The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1917-11-02

gible, that a man could tackle-a per-
feet antidote for nerves.
The blue light continued on zig
gag course, as if a man were running
among powders with an unusual sort
Of torch; and as there was no answer
King drew his pistol, took about thirty
seconds aim and fired. He fired
straight at the blue light.
1t vanished instantly, into measure
less black silence.
"Now you've jolly well done it,
haven't you" the Rangar laughed in
his ear. THAT was her blue light
Yasmini's"
1t was a minute before King an
swered, for both animals were all but
frantic with their sense of their rid
ers' state Of mind; it needed horse
manship to get them back under con-
troll.
How do you know whose light It
was?" King demanded, when the
horse and mare were head to head
again.
1T was prearranged. She promised
me signal at the point where l am
to leave the trackT"
King drove both spurs home, and
set his unwilling horse to scrambling
downward at an angle he could not
guess, into blackneSs he could feel
trusting the animal to find a footing
where his own eyes could make out
nothing.
To his disgust he heard the Ran
gar Immediately. To his even greater
disgust the black mare overlook him.
And even then, with his own mount
stumbling and nearly pitching him
headforemost at each lurch. he was
forced to admire the mares goatlike
agility, for she descended into the
gorge in running leaps, never setting
q wrong foot. When he and his horse
reached the bottom at last he found
the Rangar waiting for him.
This way, sahib!"
The next he knew sparks from the
black mares heels were kicking up
in front of him, and wild ride had
begun such as he had never yet
dreamed of. There was no catching
up, for the black mare could gallop
two to his horses one; but he set
his teeth and followed into solid
night, trusting ear, eye, guesswork
and the god of the secret service
men, who loves the reckless.
Once in every two minutes he
caught sight for a second of the same
blue siren light that had started the
race. He suspected that there were
many torches placed at intervals.
His own horse developed a speed
and stamina he had not suspected, and
probably the Rangar did not dare eX-
tend the mare to her limit in the
dark; at all events, for ten, perhaps
fifteen, minutes of breathless gallop-
ing he almost made a race of it, keep
ing the Rangar either within sight or
sound.
But then the mare Swerved sud-
denly behind a bowlder and was gone.
He spurred round the same great rock
minute later, and was faced by a
blank wall of shale that brought his
horse up all standing. 1t led steep up
| for a thousand feet to the skyline.
| There was not so much as a goat
| track to show in which direction the
mare had gone, nor a sound Of any
kind to guide him.
lie dismounted and stumbled about
on foot for about ten minutes with
his eyes two feet from the earth, try.
ing to find some trace of hoof. Then
he listened, with his ear to the
ground. There was no result.
He knew better than to shout
After some thought he mounted and
began to hunt the way back, remem
bering turns and twists with a gift
for direction that natives might well
have envied him. He found his way
back to the foot Of the road at q
trot, where ninety-nine men out of al
most any hundred would have beer
lost hopelessly; and close to the road
he overlook Darya Khan, hugging his
rife and staring about like a scorpion
at bay.
did you expect that blue light, ant
this galloping away?" he asked.
"Nay, sahib; l knew nothing Of it
was told to lead the way to Khin
JAM"
"Come on, them
On the level road above King staret
about him and felt in his pockets fol
fresh cheroOt. He struck q mattel
and watched it to be sure his hant
did not shake before he spoke.
man must command himself befor,
trying it on others.
"Where are the others? he asked
when he was certain of himself.
Gomez doomed Ismail.
King took dozen pulls at tn,
cheroot and stared about again. II
the middle Of the road stood his sec
ond horse, and three mules with hi
baggage, including the unmarked
medicine chest. Close to them wer,
three men, making the party now onl,
six all told, including Darya Khan
himself and Ismail.
"Gone whither?" Ismail's voice wa
eloquent of shocked surprise. "The.
followed! Was it then thy baggage
on he other mules? Were they tn,
men They led the mules and went |!