Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-21
CHAPTER XVIII.

When King awoke he lay on a COM
Portable bed in a cave he had never
yet seen, but there was no trace Of Yas-
mini, nor Of the men who must have
carried him to 1t. He had no idea how
long he had slept. 1t did not matter.
He had probed Khinjan caves, and
knew the whole purpose for which the
iawless thousands had been gathering
and were gathering still. Remained, to
thwnrt that purpose. He began at
the beginning. where he stood.
Behind him in a corner at the back
of the cave was a narrow fissure, hung
with a leather curtain, that was doubt
less the door into Khinjan's heart; but
the only way to the outer air was along
a ledge above a dizzying precipice, so
high that the huge waterfall looked
like. little stream below. He was In
a very eagles aerie; the upper rim of
Khinjan's gorge seemed not more than
quarter of a mile above him.
Round the corner, ten feet from the
entrance. stood a guard, armed to the
teeth. with rifle. q sword, two pistols
and a long curved Khyber knife stuck
handy In his girdle. AS he looked, a
little procession OF women, led by
man, came up the ledge. The man was
armed, but the women were burdened
with his own belongings-the medicine
chest-his saddle and bridle-his un-
rified mule-pack. They came past the
dumb man on guard and laid them all
at Kings feet Just Inside the cave.
He smiled with that genial, face
transforming smile Of his that has so
often melted a road for him through
sullen crowds. But the man in charge
Of the women did not grin. He was
suffering. He growled at the women.
and they went away like obedlent ami
mails, TO sit halfway down the ledge
and await further orders. He himself
made as n to follow them, and the
dumb man on guard did not pay much
attention; he let women and man pass
behind him, stepping one pace forward
toward the edge to make more room.
That was his last entirely voluntary
act In this world.
With suddenness that disarmed all
opposition the other bumped himself
against the wall and bucxed into the
dumb mans back, sending him
weapons and all, hurtling over the
precipice TO the caverns into which the
water tumbled thousands of feet away
The other ruiiian spat after him, anC
then walked back to where King stood
"Now heal me my boils I" he said
grinning at last, doubtless from pleas
ure Gt the prospect. He was the sam,
man who had stood on guard ut tn,
"guest-cnve" when Ismail led KIM
out to see the Cavern of Earth's Drink
The temptation was to fling tn,
brute after his victim. The tempta
ton always is to do the wrong thing
70 cap wrath with wrath. injustice witt
vengeance. That way wars begin IN,
are never ended. King beckoned hin
into the cave, and bent over the ches
Of medical supplies. Then, finding tn
light better for his purpose at the en-
trance, he called the man back an
made him sit down on the box.
The business Of lancing boils is no
especially edifying In itself; but tina
particular minor operation probabl
saved India. But for hope of 1t tn
man with the boils would never hav
stood two turns on guard hand rur
ming and let the relief sleep on so h
would not have been on duty when tn
message came to carry Kings belon.
ings to his new cave of resldenc,
There would have been no object
Killing the dumb man, and so ther
would have been an expert with Loaf
ed rife to keep Muhammad Amin lurl
Ing down the trail.
Muhammad Amin came-like Ii
devil. to scotch Kings faith. He ha
followed the women with the load
He stood now, like q big bear on
mo,ntuin track, swSylng his head fro
side TO side six leet away. KlI