New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1917-11-16

49, w WIN WIN WI ms o'th'ioi 80
can imagine Il shade or two too much.
What's worse. she's ambitious. SO !
chose you to work with her"
Kings lips stitfened under his mus
tache, and the corners Of his eyes
wrinkled into crows feet to CORE
COURSE, but his looked it at that min
ute.
"iou know we've sent men to kim
jan who are said to have entered the
caves. Not one of 'em has ever re-
turned"
King frowned.
"She claims she can enter the caves
and come out again at pleasure. She
has offered to do it, and ! have ac-
cepted. Can you guess who she ISL"
Not YasminiY" King hazarded, and
the general nodded. The helmct-Strap
mark, printed indelibly on Kings jaw
and cheek by the Indian sun, tight
cned and grew whiter-as the general
noted out of the corner of his eye.
"know hcr?"
NIl' vi l'l, VI 'bNl ~, NlI. LNfly-
body does. Never met her to my
knowlcdge."
"Um-m-m. Whose fault was that?
Somebody ought to have seen to that.
Go TO Delhi now and meet her. I'll
send her Il wire to say you're coming.
She knows I've chosen you. She tried
TO insist On full discretion, but | over
ruled her"
Kings tongue licked his lips. and his
eyes wrinklrd. The generals voice be-
came the least shade more authorita-
tive.
when you see her, get a pass from
her tllat'll take you into Khinjan
caves! Ask her for it. For the sake
of appearances I'll gazette you sec
onded to the Khyber rifles. For the
sake of success, get a pass from hcr!"
very we'll, sir"
you've a brother in the Khyber
rifles, haven't you? Was it you or your
brother who visited Khinjan once and
in q report?"
81 did, sir"
He spoke without pride. Even the
brigade Of British-Indian cavalry that
to Khinjan on the strength of
report and leveled its d~efenses
with the ground. had not been able
to find the famous caves. Yet the
caves themselves are Il byword.
''There's talk of a ijihad (holy war).
There's worse than that When you
to Khinjan, what was your chief
ITO find the source of the everlast-
ing rumors about the so-called Heart
If the Hills sir"
"les. yes. | remember. ! read your
You didn't find anything, did
YOU? Well. The story is now that the
Heart of the Hills has come to life.
So the spies say"
King whistled softly.
"There's no guessing what 1t
Means" said the general. eco and
work with Yasmini. The spies keep
Ringing in iumorS of ten thousand
men in Khinjan caves, and of another
arge lashkar not far away from kim
an. There must be no jihad, King!
ndia is all but dc~fenSeleSs. This
story about Il Heart Of the Hills com
md n holy war such as the world has
lot seen. Go up there and stop it if
can. At least, let me know the
acts"
King grunted. To stop a holy war
ingle handed would be rather like
the wind-possibly easy
nough, if one knew the way. Yet he
new no general would throw away a
nan like himself on Il useless venture.
Ie began to look happy.
The general clucked to the mare
nd one wheel ceased to touch the
ravel as they whir.ed along a semi
drive. Under the porch of a
residence, SentrleS salut-
d, the sails swung down and in less
han sixty seconds King was follow
lg the general through a wide en-
rance into a crowded hall. The i'm
tant the generals fat figure %darkened
he doorway twenty men of higher
ank than King, native and English.
Dse from lined-up chairs and pressed
'~Sorry-have to keep you all wait
lg-busy." He waved them aside
18th a little apologize gesture. Come
1 here, King"
King followed him through a door
nat slammed tight behind him on rub
jambs.
"Sit down."
The general unlocked a steel drawer
nd began to rummage among the pa
ers in it. In a minute he produced
package. bound in rubber bands.
18th a faded photograph face upward
n the top.
THAT'S the woman! How d'you
Ike the look of herr"
King took the package and for a {
mute stared hard Mt the likeness Of
whose fame has Travelled I'D {
nd down India, until her witchery
become a proverb. She was
ressed as a dancing woman. yet very !
w dancing women could afford to be
reSsed as she was. !
The general watched his face with
yes that missed nothing.
"Remember-I said work with her !"
King looked up and nodded. J
"They say she's three parts Rus I