Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-11-24


eighty yards before IL began to curve.
and its din was like the voice OF all c1o-
alton.
Ismail came and stood by King liza
silence, taking his hand. as little child
might Presently he stopped and
picked up a stone and tossed it over.
"Gone!" he said simply. THAT down
there is Earths Drink"
And this is the Heart of the Hills
men boast about3
NAY! 1t is mott" snapped Tsmail.
"Then, where"
But the one-eyed guide beckoned inn
patiently and King led the way after
him. staring as hakm or prisoner or
any man had right to do on first adj
mission to such wonders. Not to have
stared would have been to proclaim
himself an idiot
They soon began to pass the mouths
of caves. Some were above the road,
now and then at crazy heights above
il, reached by artificial steps hewn out
of the stone. Others were below,
reached from the road by means OF lad
ders that trembled and swayed over
the di2zying waterfall. Most Of the
caves We're inhabited for armed men
and sulen women came to their en-
frances to stare.
Ears grow accustomed to the sound
of water sooner than to almost any
thing 1t was not long before Kings
ears could catch the patter of his mems
feet following, and the shod clink Of
the mule He could hear when ISmail
whispered:
BE brave little hakim! She loves
fearless men!"
AT last the guide halted, In the mid
die of short steep slope where the
path was less than six feet wide and u
narrow cave mouth gave directly onto
1t.
BE content to rest here" he said.
pointing.
THY cave?" asked King.
NAY. Gods! l am the caretaker! !"
The '"Hils" are very plous and po-
lite, between the acts of robbing and
shedding blood
Allah, then, reward thee, brOther!"
answered King. "Allah give sight to
thy blind eye! Allah give thee chill
dren! Allah give thee peace. and to
all thy house :"
The guide salaamed, half-mockingly,
half-wondering at such eloQuence.
paused in the passage to point into
/ the side caves that debouched to either
hand, turned on his heel and stalked
out of the cavern. 1t was the last
King ever saw of him.
King turned back and looked into
the other caves--saw the weary horse
and mule fed wntered and bedded
down-took note of the running water
that rushed out of rock tissure and
gurgled out of sight down another one
examined the servants cave and saw
that they had been amply provided
with blankets. There was nothing lack
ing that the most exaCting traveller
could have demanded at such a dis
lance from civilization There was
more than the most exactng would
have dared expect
iNIisiiit ne SHhultut bltI Iuiupfu at
| the revolver-craCklllle echo of his voice.
Ismail came running
Make the men curry the mules
packs into this cave. You and Darya
Khan stay here and help me open
them. Remember. We are both assist
ants Of kurr0m Khan, the hakim!'
''rhey viii laugh ut u.s. They win
laugh at u.s." clucked Ismail. but no
hurried to obey, while King wondered
who would laugh.
Within an hour delegation came
from no less q person than Yasmin.
herself, bearng her compliments. and
hot food saVory enough to make
brass IDOLS mouth water. BY this time
King had his sets Of surgical instru-
ments and drugs and bandages all laid
| out on one of the beds and covered
from view by a blanket.
1t was only one more proof Of the
British army's everlasting luck that
one of the men, who set the great brass
dish OF food on the floor near King,
had a swollen cheek. and that he
should touch the swelling clumsily as
4 em