eyes were as if they saw tn
major from very long way off an
rather approved of him on the whole.
"Show me your authority, please !"
King dived into an. inner pocket an
produced a card that had about te
words written on its face, above
generals signature. Hyde read it an
passed it back.
$50 you're one of those, are you
he said in tone Of voice that woul
start fight in some parts of the worl
and In some services. But King nodde
cheerfully, and that annoyed the majC
, more than ever; he snorted, closed b
mouth with snap and turned to r
. arrange the sheet and pillow on h
berth.