The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1917-10-12

Thought SOL! He dared open his
eyes mite wider. Hes pukka-true
to typel Rob first and then kill"
AS he watched, the thief drew the
sheet back from Hyde's face, with
trained fingers that could have taken
spectacles from the victims nose with
out his knowledge. Then as fish glide
in and ont among the reeds without
touching them, swift and soft and un-
seen, his fingers searched Eyde's body.
They found nothing.
King moved In his sleep, rather
noIsily, and the movement knocked
book to the floor from the foot of his
berth. The noise of that awoke Hyde,
and King pretended TO begin to wake,
yawning and rolling on his back Chat
being much the safest position an un-
armed man can take and much the
most awkward for his enemy.
Thieves :" Hyde yelled at the top Of
his lungs, cropping wildly for his pistol
and not finding it.
King sat up and rubbed his eyes.
The native drew the knife, and-be-
lieying himself in command Of the
situation-hesitated for one priceless
second. He saw his error and darted
for the door too late. With move
ment unbelievably swift King was
there ahead of him; and with another
movement not so swift, but much more
disconcerting, he threw his sheet as
the retiarius used to throw net In
ancient Rome. 1t wrapped round the
natives head and arms, and the two
went together to the floor in twisted
stranglehold.
In another half-minute the native
was groaning for King had his knife
wrist in two hands and was bending it
backward while he pressed the mans
stomach with his knees.
The knife fell to the floor, and the
thief made gallant effort to recover
, il. but King was too strong for him
He seized the knife himself, slipped 1t
in his own bosom and resumed his hold
before the native guessed what he was
after. The train screamed itself TO a
, standstil at wayslde station, and a
man with q lantern began TO chant
, the stations name. The instant the
, trains motion altogether ceased the
heat shut in on them az If the lid Of
, Tophet had been slammed. The prick
! ~ heat burst out all over Hydes skin
? and Kings too.
There was plenty Of excuse for re-
laxing hold, and King made full use Of
It, A second later he gave very good
. pretense of pain in his finger ends as
| Io fro 10
:, n dive at his bosom for the knife, but
he frustrated that. Then he made a
> prodigious effort, just too late, TO
= clutch the man again, and he did sue
ceed in tearing loose a piece of shirt :;
!, but the fleeing robber must have Won
= dered, as he bolted into the blacker
shadows Of the station building. why
such an iron-f1ngered, wide-awake
=. sahib should have made such truly
y feeble showing at the end.
o Hang it!-couldn't you hold him
i, Were you afraid of him, or whatf" de-
= manded Hyde, beginning to dress HIM
9 self Instead Of answering, King leaned
a out into the lamp-lit gloom, and in a
minute he caught sight of sergeant
. Of native infantry passing down the
- train. He made a sign that brought
the man to him on the run.
- Did you see that runaway" he
- asked.
. "Ha, sahib I saw one running. Shall
- I follow?"
"No. This piece of his shirt will
identify him. Take it. Hide it When
man with torn shirt, into which
that piece fits. makes for the telegraph
Office after this train has gone on, see
that he is allowed to send any tele-
grams lie wants to! Only, have copies
of every one of them wired to Captain
King care of the stationmaster, Delhi
Have you understood?"
"Ha, sahib."
"Grab him, and lock him up tight
afterward-but not until he has sent
his kilograms !"
"Atcha, sahib."
make yourself scarce, thenl"
/ Major Hyde was dressed, having per
formed that military evolution in some
thing less than record time.
= 'Who was that you We're talking
!. tO?" he demanded. But King did moi
seem to understand until the native
sergeant had quite vanished into the
shadows.
The engine shrieked Of death and
torment; the heat relaxed as the en-
gine moved-loosened-let go-liftet
at last. and trainload of hot passeD
gers sighed thanks.
|ly what are you looking att" Hyde
at demanded at last, sitting on King
berth.
"Only knife" said King. He wa
ho standing under the dim gas lamp tha
80 helped make the darkness more un
ck a,"u nc eto~eu VI. A"'ie 80 !.