New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-12-28
"come!" He Urged Fiercely. "This
Leads to the Heart Of the HiIIs!'"

firearms openly. Some of the arena
guards bore huge round shields of pre-
historic pattern of a size and sort he
had never seen before, even in mu-
seums. But there was very little that
he was seeing that night of a kind that
he had seen before anywhere!
The guards lOlled insOlently, con-
sciOus of brute strength and special
favor. When any man trespassed with
so much as a toe beyond the ring of
lamps, a guard would slap his rifle-butt
until the swivel ratified, and the of.
fender would scurry into bounds amid
the jeers of any who had seen.
Showing, kicking and elbowing with
set purpose, Ismail forced a way
through the already seated crowd and
drew King down into the cramped
space beside him, close enough to the
arena to be able to catch the guards
low laughter. But he was restless. He
wished to get nearer yet, only there
seemed no room anywhere In front.
Then a guard threw his shield down
with a clang and deliberately fired his
rifle at the roof. The ricOchetting bull
let brought down a shower Of splint-
cred stone and s~talactite, and he
grinned as he watched the crowd dodge
to avoid 1t.
Instantly a hundred men rose from
different directions and raced for the
arena. each with q curved sword In
either hand. The yelling changed back
into the chant, only louder than before.
and by that much more terrible. Gym
balls crashed. The music box resumed
its measured grinding of the "Marseil-
laise." And the hundred began an
Afridi sword dance, than which there
is nothing wilder in all the world. Its
like can only be seen under the shadow
of the Hills"
Ismail seemed Obsessed by the spirit
of hades let loose-drawn by 1t, as by a
magnet, although subsequent events
proved him not to have been altogether
without a plan. He got up, with his
eyes fixed on the dance, and thrust
himself and King next to SOM Orak-
zai Pathans. elbOwing savageIy to right
and left to make And patience
proved scarce. The nearest man
reached for the ever-ready Pathan
knife. but paused in the instant that
his knife licked clear. From a swift
side glance at Kings face he changed
to a full stare, his scowl slowly CIV
ing place to a grin as he recognized
him.
"Allahw He drove the long blade
again.
We'll met, hakim! See-the wound
heals finely"
Barring his shoulder under the smelly
coat, he lifted a bandage
to show the clean opening out
Of which King had coaxed a bullet the
day before. 1t looked wholesome and
ready to heal.
Name thy reward, hakim! We
Orakzai Pathans forget no favors ~
(NOw that boast was a true one.)
King nodded more to himself than to
the other He needed, for in
very much to know who was
planning a jihad, and who "Bpll-with-
a-beard might be; but 1t was not safe
% confidS just yet In a chanoe-m.de &C.
luaintarN,. A very fair Acquaintance
with some phases Of the East had
him that names such as Bull
are often almost photo
descriptive. He rose to his
'eet to look. A blind a can talk, but
t takes trained eyes to gather informa-
ion.
The din had increased, and It was
,afe to stand up and stare, because all
yes were on the madness In the mid
lie. There were plenty besides him.
'elf who stood to get a better view,
md he had to dodge from side to side
o see between them.