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

jerk of his great ugly head, and then
stood muttering :mpatiently while they
obeyed.
They marched downward through
interminable tunnels and along ledges
poised between earth and heaven, un-
til they came at last to the tunnel lead
ing to the one entrance into Khinjan
caves. Just before they entered it two
more of the mullah's men came up
with them leading horses. One horse
was for the mullah, and they helped
King mount the other, showing him
more respect than is usually shown
prisoner in the "Hills."
Then the mullah led the way into the
tunnel. and he seemed in deadly fear.
The echo of the hoOf-beats irritated
him. He eyed each hole in the roof as
if Yasmini might be expected to shoot
down at him or drench him with boil
ing ell and hurried pas, each of them
at a trot. only to draw rein Immediate
ly afterward because the noise was too
great.
It became evident that his men had
been at work here too, for at intervals
along the passage lay dead bodies. Yas-
mini must have posted the men there,
but where was she? Each of them lay
dead with q knife wound in his back,
and the mullah's men possessed them
selves of rifles and knives and car
tridges, wiping off blood that had
scarcely cooled yet.
When they came to the end of the
tunnel it was to find the door into the
mosque open in front Of them, and
twenty more of Muhammad Anim's
men standing guard over the eyelash-
less mullah. They had bound and
gagged him. At word from Muham-
mad Amin they lOosed him; and at a
threat the hairless one gave a signal
that brought the great stone door slid
ing forward on its oiled bronze grooves.
Then, with a dozen jests thrown to
the hairless one for consolation, and
an utter indifference to the sacredness
of the mosque floor, they sought outer
air, and Muhammad Amin led them up
| the Street of the Dwellings toward
Khinjan's outer ramparts. They
reached the outer gate without Incl
dent and hurried into the great dry
valley beyond it. AS they rode across
the valley the mullah thumbed a long
string of beads. Unlike Yasmini, he
was praying to one god; but he seemed
to have many prayers. His back was g
picture of determined treachery-the
| backs of his men were expressions OF
the creed that ''he shall keep who
can - King rode all but last now anC
had a good view of their unconsciously
vaunted bIackguardism. There was no
hint of honor or tenderness anon.
the lot, man, woman or mullah. Ye
his heart sang within him rs if h,
were riding to his own marriage feast
Last of all, close behind him
marched his friend, the Orakzai Pa
than, and as they picked their wa.
among the powders across the mile
wide moat the two contrived to fall
little to the rear. The Pathan begal
speaking in whisper and King, ridln
with lowered head as if he were study
ing the dangerous track, listened.
"She sent her man Rewa Gunga to
ward the Khyber with q message" b
whispered. 'He took a few men wit
him, and he is to send them with th
message when they reach the Khybel
but he is to come back. All he wen
for is to make sure the message is nc
intercepted, for Bull-with-a-beard
growing reckless these days. He kne,
what was doing and said at once tina
she is treating with the British, bu
there were few who believed tha
There are more who wonder where sh
hides while the message is on its wa,
None has seen her. Men have syarme
into the Cavern of Earth's Drink an
howled for her, but she did not com,
Then the mullah went to look for hi
; ammunition that he stored and scale
. in a cave. And it was gone. 1t wa
! all gone. And there was no proof {
/ who had taken it,
: ''Hakim, there be some who say-an
: Bull-with-a-beard is one of them-thf
! she is afraid and hides.
'His men say he is desperate. HI
own are losing faith in him. q
: snatched thee to be a bait for her, ha'
ing it in mind that man whom sh
: hides in her private part of Khinja
5 must be of great value to her. He hs
sworn to have thee skinned alive on
/ hot rock should she fail to come |
! terms 7"