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

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derneath, and to that on the left breast
were pinned two British medals.
"Oh. yes I" he laughed. 81 served the
raj l was in the army eleven years"
"Why did you leave it?" King asked,
remembering that this man loved to
hear his own voice.
"Oh. had furlough. I knitted a man
this side of the border. 1t was no af-
fair of the British. But l was seen,
and entered this place. 1t is a devil
of place"
Now the art of ruling India consists
not in treading barefoOted on scorpions
not in virtuOus indignation at men
who know no better-but in seeking
for and making much of the gold that
lies ever amid the dross. There is
gold in the chara cter of any man who
once passed the grilling tests before
enlistment in Il British-Indian regi-
ment. 1t may need experience to lay a
finger on it, but it is surely there.
81 heard" said King, "as came to-
NdIu lllG NllyU III great udSle NlOI
the police were at my heels)-"
"Ah, the police !" the Pathan grinned
pleasantly. The inference was that at
some time or other he had left his
mark on the police.
81 heard" said King. that the sirkar
has offered pardons to all deserters
who return"
"Hah! But thou art a hakim, not a
soldierw
"Truei' said King.
ain India 1 earned my salt. l obeyed
the law. There is no law here in the
Hills | am minded to go back and
seek that pardonl 1t woulG feel good
to stand in the ranks again, with a
stiff-3acked sahib out in front of me,
and the thunder of the gun-wheels 60
ing by. The salt was good! Come
thou with me ~
"The pardon is for deserters," King
objected, mot for political offenders"
"Haughg' g' said the Pathan, bringing
down his flat hand hard on the hakim's
thigh. Il will attend to that for thee.
| will obtain my pardon first. Then
will 1 lead thee by the hand to the
karnal sahib and lie to him and say,
This is the one who persuaded me
against my will to come back to the
| regiment ="
Thou art a dreameri" said King
Unite my hands; the thong cuts me-
The Pathon obeyed.
Dreamer, am I? 1t is good to dream
such dreams. By Allah, I've q mind
to see that dream come true! 1 never
slew a man on Indian soil, only in
these Hills l will go to them anC
say, Here ! am! 1 am a deserter.
seek that pardon! Truly 1 will go
Come thou with me, little halzim !''
May" said King. Il have another
thought. You who were seen to slay
man, and l who am political offend
er, do not win pardons so easily a!
that. They would hang us unless W.
came bearing gifts"
"Gifts? Has Allah touched thee
What gifts should we bring? A dozeI
stolen rifles? A bag of silver? And
am the dreamer, am II"
"Nay," said King. II am the dream
err There are others in these Hills
others in Khinjan who wear Britisl
medals"
The Pathan nodded Hundreds
Men fight first ON one side, then on tn
other, being true to either side Will
the contract lasts. In all there must b
the makings of many regiments anon
the Hills"
King nodded. He himself had seel
the chieftains come to parley after tn
Tirah war. Most of them had wor
British medals and had worn ther
proudly.
''If we two" he said, speaking slow
ly, could speak with some of thos
men and stir the spirit in them an
persuade them to feel as thou dos
mentioning the pardon for deserter
and the probability of bonuses to th
time-expired for re-enlistment; if W
could march down the Khyber with
hundred such, or even with fifty G
with twenty-five or with dozen men
we would receive our pardon for th
sake of service rendered"
: "Good !"
The Pathan thumped him on til
: back so hard that his eyes watered.
"We would have to use much cal
tion," King advised him, when he wa
able to speak again.
: "Ayel If Bull-with-a-beard got win
of it he would have us crucified. An
} if she heard of it"
He was silent. Apparently ther
were no words in his tongue that coul
e compass his dread of her revenge. 3
] was silent for ten minutes, and Kin
I | sat still beside him letting rnpmnr